Allen & Overy (A&O) has hired senior Bird & Bird partner Olivier Freget to be head of competition in its Paris office, as the magic circle firm bolsters its French arm.

Freget joined A&O on 1 January as its 19th Paris-based partner after almost five years at Bird & Bird’s French practice. He moved to the City firm in 2001 from Andersen Legal, where he launched its EU competition practice in 1994, and was Bird & Bird’s joint head of international competition.