Andrew Johnston elected managing partner of Addleshaw Goddard
Addleshaw Goddard has announced that Andrew Johnston has been elected managing partner in an uncontested election for a term of four years, with effect from May 1, 2024.
Johnston joined Addleshaw Goddard in 2013, to lead the firm’s M&A practice in the Middle East. He has been a board member since 2014, and was appointed head of Middle East and Asia in 2019. Earlier in his career, Johnston worked with Clifford Chance in London before being seconded to the Middle East.
The uncontested nature of the election allows for a smooth succession alongside the timely appointment of a new head of Middle East and Asia before Johnston returns to the UK to take up his new role. Johnston’s appointment is the first time in the history of Addleshaw Goddard that a partner based outside of the UK has been elected managing partner.
Johnston succeeds John Joyce who became managing [artner in 2014, and was re-elected in 2017 and 2021. His decision to step-down after a decade in office earlier this year brought forward by one year the process to find his successor.
Commenting on his appointment, Andrew Johnston said, “My ambition is for AG to double in size by 2030. I am looking forward to the firm capitalising on the strong platform created under John’s leadership and using it as a springboard for greater success. We will continue to invest where clients need us the most and I will be giving as much focus as I can to ensuring that we flourish as a thriving global business, dominant across the UK, with greater influence in the City, and even more famous for high-quality imaginative, impactful advice that delivers real competitive advantage.”
Aster Crawshaw, Addleshaw Goddard senior partner said, “Thank you again to John who has been instrumental in Addleshaw Goddard becoming one of the most successful UK-headquartered international law firms and many congratulations to Andrew. Andrew has a strong track record of success and all the qualities to be an excellent leader. I am hugely excited about the next phase of Addleshaw Goddard’s development with Andrew as Managing Partner. The energy he will bring to the role will drive forward the firm’s strategy, performance, culture and client relationships.”
Johnston has led AG’s business in the Middle East to record financial performances. It was the firm’s fastest growing region in the financial year ending April 2023, delivering 43 per cent income growth. Earlier this year, the firm announced plans for a new office in Riyadh, AGs fourth in the region, and is targeting revenue growth in the Middle East of 60% over the next five years. Under Andrew’s leadership headcount in the Middle East has doubled since 2019.
As well as steering the firm through successful mergers in Scotland with HBJ in 2017 and Ireland’s Eugene F Collins in 2022, John Joyce has been the architect of the firm’s growing international footprint over recent years, with four offices opening in Germany, and one in France and Luxembourg. Today, non-UK revenue represents half of what was the firm’s entire turnover in 2013.
Alongside partner numbers rising from 178 to 386, the financial health of the business has also grown significantly over the last nine years as the firm has attracted a greater share of higher value work from an increasingly global client portfolio. Income has grown from £166m in Fy2013/14 to £443m and profits for the same period have risen by more than 200%. The firm’s balance sheet is also immeasurably stronger with a record-breaking closing cash position at the end of Fy2022/23 of £146m, compared with a deficit in Fy2014-15 of £16m.
