On the afternoon of 1 June 2016, Guantao's senior partners Cui Liguo (Managing Partner), Xu Ling (partner in international practice group) and Zou Jun (Head of Hangzhou Office) had a work meeting with Ashurst's senior partners at the office of Guantao Shanghai. Ashurst partners present at the meeting included Ben Tidswell, Senior Partner and Chairman of the Board, Paul Jenkins, the newly-appointed Managing Partner, Patrick Phua, chief representative of Ashurst Beijing Office and Michael Sheng, chief representative of Ashurst Shanghai Office.
The day happened to be the first day when Paul Jenkins officially served as Ashurst’s managing partner. His choice of having the meeting with Guantao at Shanghai on his first day in the role of managing partner signifies the intention to enhance the alliance and cooperation between the two firms.
Chairman Ben Tidswell told us that Paul Jenkins succeeded James Collis, who completed his four-year term as managing partner, and stepped in as the new managing partner of Ashurst with effect from 1 June 2016. "Paul has exceptional leadership and management ability, having successfully led our global finance division since 2013 and served as a member of the Executive Committee. Highly respected by both colleagues and clients, we are confident that Paul will be pivotal in helping the firm deliver on our future ambitions and will do an excellent job for Ashurst and our clients," said Ben. Paul will join the firm's Board and lead the Executive Committee. Paul said: "Having first joined the firm as a graduate myself, I am passionate about Ashurst's continued success as a leading international law firm. I look forward to working with the Board, Exco and my colleagues globally to ensure that we fully capitalize on all our strengths and continue to deliver an exceptional service to our clients. Helping to drive forward the firm's strategy, particularly at a time when the legal services market is developing significantly through innovation, is an exciting opportunity."
Before this appointment, Paul was co-head of Ashurst's global finance division and a member of the Executive Committee. He has been a banking and finance partner in Sydney since 2006, joining the firm in 1996. He has particular expertise in corporate finance, debt capital markets and securitization. Paul has a number of years of international experience, having practiced earlier in his career in London and Tokyo, and is a qualified solicitor in New South Wales and England and Wales.
Having formed the alliance for eight years, Guantao will continue to maintain its close relationship with Ashurst, and with the aid of Ashurst’s powerful international layout in Europe,Asia Pacific, the Middle East and North America and its world-class experience in cross-border transactions, to further provide seamless excellent legal services for clients throughout the world. All lawyers and staff of Guantao would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Paul Jenkins’s appointment, and look forward to a closer cooperation between the two firms with a joint effort from Ashurst friends during his term.
