Rob Landman steps up to CEO role at Spencers

Tomorrow sees a change at Spencers Solicitors. I'm delighted to announce that Rob Landman takes the helm as the firm's CEO. Rob's appointment means that I'm taking up a new role - that of Chairman.

Rob steps up from his previous role as Chief Financial Officer, a position he has held with great effectiveness since 2008. In that time I've seen Rob work with such consistent excellence that he has scotched a prejudice that I admit I once harboured: that CFOs do not make for CEOs.

Rob has demonstrated, time and again, that he is much more than just a numbers man. Yes, he has implemented a number of financial strategies that have driven significant cost savings, but more importantly he has shown a superb, holistic understanding of the dynamics of the legal profession and the intersection of the personal injury sector and Spencers' own role in it.

Robert Landman - Spencers Solicitors CEO

As a fellow board member for many years, Rob has been a vital player in the development of the firm's strategy, helping to re-orientate Spencer's resources and talent to face the modern legal landscape. The firm is now in great shape to pursue a specialisation into the most serious personal injury cases, as well as maintaining its core PI work and building on both a local Derbyshire presence and its national reputation.

Tomorrow, then, sees an important change at Spencers. It's one that I'm excited about, even if it is inevitably accompanied by the difficulties we all experience when letting go of the reins. Letting go isn't always easy. The time has to be right and it is for our practice as well as for me.

Rob needs to be free to be the CEO; he won't prosper if I'm forever on his shoulder, as opposed to being available to him and the practice to succeed. The transition to Chairman is liberating and exciting for me, too. It will further free me up to focus on public policy development, whether through APIL, the Civil Justice Council, or otherwise. One of my abiding passions is ensuring that government policy is not inimical to justice, whether for the individual, groups of people or businesses. As Chairman, I will be able to bang this drum - one which is, happily, in completely in sync with the firm's strategy and vision.

I am looking forward to continuing to work with Rob in our new respective roles. I hope to give valuable input when it's needed, but it is Rob is responsible to drive our practice forward. Rob is wholly committed to Spencers' belief in putting duty before profit, is the perfect man for the CEO role, and will, I am sure, excel in it. I wish him all the best as he steps up into the role tomorrow.