Kennedys promotes Suzanne Liversidge to first global managing partner

Kennedys has appointed long-serving insurance partner Suzanne Liversidge as its first global managing partner.

Liversidge will work alongside senior partner Nick Thomas, who has been at the helm of the firm for more than 20 years and was re-elected for a fifth term in 2017, following an uncontested ballot.

Created in recognition Kennedy’s growth, the role makes Liversidge the first female global managing partner for a UK top 30 law firm.

She will work closely with Thomas on the strategic and operational management of a global network of 37 offices.

Liversidge joins the firms Global Strategy Board, as well as the R&D and Innovations Boards. She takes the lead in the firm’s Women in Insurance Network.

Suzanne, who joined Kennedys as head of the Sheffield office in 2010, qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1993 and built a practice that saw her working with insurers, self-insured corporates and local authorities, and specialising in employers’ liability, public and motor claims, as well as health and safety advice and prosecutions.

Suzanne is an active member of Link, the professional network for members of the LGBT+ community and their allies who work in the insurance sector.

She also leads our involvement in our global sponsorship of Dive In, the Festival for Diversity & Inclusion in Insurance run by Lloyd’s of London, and is a regular keynote speaker at industry events.

In 2011, she became the first female president of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce in its 242-year history.

Thomas said: “Anyone who encounters Suzanne knows she brings boundless energy and enthusiasm to her work. She is immensely driven and has shown outstanding commitment to Kennedys over the past nine years.

“We’ve experienced significant growth in recent years and there is still much more to achieve as a firm. Suzanne has a deep understanding of the insurance industry, our clients and our global network having worked with all Kennedys’ offices. She has great vision and I am proud to appoint her in this new position.”

Liversidge added: “Kennedys is a firm with great ambition, and I am looking forward to working even more closely with Nick and colleagues to continue, and improve upon, the excellent work that we are doing in the UK and Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and Bermuda and Latin America and the Caribbean. We do things differently at Kennedys so I’m particularly energised about our client innovations and collaboration initiatives.”

In May Kennedys reported record turnover of £218m for the financial year 2018/19, an 11% increase on the previous financial year and the first time the firm’s revenue has topped £200m.