Hammonds drops names and prepares Dutch deal

REBRANDING: firm aims to improve staff communications

Hammond Suddards Edge this week dropped its last names and embarked on an internal democratisation process, while its partners are expected to endorse a take-over of Dutch firm Nauta Duthil's Madrid office.

Senior partner Richard Burns said the market had already effectively made the name change to Hammonds for the firm.

He said the rebrand would not be accompanied by any strategy changes, but internally the firm is attempting to boost communications with staff and give them more say in the running of the firm.

Internal communications will brief staff on decisions made at partnership meetings and representatives will be appointed from all groups of employees - from assistants to messengers.

Mr Burns said: 'We are looking to use the rebrand as a rallying call to our people...

we are responding to what staff want, because our most important market is our people.'

Meanwhile, Hammonds' partners are expected to endorse the deal for Nauta's five-partner Madrid practice this week, adding to offices in Belgium, Italy, Germany and France.

International development partner David Armitage said he was 'confident and hopeful' that the decision - endorsed unanimously by the executive teams of both firms - will be approved by the partnership.

He added: 'We differ from rival firms because we are expanding as a single partnership.

This makes it easier to focus on investments because we share the economic burden, and everyone wants to improve the brand.'

Nauta's managing partner Job van der Have said the move would clarify his firm's 'best friends' relationship with Slaughter and May.

Slaughters has a best-friends relationship with Nauta in Benelux, but its best friend in Spain is Uria & Menendez.

Mr van der Have said there would be more scope for projects that the firms usually do together such as publishing, seminars and joint billing.

Jeremy Fleming