New Zealand firm Bell Gully has snapped up the former global head of client development at Linklaters, Cecilia Burgess, as the firm's new chief operating officer.

Burgess has over 17 years of experience working in senior management roles in New Zealand, Australia, Asia and Europe for market leading organisations including PricewaterhouseCoopers. She left her London-based role at Linklaters to return to New Zealand and take up the position of chief operating officer at Bell Gully.

"Cecilia adds an impressive array of know-how to the Bell Gully management team," said Bell Gully chairman Roger Partridge. "Clients and staff alike are going to benefit from the initiatives her leadership and extensive knowledge of global legal markets will bring."