Russell Bedford announces changes to Global Board

November 2023

Global professional services network Russell Bedford International has announced the appointment of Stephen Banks, partner at Lubbock Fine, London, as a new Global Board director representing the EMEA region. His appointment was confirmed at the network's 2023 Annual General Meeting, following recent elections. Stephen Banks succeeds Laurence Newman, also a partner at Lubbock Fine, who is stepping down after nine years of dedicated service.

Laurence Newman's contributions were celebrated during the Gala dinner at the Annual Global Conference in Montreal, where both Russell Bedford's Chair, Daniel Ryba, and CEO, Stephen Hamlet, expressed gratitude for his unwavering commitment. A video highlighting Laurence's best moments with Russell Bedford over the years was presented at the event.

Reflecting on the changes, Russell Bedford CEO, Stephen Hamlet, expressed appreciation for Laurence's support during his tenure, saying: “Laurence has been an incredibly loyal colleague and close confidant as I navigated the position as CEO. I will be forever indebted to him for his support, knowledge and encouragement.”

He added: “However, with change comes opportunity, and I very much look forward to working with Stephen Banks as he joins the Global Board, bringing fresh ideas to the table.”

Russell Bedford Chair, Daniel Ryba, said: “I'm delighted to welcome Stephen Banks as our latest board member. It's always exciting to welcome new thoughts on how we move our growing international network in the right direction.”

He added: “I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Laurence for his invaluable contribution and dedication to the network over the past nine years. It's been a pleasure working with him and I am extremely grateful for his hard work and efforts during his time as a board member.”