Carter Jonas LLP has elected James Bainbridge, currently head of the firm's Planning & Development Division, as Chairman with effect from 1 November 2020. He takes over from Simon Pallett, who has held the position since 2015, and who remains with the business as a Partner working with his rural clients from Winchester. Colin Brown is to succeed Bainbridge as Head of Planning & Development and will take his place on the firm's Management Board.

James Bainbridge joined Carter Jonas in 2003 and is based in London and Oxford. Over the last eight years, he has spearheaded the rapid expansion of the planning and development arm of the business, making significant advances to build a national team, that has increased its turnover by over 300 per cent over the same period.

Commenting on his appointment, James Bainbridge said: "I am extremely honoured to have been elected as Chairman of Carter Jonas. We have made great progress over the last few years and, both in my roles as head of the Division and on the Management Board, I have taken much pleasure in working with my colleagues to determine the direction of our business and to implement change. I look forward to continuing to support the Partnership in delivering its recently adopted strategic plan and its future development."

Mark Granger, Chief Executive, Carter Jonas said: "Simon Pallett's energy and passion for our business has helped us successfully to navigate through a period of incredible growth and change, and I'd like to thank him for his outstanding contribution. During his time in office, the business has grown by over 40% with other highlights including the opening of offices in Birmingham and Bristol. Replacing him is no easy task, but James Bainbridge's drive and determination have played an integral part in helping us to achieve our five-year objectives, developing our current business plan, and setting out a strategy for 2025 and beyond. James is, therefore, an excellent choice to chair our business and champion its further development over the coming years.

"I'd also like to congratulate Colin Brown on his new role as Head of Planning & Development and welcome him to the Management Board. Colin's 30 plus years of planning experience in the East of England and the Midlands, combined with his five-years at Carter Jonas leading the P&D team in our Cambridge office, make him an ideal successor to James and a valuable addition to our executive committee."