Richard Punt, the former head of Allen & Overy’s contract lawyer business Peerpoint, has joined Thomson Reuters as chief strategy officer.
Punt joined Peerpoint as its first standalone chief executive in 2014, a year after the business was launched. Under his stewardship, Peerpoint expanded internationally, opening in Amsterdam in 2017. Further expansion into Germany and the US is now muted.
He also saw Peerpoint expand the roster of non-Allen & Overy lawyers on its books, including former Marks & Spencer general counsel Robert Ivens.
Punt, who spent more than 18 years with Deloitte as managing partner for clients and markets prior to joining A&O, left the firm in January this year.
News of Punt’s appointment at Thomson Reuters follows the departure of four senior executives last year, including chief strategy officer Brian Scanlon in the US.
President of the Legal business Susan Taylor Martin; President of the Global Growth Organization Gonzalo Lissarrague and Chief Communications Officer Brian Scanlon also elected to leave, Thomson Reuters CEO Jim Smith said in a statement.
Brian Peccarelli and Neil Masterson were appointed co-chief operating officers as part of the reorganisation that followed.
By Amy Carroll
