White & Case has named capital markets lawyer Inigo Esteve as the new executive partner of its London office. 

Esteve will take over on 1 November from international arbitration partner Dipen Sabharwal KC, who has led the London office since the start of last year and has recently been appointed to White & Case’s global executive committee.

“I am very pleased to announce Inigo as the new office executive partner in London,” said firm chair Heather McDevitt. “I also want to thank Dipen for his leadership of the London office, which continued to be successful during a period of considerable global uncertainty.”

The appointments come as part of a wider leadership shuffle at White & Case that saw McDevitt, a New York-based commercial litigator, take over as chair at the start of September from longtime leader Hugh Verrier. 

At the same time London employment partner Oliver Brettle took over as vice chair from New York-based Dave Koschik, while London partner Carina Radford (project development and finance) and New York-based Eric Leicht (debt finance) were appointed to the firm’s executive committee alongside Sabharwal. 

The new executive committee members are replacing McDevitt, Brettle and Don Baker, a capital markets partner working out of Sao Paulo. 

Esteve joined White & Case as a partner in 2014 from Clifford Chance. He advises issuers, their shareholders and investment banks on equity capital markets transactions on the London Stock Exchange as well as other exchanges throughout EMEA.

He will lead an office that White & Case describes as “one of its most strategically important”. The firm first opened in London back in 1971 and the office has since grown to house more than 500 lawyers including around 130 partners. In 2022 it surpassed $450m in revenue for the first time. 

Esteve said he was “excited” to take on the role of executive partner in London.

“The White & Case team in London works at the heart of one of the world’s most important financial centres and the global hub for English law, and our international clients rely on us to support their most important matters,” he added. 

“I look forward to working with our executive committee, partners and other colleagues to ensure the London office continues to be a significant contributor to the wider success of our firm, and of our clients, in the years ahead.”

Sabharwal joined White & Case in 2003 and was promoted to partner in 2012. Appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2019 (now King’s Counsel), he advises clients on cross-border disputes.

Sabharwal said: “It has been a privilege to lead our London office. I am fortunate to work with exceptional lawyers and business services professionals who deliver the highest standards of service to our clients. We can be rightly proud of what White & Case has achieved in London.”