Reed Smith has carved up Roger Parker’s role as managing partner for Europe, the Middle East and Asia, with London finance star Tamara Box stepping up to become managing partner for Europe and the Middle East.
It’s a symbolic change for Reed Smith, with Parker having guided London-based Richards Butler through its merger with Reed Smith in 2007, and subsequently held a string of management roles overseeing the firm’s operations outside the US. While Reed Smith already had a presence in the UK, having acquired Warner Cranston in 2001, the combination with Richards Butler provided greater scale and pushed the firm’s internationalisation strategy.
Parker will now take a newly created role, Asia managing partner, as the firm ramps up its investment in that region. During his time as Europe, Middle East and Asia managing partner, Parker grew Reed Smith’s Asian practice to over 150 lawyers and oversaw the launches of offices in Singapore, Shanghai and Astana and Frankfurt.
Box (pictured), who joined Reed Smith five years ago from Berwin Leighton Paisner, has established herself as one of the firm’s biggest-billing partners in the region. She served as global chair of the firm’s financial industry group, one of Reed Smith’s cornerstone practices, ahead of taking the Europe and Middle East managing partner role. New York-based Ed Estrada will now head the financial industry group.
Speaking to Legal Business, Box said: ‘Our global industry and practice approach remains, but now with a greater regional focus to allow even more emphasis on the local development and execution of our strategy, and our interaction with clients. I look forward to further building our presence and key industry sectors in the region.’
Box and Parker have worked closely since the former’s arrival at Reed Smith, with the pair linking up to launch an office in Frankfurt last year through a large-scale lateral drive. Partners arrived from Mayer Brown; Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe; Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Jones Day to launch the firm in Frankfurt. As part of her new role Box will join the senior management team, expanding the leadership team to seven as Parker retains his place.
tom.moore@legalease.co.uk
