Law firm bolsters leadership team with COO appointment
LAW firm Addleshaw Goddard has announced the appointment of Axel Koelsch as chief operating officer.
Mr Koelsch will join in February, as a member of the firm’s five-strong executive team, which is responsible for implementing strategy and running the operations of the business. He will report to managing partner John Joyce.
Mr Koelsch has experience working across continental Europe and leaves Freshfields where he has been COO of the Germany and Austria region since 2010. Prior to joining Freshfields, he was responsible for Lovells’ operations across Continental Europe, including the planning and execution of the merger which created Hogan Lovells and, before that, spent several years at Linklaters (Germany) as COO and also global head of strategy.
As a McKinsey consultant from 1999-2002, Mr Koelsch advised a range of international corporates and professional services businesses.
Mr Joyce said: “Axel has distinguished himself during his board level roles in three leading global law firms, improving the delivery of business services as well as developing and implementing a range of very successful performance improvement and strategic change programmes. We have taken our time to find the individual with the right combination of skills and experience relevant to our business and we are delighted that Axel has chosen to join us.
“Axel will bring a valuable perspective in the implementation of the firm’s strategy, as well as in shaping the growth, systems and profitability of our current and future business.”
Mr Koelsch added: “AG has a clear vision and a growing momentum which makes it an exciting time to be joining the firm. I am looking forward to adding my experience to the management team in a way which helps to accelerate the delivery of its strategy and further enhance the firm’s competitiveness, business practices, operations and financial performance.”
Last month Addleshaw Goddard, which has an office in Leeds, and HBJ Gateley confirmed that their firms will merge by June 2017.
As a single business, Addleshaw Goddard and HBJ said they will better meet the needs of clients and the opportunities within the UK market while “providing a stronger platform to further develop their businesses and international scale.”
