Baker McKenzie makes significant changes in its global practice

Baker McKenzie makes significant changes in its global practice.

Baker McKenzie has restructured its global practice group and industry leadership teams, including an extension of the terms of three group chairs.

There have been new appointments in four areas: the global technology, media, and telecom industry group; the global industrials, manufacturing, and transportation industry group; the global capital markets group;d and the energy, mining, and infrastructure group.

London tax partner Kate Alexander takes over as tech group chair from Rome-based Raffaele Giardia; Dusseldorf-based anti-trust partner Nicolas Kredel takes over as industrials chair from Frankfurt's Nikolaus Reinhuber; London finance lawyer Adam Farlow takes over as capital markets chair from City colleague Helen Bradley, and London-based projects lawyer Richard Blunt and Chicago-based deals lawyer José Morán are appointed co-chairs of the energy and mining group.

Milton Cheng, the firm's global chair, has said that "Technology, media, and telecommunications is a key focus for Baker McKenzie, as the sector continues to drive digital transformation globally through the development of products and services that impact every part of the economy".

He also added that the global energy transition is accelerating, increasing demand for its energy, mining and infrastructure, and projects team.

In the Meantime, Bogota-based Claudia Benavides Galvis will continue as chair of the firm's global dispute resolution practice group, while London's Jonathan Peddie continues to head up the global financial institution's industry group and Amsterdam-based Antonio Russo remains chair of the global tax practice group.

Last month, the firm appointed a total of 52 new partners in its summer promotions round, adding to the 23 North American partner promotions in January.

The firm has also announced plans to refresh its Johannesburg leadership team in May, with South African head of competition and antitrust Lerisha Naidu becoming managing partner of the office at the start of this month. The new management team is completed by the head of employment and compensation Johan Botes and corporate partner Marc Yudaken.

Earlier the firm had announced that it was scheduled to spin out its Moscow and St Petersburg offices by October, having signaled the move in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 'The intention is for the newly independent firm to be Baker McKenzie's preferred law firm in Russia,' the firm said in a statement.