Hogan Lovells confirms Miguel Zaldivar as new CEO from 1 July 2020
Partners at Hogan Lovells have voted to confirm current Asia Pacific and Middle East regional chief executive Miguel Zaldivar as their new global CEO from 1 July 2020. Current head of the Litigation Arbitration and Employment practice, Michael Davison will be Deputy CEO from the same date. Both will serve initial four year terms.
Miguel Zaldivar’s appointment will make him the only current Amlaw 50 law firm leader of Hispanic American origin.
The two will replace the current CEO Steve Immelt and Deputy CEO David Hudd, who will both have served six years in their roles since 1 July 2014. During that time revenues at the firm rose from US$1,717m in 2013 to US$2,119m in 2018 with profits per equity partner rising from US$1.2m in 2013 to US$1.38m in 2018.
Miguel Zaldivar was recommended to partners in November to be the new CEO by the firm’s 12-partner Board following an internal appointment process which began in August. The recommendation was subject to a partner vote which closed on Wednesday 18 December.
Commenting on the confirmation, Hogan Lovells’ Chair, Leopold von Gerlach said: “Miguel and Michael are an excellent choice. They possess all the attributes necessary to drive a firm with our global reach.
“I’d like to thank all of those candidates who put themselves forward for the CEO role. We had extremely qualified and motivated candidates and it is a reflection of the strength of the talent within firm that the Board was faced with high quality choices when it came to recommending our next CEO.”
According to Miguel Zaldivar: “I see my priorities as focusing on client service, investment in our key markets, incentivizing collaboration across the partnership, managing our profitability and supporting diversity & inclusion.”
“I am extremely passionate about the firm and its success and that starts with its clients and ensuring the service we deliver to them is consistently of the highest quality. We are in a unique position with the depth of our practices worldwide to be the adviser of choice for clients who need their lawyers to be tuned into the financial, commercial, regulatory and political dynamics of their industries and markets.”
Background on Miguel Zaldivar and Michael Davison
Currently based in Hong Kong as the firm’s Regional Chief Executive for the Asia Pacific Middle East region, Miguel Zaldivar focuses on international project development and finance. He has closed complex multi-billion transactions over his more than 30 year career. He has worked with cross-office teams in the successful negotiation and execution of such deals across various jurisdictions and industries and across various disciplines including project finance, capital markets, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, settlement of arbitral disputes and myriad other corporate, commercial and financing matters for governments and international financial institutions.
Previous roles at the firm include developing its Latin American practice over many years, co-leadership of the Infrastructure, Energy, Resources and Projects practice, and serving as a member of the Board.
An international arbitration lawyer by background, Michael is qualified in England, France and the Republic of Ireland. He currently heads the firm’s Litigation, Arbitration, and Employment practice and is involved in the Technology, Media, and Telecoms and Energy and Natural Resources industry sector groups. He has handled many international disputes before the world’s leading arbitration institutions.
Michael has been a member of the International Management Committee since 2013 and, alongside his client and management commitments, he has been a major supporter of and contributor to the firm’s pro bono work and diversity and inclusion commitments. He has a strong interest in the use of technology including AI to support the firm’s clients and is leading a number of projects in this area.