Minter Ellison’s CEO Guy Templeton has announced that he will resign when his contract expires at the end of June 2009. The move comes in light of the firm reporting strong growth and performance over the past four years.

 

Templeton was appointed CEO in February 2005. Since then he has worked to position the firm as one of Australia's most successful and profitable major legal practices.

 

Minter Ellison’s chairman Gillian Brown says Templeton made an outstanding contribution to the firm: "we have benefited from Guy's financial and operational discipline and also from his sound business judgement. We plan to capitalise on the progress we have made under Guy's stewardship and to build on the achievements of the past few years."

 

Templeton believes his time at the firm has been a “gratifying opportunity”: "I'm extremely proud of its success and feel fortunate to have been CEO during an exciting period of improvement in client focus and profitability. It's now time for me to consider new horizons and then move on."

 

Templeton says he will work with the firm’s board to ensure that there will be a smooth transition and handover to the new CEO.

 

The board is expected to immediately begin the recruitment process to select and appoint a replacement.