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Foot Anstey announces Managing Partner change for Spring 2022

27 Sep 2021 | 1 minute read

Foot Anstey, the national law firm, has announced details of its Managing Partner succession plan.

John Westwell, the current Managing Partner, will hand over to Martin Hirst at the end of the current financial year (30 April 2022) but will continue as a Partner and Foot Anstey board member for a further year, retiring from the Partnership on 30 April 2023. The next seven months will be a period of handover to ensure a seamless transition at the firm.

Managing Partner since 2008, John Westwell's tenure has seen Foot Anstey's revenues grow from £20m to over £50m, the firm expand to add offices in Bristol and Southampton, and an increase in size to over 600 people.

Announcing his decision, John Westwell commented: "As I had made the decision to retire at the end of our current strategic period in 2023, I felt it would be a smoother succession path for a new Managing Partner to lead on both the design and delivery of our next four-year strategic period.

"Martin receives my very full support and I will be working closely with him during this period of handover and will support him as a board member until the end of this strategic planning period."

"Our sound strategy has guided us through the worst of the economic disruptions the pandemic has inflicted. Our organic growth in both revenue and profitability has continued, our focus sectors grew 15% last year, and I am confident the firm will push even further forward under Martin's leadership."

Currently, Martin Hirst leads the Real Estate group at Foot Anstey, providing hands-on leadership to a team of over 120 lawyers, and is a member of the Foot Anstey Board. He was instrumental in setting up the firm’s Southampton presence in 2017.

Martin Hirst said of the announcement: "I am excited for the future of Foot Anstey. It's a great honour to be entrusted by the Board with the leadership of a firm with such a unique and strong culture, exceptional people, and ambition for growth."