Wood will have logged a whopping 17 years in the role
Gilchrist Connell has announced that Richard Wood will conclude his term as managing principal, and that the firm will welcome a new CEO in Belinda Cohen next year.
Wood officially steps down on 30 June 2025 after , with Cohen stepping up on 1 July 2025. According to the firm, the responsibilities of the CEO role will be similar to those of the managing principal.
Cohen was named to the position by the principal group after a long process that was managed by independent advisers, Gilchrist Connell said.
“Under Richard’s tenure, Gilchrist Connell has grown to be one of Australia’s leading insurance sector law firms and I am honoured to continue the work Richard and the firm’s leadership have done to date. We owe a debt of gratitude to Richard for his steady hand over the last 17 years”, Cohen said. “I am wholly motivated to continue doing what GC does best... keep our people and client relationships at the centre of what we do, building a high performance workplace where people thrive and clients benefit from engaged lawyers solving their legal needs”.
Cohen, who once practised as an insurance litigation lawyer, joined the firm as chief people officer in 2020. Gilchrist Connell indicated that she may be the first CEO of an Australian law firm to have a people and culture or HR background.
Wood pointed out that Cohen’s career path “provides her with a unique ability to understand both our market, our people and the challenges and opportunities that both face”.
“Belinda’s election to the role of CEO reflects the importance this firm has always placed on its people and the people who make up its client base”, Wood said.
On departing the managing principal position, Wood will continue with the firm, concentrating on his insurance practice and providing management and strategy input as needed. John Edmond will continue to lead the firm as chair.
