The choice of a CEO from a non-legal background is unusual for law firms
Duncan Cotterill has announced two new senior appointments: Glen Cornelius as chief executive officer and Brian Nathan as chair. This selection of CEO is unusual, given that Cornelius has an engineering and not a legal background.
Under this new leadership, the national firm will continue to strive toward its goal of becoming the go-to firm for privately owned businesses in Aotearoa, according to the firm’s press release. The new leaders are expected to bring a commercial focus and a values-led approach to building businesses, the press release added.
Cornelius takes over the role from Pete Boyle, who retired in early January. Before joining Duncan Cotterill, Cornelius led a professional services engineering firm and helped it increase its size and revenue amid a period of change.
He has experience being on governance boards for organisations including Habitat for Humanity New Zealand, Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau, and LEAD Alliance. He has expressed a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Cornelius called it a privilege to join Duncan Cotterill’s management team and to guide the firm toward its objectives.
“After spending the bulk of my career leading and growing an engineering firm, I’m looking forward to taking my 2+ decades of commercial leadership experience and applying it to Duncan Cotterill,” Cornelius said in the press release. “The firm shows an appetite for growth and is well placed to make its next big step.”
“It will be excellent to have someone with a professional background other than accountancy or law in the role of CEO,” Nathan said in the press release. “Glen’s impressive background, strong business acumen, problem solving ability and inspiring people leadership skills made him a clear choice as the person to lead Duncan Cotterill into its next phase of growth.”
Nathan has replaced Richard Lang, Christchurch-based partner, in the role of chair. Nathan, a partner based in Nelson Whakatū, has led the firm’s litigation team in Nelson. He focuses on commercial litigation and dispute resolution.
His diverse client base has included private individuals, large corporate companies, and Crown entities. He has handled different kinds of commercial disputes, including those relating to property, director duties, construction, IT, and trusts. He has also dealt with cross-border litigation involving maritime issues.
