John Atkins will retire from the Freehills partnership on 31 July 2008 to take up the position of Western Australian State Chairman for ANZ Bank. Mr Atkins will be succeeded by new Head of Office, Jason Ricketts, who is well placed to take over the mantle, already being a senior member of the Freehills Banking and Project team and member of the national board of Freehills.
Mr Atkins will continue his relationship with Freehills in a consulting capacity with a particular focus on assisting the transition of the Perth head of office role over to Mr Ricketts.
Mr Ricketts predominantly works on major infrastructure projects, transport, water and waste management, mining, and power industries.
In support of Mr Ricketts’ appointment, Freehills’ Chief Executive Officer Gavin Bell remarked, ‘Jason is the perfect choice to lead Freehills through a time of considerable growth as Western Australia continues to reap an energy, resources and infrastructure boom. His predecessor has made a significant mark in the firm’s history as a remarkable leader who challenged all who worked in the Freehills Perth office to realise their full potential’
In response to the announcement, Mr Ricketts noted his praise for Mr Atkins’ significant achievements at the firm, in particular for his instrumental role in the 1997 merger of Freehill Hollingdale & Page with Parker & Parker in Perth. ‘John has been a driving force in the firm’s growth and leaves a remarkable legacy which is inspiring and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead, while ensuring our service to clients based on technical and commercial excellence is maintained and enhanced wherever possible.’
Mr Ricketts in providing insight into how he will approach this new leadership role commented, ‘leadership is about setting a direction and course for the firm, ensuring it is supported, then providing everything that is necessary for our exceptionally talented lawyers and staff to achieve stated goals and objectives. Ultimately, success in this role will result in delivering on what we promise to our clients – solutions that deliver on their business needs and exceed their expectations.’
Mr Ricketts commenced his new role on 1 July 2008.
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