Allen & Overy (A&O) has named new co-heads for its global corporate practice and appointed outgoing co-leader, Richard Cranfield, into a new role as chairman of the practice.

The magic circle firm has named City partner Andrew Ballheimer and Amsterdam-based partner Sietze Hepkema to jointly head up the global corporate practice. They replace Cranfield and Amsterdam-based partner Jan Louis Burggraaf who was co-heading the group alongside Cranfield.