UK listed law firm Gateley yesterday (22 July) announced that CEO Rod Waldie is stepping down from 1 August for health reasons, following revelations first revealed by Roll on Friday of “sweeping cuts” to business services roles. Gateley, which has put up to 40 roles at risk, becomes the latest firm to make such cuts – others in the last 12-24 months include Clifford Chance, A&O Shearman, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath.
At Gateley, Martin Pike will be appointed interim CEO with effect from 1 August 2026, working closely with the senior leadership team. Pike spent nearly 30 years at Willis Towers Watson where he led the EMEA risk consulting and software business and was a member of the global leadership team. He joined Gateley in April 2025 as an independent non-executive director and chair of the audit committee.
In June Gateley announced that it expects revenue for the year ended 30 April 2026 to be approximately £193 million, a 7% increase year-on-year and above consensus, with underlying operating profit anticipated between £21 million and £22 million, in line with expectations.
Interestingly, it noted that it remains focused on margin improvement including from its system investments, such as Jylo, the AI platform, and returns from selective hiring in key growth areas, whilst continuing to actively manage its cost base, with a clear focus on continuing to maximise utilisation across the business and gaining operational efficiencies in FY 27.
See also:
