Chelsea chair Bruce Buck steps down from Skadden leadership
BRUCE Buck, the Chelsea football club chairman who is also a partner at law firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, is to step down as head of the firm’s London office.
Former Skadden Moscow head Pranav Trivedi, who also specialises in corporate finance, will step into Buck’s shoes, and spend most of his time in the London office.
Buck was hired by Skadden in 1988 to establish its London presence after training with fellow US firm White & Case. He will remain on board as European managing partner.
During his 25 years at the firm, much of Buck’s client work has focused on Central and Eastern Europe and particularly Russia, including helping an investment vehicle for Roman Abramovich take control of Chelsea in 2003.
Buck has been chairman of the club for 11 years, and also sits as a director on its board.
His replacement, Trivedi, is a fellow alumnus of Columbia University School of Law in New York, and is a fluent Russian and Gujarati speaker.
He will be replaced in Moscow by partners Alexey Kiyashko and Dmitry Kovalenko. Skadden has had a presence in the country since 1992.