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Baker McKenzie makes London partner new global chair
Baker McKenzie has elected a partner from its international trade, compliance and investigations team to step into the role of global chair.
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From October, London-based partner and current global chair of the international trade practice group, Sunny Mann, will succeed Milton Cheng as Baker McKenzie’s global chair over a four-year term.
Mann will sit on the global management committee, which includes chief executives from the United States, Asia, and Europe.
He said the election was an “immense privilege”.
“Given the levels of change and market disruption we are now witnessing around the world, I am confident that with our unparalleled international reach, there is no firm better placed to support clients navigate the complex and turbulent demands of our current global climate,” Mann said.
Mann specialises in compliance and investigations with respect to trade, sanctions, export controls and anti-bribery rules for clients that include FTSE 100 and Fortune 100 businesses.
In addition to his current role, Mann chairs Baker McKenzie’s geopolitical risks taskforce and has overseen the firm’s support to clients responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
He is also a visiting professor at King’s College in London and had been a visiting professor at the College of Europe for 15 years.
For over 25 years, Mann has risen through the ranks of Baker McKenzie and has worked in five offices across four continents “to support the largest clients on best-in-class cross-border work, and to lead teams of talented lawyers and professionals across the globe”.
“Baker McKenzie has given me so much, and it is an honour to be able to repay this great firm through serving as its global chair.
“The next few years are going to be exciting for us, and full of opportunity. I can’t wait to get to work,” Mann said.
Commenting on his time as chair, Cheng said he was “extremely proud” of what he has achieved and was looking forward to working closely with Mann in the next few months to ensure a seamless transition.
Cheng was the first Asian to hold the chair position in Baker McKenzie’s history and has guided the firm through a period of sustained revenue growth, high-profile hirings, and significant innovation.
For example, during his term, the firm’s global annual revenue passed the $3 billion mark for the first time in 2021.
“I am excited for the years to come and have no doubt Sunny will take Baker McKenzie to even greater heights, leveraging an impeccable track record in building and leading a successful practice while championing our core values,” Cheng said.
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
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