CMS has elected Adrian Bell, the firm’s APAC and Middle East head and co-head of its global infrastructure, construction and energy disputes group, as its next UK managing partner.
Bell will assume the role in April 2026, taking over from Stephen Millar - who oversaw CMS’s merger with Nabarro and Olswang in 2017.
CMS has elected Adrian Bell as the next managing partner for its UK LLP, handing leadership to one of its top disputes partners and the current head of APAC and the Middle East.
Bell, who joined the firm in 2002, will begin a four-year term in April 2026.
Background
A qualified solicitor advocate, Bell co-leads CMS’s top-ranked global infrastructure, construction and energy disputes practice.
Since 2017, he has also acted as joint managing director for APAC and the Middle East, overseeing the opening of new offices in Abu Dhabi (2020) and Riyadh (2023), as well as Brisbane (2019) to formalise its Australian presence.
Bell succeeds oil and gas partner Stephen Millar, who has led CMS’s UK arm since 2016 and guided the firm through its three-way tie-up with Nabarro and Olswang in 2017 - at the time the largest-ever merger in the UK legal sector.
The UK LLP includes nine UK offices and many of the firm’s international offices across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Overall, CMS now counts more than 7,200 lawyers and 1,300 partners across over 90 offices globally, ranking among the world’s five largest law firms by lawyer headcount.
What they said
Bell said: "It’s an honour to take on the role of Managing Partner, particularly at such an interesting time for the legal sector and where we have momentum as a firm.
"I’ve had the privilege of working alongside exceptional colleagues and clients across our global network, and I’m energised by the opportunity to build on the strong foundations we’ve already laid to achieve our ambitious growth targets."
Senior partner Charles Currier added: "Adrian has a proven track record of driving strategic growth, fostering innovation, and building high-performing teams. I am confident that he will lead the firm with excellence, creativity and integrity and further strengthen the sense of community within CMS.
"I look forward to working with him as we continue to build on the momentum across the firm and deliver on the firm’s strategy for the benefit of partners, all our colleagues and our clients."
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