Legal Business

A&O leadership complete: Ballheimer elected managing partner until 2020

Allen & Overy (A&O) has announced the final addition to its management team, appointing corporate co-head Andrew Ballheimer (pictured) as its next global managing partner.

Ballheimer will replace Wim Dejonghe in May this year for an initial term of four years, as Dejonghe will move to the senior partner position after winning the election last week.

Corporate partner Ballheimer beat a credible bunch of candidates which saw banking co-head, Andrew Trahair, banking partner Michael Castle and Tokyo-based project finance partner Simon Black all campaign for the role.

For the senior partner position, Dejonghe outran dispute resolution head Tim House, banking co-head Stephen Kensell and Paris-based competition partner Michel Struys.

A&O retiring senior partner David Morley said: ‘I would like congratulate Andrew Ballheimer on his appointment as managing partner. He and Wim will be an excellent team and I am confident that, with the support of the partnership and everyone at Allen & Overy, the firm will continue to thrive under their leadership.’

Ballheimer started his career as an associate at A&O in 1987. He made partner in 1994 in the corporate practice and worked in both the Tokyo and New York offices of A&O before returning to London in 2003. Since 2010 Ballheimer co-headed of global corporate practice.

jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk