Case preparation and dispute hearings specialist Opus 2 has announced the hire of Greg Blackman as its chief executive officer.

Blackman, who has more than 25 years’ experience in the IT industry, has strong executive credentials in both enterprise software sales and service-based organisations. He replaces former CEO Martin Coen, who left in April. The company’s founder Graham Smith-Bernal had previously held the position before transitioning to executive chairman on Coen’s appointment in 2021.

Blackman will work closely with London-based Opus 2’s management team, which includes COO Charlie Harrel and chief commercial officer Oliver McClintock.

He previously worked at e-Builder, a workflow and collaboration solution, where he was president and general manager, leading the company through a period of significant revenue growth, leading to its 2018 acquisition by Trimble, an American software, hardware and services technology company. He was also previously regional vice president at SAP, responsible for global revenue growth of subscription software, services and support across all product lines.

He said: “Opus 2 clients are uniquely driven, creative and innovative in their use of technology. The opportunity to deliver measurable value to them while also accelerating company growth is incredibly exciting.”

That experience, particularly of the US market, will be key as the business focuses on building out its work from servicing remote hearings to grow a wider legal software offering globally.

Founded in London in 2008, the company now serves 100% of the top 50 international firms and 88 of the AmLaw 100. Charles-Hubert Le Baron, a partner at Astorg, a private equity firm backing Opus 2, said the company was “looking for someone who had a background leading multifaceted, global organisations, a clear strategic vision and experience in scaling software businesses”.

The US market is seen as a key opportunity for that process. Le Baron added: “Greg’s expertise will be an accelerator for Opus 2 and perfectly complements the strengths of the executive team.”

Opus 2 hired US-based Beau Wysong as senior vice president of global marketing earlier in the month, with a similar emphasis on US and global growth. His experience includes time spent at highly regarded HighQ, which Thomson Reuters acquired in 2019, among other engagements.

Opus 2 also previously announced a major partnership with the International Chamber of Commerce in June to deliver a new version of the ICC’s case management system, originally launched in 2022.

ICC Case Connect, a case management platform connecting parties, arbitral tribunals and the ICC Secretariat, will facilitate connections between ICC’s global network of more than 8,000 arbitrators and more than 10,000 parties.