This article first appeared on August 15, 2017 in ALB Insights, a weekly, ad-free newsletter that is sent to subscribers. To purchase your subscription, please email Amantha at amantha.chia@thomsonreuters.com or call her at +65 6870 3917.
Recently, Nathalie Hobbs was named as Linklaters’ new Asia managing partner, taking over from Marc Harvey. As she begins her four-year term, Hobbs speaks to Raj Gunashekar about the path she expects the firm to take under her stewardship, the legacy she intends to leave behind, and why Linklaters is not keen on any immediate expansion.
ALB: Congratulations on your new role. What are your top priorities for the region?
Hobbs: Linklaters' recently launched “strategy refresh” is generating a significant amount of positive energy within the firm, and it is exciting for me to be involved in leading the implementation within Asia.
As we implement the vision, we will be looking at ways to provide our clients with an ever better level of service, including the use of technology such as artificial intelligence in a cost-effective manner, and empowering our people to grow and develop within Linklaters.
We will also be looking to grow the business in a number of sectors across the region, such as energy and infrastructure and TMT, as well as to participate fully in the global initiatives in relation to funds, crisis management and others.
ALB: What aspects of your predecessor’s work are you expecting to build on? What new paths are you looking to forge?
Hobbs: Marc Harvey has been a terrific managing partner and a great leader. He has built an extremely strong platform for us in Asia and is certainly a tough act to follow.
Our Asia team is in a good place right now, and we are not anticipating changing our footprint in the region significantly. We will continue to focus on our strategy in China by enhancing our presence in the country to meet client demands and by strengthening links between our China offices and the rest of the firm to meet the needs of PRC clients looking outwards.
Southeast Asia is also a growing area for us, as the alliance with Widyawan & Partners achieves its potential and as our business in Indonesia, India, Thailand and Singapore continues to expand.
ALB: Does the firm plan to expand beyond existing markets in Asia? Why or why not? What kind of expansion are you looking at?
Hobbs: We feel we are at a good size now and there are no immediate plans for expansion.
We have a global network and an existing presence in Asia, as well as strong ties with our alliance firm Allens in Australia and best friend firm Talwar Thakore & Associates (TT&A) in India. Put those together with the dependability of technology, then there is no immediate urgency to expand physically into other countries.
ALB: What can we expect from the firm under your stewardship in the next couple of years?
Hobbs: I think that through the efforts of all the teams in the region, we can expect that business will grow as we look to pursue opportunities together and work harder at creating deeper relationships with clients across our global network.
There is still a lot of untapped potential and we will be looking to fully unleash that over the next few years.
To contact the writer, please email raj.gunashekar@tr.com