Bird & Bird has re-elected CEO Christian Bartsch to a second four-year term as it aims to hit €1bn in revenue by 2029.
London-based Bartsch took over in April 2022 from David Kerr, who during his 26 years as CEO took Bird & Bird from a 70-lawyer, three-office outfit generating revenue of €23m, to a top 20 UK law firm with 1,400 lawyers based in 30 global offices and turnover of €455m.
Bartsch has been a partner at Bird & Bird for nearly 20 years and before taking over as CEO was co-head of its financial services sector group and chair of the risk committee. Under his leadership the firm launched an ambitious five-year strategy in 2024, the first of its kind for the firm, that saw it put tech, regulation and innovation at the centre of its growth plans and target €1bn in revenue by 2029.
The firm reported its 33rd consecutive year of growth in the 12 months to 30 April 2025, when revenue rose 6% to €672.6m (£580.5m), though profit per equity partner dipped by less than 1% to €831k, having grown 8% the year before.
The firm noted its revenue had risen 28% in the past three years, with an average annual growth rate of 9% – just shy of the 10% the firm will need to hit its €1bn target.
Under Bartsch Bird & Bird has grown its office network, launching in Tokyo in 2024 to serve Japanese clients with outbound cross-border work in core sectors for the firm like renewable energy, life sciences, technology and media.
Last year the firm also opened an office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia focused on technology and IP law as well as general corporate matters, and set up shop in Lisbon after hiring an an eight-lawyer corporate and IP team from a Portuguese firm.
In February last year it became one of the first international law firms to globally roll out AI platform Legora, placing it near the front of the growing wave of firms adopting legal AI at scale.
Graeme Maguire, chair of the board at Bird & Bird, said: “On behalf of the board and myself, I extend our warmest congratulations to Christian. It has been a privilege to work closely with him over the past four years, and I am confident he will continue to play a key role in driving our firm’s success.”
Bartsch said he was “grateful to the partnership for the trust they have placed in me for the next four years”.
He added: “As our clients navigate rapid technological and market change, our focus on supporting organisations shaped by the digital world ensures we remain well positioned to continue delivering innovative and high-quality advice globally.”
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