Europe, Africa and the Middle East

Sullivan & Cromwell has appointed two new managing partners in its London office. Vanessa Blackmore and Robert Schlein will share the role, which they assume from William Plapinger. Plapinger remains at the firm and will coordinate the firm's offices in Europe.

Latham & Watkins is to open three offices in the Middle East. The firm plans to set up offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha by the end of the first quarter of 2008. Rindala Beydoun, an M&A specialist, joins the firm from Vinson & Elkins to manage all three new offices.

Austrian firm Schönherr has appointed Ilona Zekely as the new managing partner of its Kiev office. Zekely will lead the firm's activities in the Ukraine and will be supported by Alexander Popp. Her specialisations lie in M&A and real estate transactions in central and eastern Europe....