Baker & McKenzie has elected Milton Cheng as the new managing partner of the firm’s Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Vietnam offices.

Cheng takes over from Paul Tan, who held the position since October 2012. Tan will continue practising employment law as co-head of the firm’s employment law group.

Cheng, who specialises in M&A, corporate finance and REIT-related work, joined Baker & McKenzie’s London office as a trainee solicitor in 1990, before relocating to the Hong Kong office in 1993 as an associate. He became a partner in 2004, and has subsequently held several leadership roles including co-head of the corporate group and head of the REIT practice in Hong Kong, and most recently head of the firm’s Asia-Pacific M&A group.

The appointment of Cheng closely follows a number of leadership changes announced during Baker & McKenzie’s annual meeting held during the week of Oct. 6 in London.

In Asia, Singapore-based Bruce Hambrett was appointed as the firm’s Asia-Pacific regional chairman, while Hong Kong partner Gary Seib was elected to serve on the firm’s executive committee.

Mini vandePol, who relocated to Baker & McKenzie’s Hong Kong office from Melbourne in July, was elected as chair of the firm’s global compliance group.