Baker & McKenzie Appoints London HR Director

In her role, Gillian will focus on higher organizational performance and employee engagement as well as maintaining Baker & McKenzie's strong reputation as an employer of choice. 

Gillian joined Baker & McKenzie in 2010 as the head of the HR business partner team. Prior to joining the Firm, Gillian worked with Deloitte for 12 years in a number of roles: HR consultant; head of learning and development; senior HR business partner and more recently, as business manager. Gillian is a graduate of Business Studies at Trinity College Dublin and is a chartered member of the CIPD. 

London managing partner Paul Rawlinson said: "Gillian is a first-class HR practitioner and her experience and knowledge of the Firm make her the perfect fit for this role. I am confident she will continue to drive the Firm's reputation as an employer of choice in the market and I look forward to working closely with her on the management committee." 

In addition to Gillian, the London Management Committee now comprises Paul Rawlinson, London managing partner; Mark Carter, chief finance officer; Julia Hayhoe, strategy and business development director; Jonathan Westwell, general counsel; Helen Bradley, corporate partner; Monica Kurnatowska, employment partner; and Tom Cassels, dispute resolution partner. Baker & McKenzie has Global Aspiration Targets (GATs) to increase the percentage of leadership roles in the Firm held by women. With Gillian's appointment, the London Management Committee now has a 50 percent male-to-female ratio. 

Gillian Coyle said: "I'm thrilled to be appointed to this role. One of my key focuses will be driving the HR strategy forward and building on the success that the Firm has had to date in attracting leading talent." 

Baker & McKenzie received its highest ranking this year as one of UK's Best 100 Companies to Work For in the prestigious The Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For, ranking at number 25. The Firm has been ranked in the list for four consecutive years since 2011. Baker & McKenzie has also been included among The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers last year at number 72, and is the only law firm to appear in both lists. 

Gillian's appointment follows the appointment of Peter May as global chief talent officer earlier this month. In this role, he leads Baker & McKenzie's talent team, maintaining and building upon the skills necessary to deliver world-class client service across the globe. Peter joined Baker & McKenzie from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.