Sunny Mann elected global chair of Baker McKenzie

“It is an immense privilege to have been elected by my fellow partners to the role of global chair. We are witnessing levels of change and market disruption around the world, and I am confident that with our unparalleled international reach, there is no firm better placed to support clients navigate the complex and turbulent demands of our current global climate. I am grateful to Milton and the outgoing leadership team for their years of dedicated service. I very much look forward to working alongside the incoming global management committee. Above all, I am excited to collaborate with all my colleagues across the globe and it is this collective, pan-global strength that gives me great optimism for our future. The next few years are going to be exciting for us, and full of opportunity: I can’t wait to get to work,” stated the incoming Dentons chairman.

Based in London, Mann currently heads the firm’s international trade practice worldwide. With experience gained in offices in London, Washington DC, New York, Sydney and Hong Kong over the past 25 years, he is a go-to advisor for international groups, including many FTSE 100 and Fortune 100 companies, on compliance, investigations, sanctions, export controls and anti-corruption issues. He also leads the firm’s geopolitical risks practice group and, among other things, oversaw Baker McKenzie’s client support in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A visiting lecturer at King’s College London, he has also taught compliance at the College of Europe. His own academic qualifications include a law master’s from the Pantheon-Sorbonne university and an LLM in European legal studies from the College of Europe in Bruges.

From July 1st, Mann will join Baker McKenzie’s executive committee, alongside the heads of the three major regions: Alex Chadwick (EMEA), Colin Murray (Americas) and Steven Sieker (Asia-Pacific). He takes the global chair baton from Milton Cheng, who was first Asian to hold the position in Denton’s history. Cheng steered Baker McKenzie through a period of continuous growth, innovation and strengthened client relationships on a global scale. Under his chairmanship, the firm passed the $3 billion annual revenue mark in 2021.