Mr Jenkins will be the first Australia-based lawyer to hold the position when he takes over from incumbent global boss James Collis, who is due to step down and return to the firm's finance practice in June. The Sydney-based banking partner and global finance co-head, who is originally from New Zealand, has been appointed for a four-year term to June 2020.

Global Experience

Mr Jenkins joined legacy firm Blake Dawson in Sydney in 1996 but departed after three years, later returning again in 2003 and making partner in 2006, five years ahead of the legacy firm's 2011 merger with Ashurst. In the interim between 1999 and 2003, Mr Jenkins cut his teeth with Clifford Chance in London and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Tokyo, giving him global credentials to sit alongside his long history of practice in Australia.

'Growing up'

Chairman Ben Tidswell, a fellow New Zealander, has praised Ashurst for looking outside of Europe and North America for its leadership: 'One of the things we have done really well is to move away from the perception that one country or region has primacy over another. It's a bit of a growing up point. We chose the best person for the role across a very extensive network of 27 office,' he said of Mr Jenkins' appointment.

Sources: The Lawyer; Legal Business