Hogan Lovells recommends Miguel Zaldivar as its new CEO
The Hogan Lovells Board has unanimously recommended Miguel Zaldivar be appointed as CEO from 1 July 2020 with a four year term of office. He would replace the current holder of the role, Steve Immelt, who will then have completed six years in the post.
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.
He has lived all around the world and his clients have included the governments of the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Panama and Venezuela, AES, American Airlines, the Central America Bottling Corporation, Mitsubishi, Koch, Spotify, Tidewater, Walmart, as well the Mexican, Venezuelan and Ecuadorian state-owned petroleum companies, Pemex, PDVSA, PetroEcuador and PetroAmazonas. He has led complex cross-border project financings with the China Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, Goldman Sachs International, IDB, IFC, Japan Bank of International Cooperation, and Russia’s Eximbank among many other international financial institutions.
Previous roles at the firm include developing the Latin American practice over many years, co-leadership of the Infrastructure, Energy, Resources and Projects practice, and serving as a member of the Board. His appointment would make him just one of a handful of global law firm leaders of Hispanic American origin. The role of Deputy CEO, currently held by David Hudd, is subject to separate consideration.
According to Hogan Lovells’ Chair, Leopold von Gerlach: “Miguel has a long commitment to the firm and has a clear sense of his priorities as our proposed CEO including among others, focusing on client service, investment in our key markets, incentivizing collaboration across the partnership, managing our profitability and supporting diversity & inclusion.”
Leo continues: “We owe our enormous thanks to Steve and David for everything that they have done since first taking on their responsibilities in July 2014. The firm has made significant strides during that period of time and we are considerably stronger as a result of their tireless efforts. Both are fully focused on seeing their roles through to the end of their terms.”
Commenting on the recommendation, Miguel says: “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.”
The recommendation is subject to a confirmation vote by partners, the results of which are expected to be announced later in December.