Mr Harrington will join the firm in April to begin the handover from outgoing chief executive John Weber, who led the firm since 2009. It follows a domestic and international executive search for the right candidate and was approved by a partnership vote.The new recruit has experience in financial and professional services in Australia and Asia - for eight years, he was Australian senior partner and chief executive of PwC.  He went on to become PwC’s global managing partner in strategy and transformation. Harrington is joining Minter Ellison from his last role as managing director at global investment bank, Moelis & Company.

A natural leader

Minter Ellison Chairman Bruce Cowley said: ‘Tony is an outstanding business leader and we are very pleased he will be joining Minter Ellison. He will be a great cultural fit and has the ideal credentials to drive a growth strategy with a strong emphasis on client engagement.  His track record in the professional services market both in Australia and Asia also makes him a natural leader for Minter Ellison, given our goal to grow our Australian business and our international network.’

Looking forward

Commenting on the new role, Mr Harrington said: ‘I'm delighted to be joining Minter Ellison at this dynamic time in the legal profession, which faces increasing competition, changing client needs and, like many industries today, the disruptive forces of new technology. I was attracted to Minter Ellison by its practically-focused approach to client service, rich abundance of talented people and its aspiration to become truly distinctive in all its client interactions.’