Longstanding senior partner Nick Thomas is to stand uncontested for a fifth five-year term as senior partner at insurance specialist Kennedys.
It is understood that nominations are now closed and soundings for any potential challengers were made a few months ago with no other partners choosing to put their hat in the ring.
The election will be held in January 2017, with voting closing in late January and the new term commencing February 2017.
Thomas (pictured), who became senior partner of the firm in 1996, currently carries out that role in addition to chief executive duties after previous chief executive Guy Stobart stood down at the end of 2014. There are no plans to replace Stobart, with Thomas supported instead by a roster of directors.
In his time as senior partner, Thomas has overseen the firm’s growth into an international insurance player, with offices in locations including Sydney, Hong Kong, Brazil and Miami.
This year has seen Kennedys embark on aggressive expansion, opening five new offices in Copenhagen, Brazil, Peru, Chile and Colombia.
Just last week, Legal Business revealed that the insurance specialist was more than doubling its office space in Dublin, in a decision which the firm says was made before the UK’s vote to leave the EU.
The new space will be located in Dublin 2, in a river-side location which is 13,300sq ft., more than double the size of the current office. Kennedys is currently located in Ulysses House in Dublin 1.
The firm has had a presence in the Irish capital since 2011, following a merger with long-standing referral firm O’Hare O’Connor Walshe.
Additionally, last month Kennedys boosted its marine and shipping departments through a City merger with boutique firm Waltons & Morse, adding a 28-strong legal team and five partners.
The merger, which will go through on November 1, will add approximately £11m to Kennedy’s top line, making it a £150m business in terms of revenue.
In June, Kennedys posted a turnover boost of 7% to £138.8m for 2015/16, with its Asia Pacific offices performing particularly strongly.
kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk
