HFW Brings In Deloitte Leader As New Global COO

Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has appointed Aravinda Subasinghe as its new Chief Operating Officer.

Aravinda has 20 years’ experience in the professional services sector and joins HFW from Deloitte, where he was COO of its Strategy, Risk, and Transactions business across North and South Europe, comprising more than 9,000 people across 28 countries.

He joins HFW’s London office as a member of the firm’s global Management Board.

Jeremy Shebson, Managing Partner, HFW:

“Aravinda has an outstanding track record of helping professional services organisations translate strategy into action, and of driving profitable growth and delivering major projects across a wide range of business areas including risk, compliance, operations, technology, and property. We were particularly impressed by Aravinda’s resolute focus on clients and people, which is exactly how we work at HFW, and believe he will be a real asset in helping us achieve our goal of establishing HFW as the world’s leading sector-focused law firm.”

Aravinda Subasinghe, COO, HFW:

“I’m excited to be joining HFW, a firm that has distinguished itself as one of the fastest growing and most successful law firms in the market over recent years. HFW’s clear and ambitious strategy, underpinned by a sector-first approach, truly sets it apart in an increasingly competitive legal industry. I’m looking forward to working with the Board and everyone at HFW to help drive further growth, and to ensure the firm continues to thrive amid evolving client needs, technological advancements, and market dynamics.”

Aravinda joins HFW amid a period of rapid expansion across its core sectors and international network that has made it one of the fastest-growing law firms in the market.

HFW has now added more than 50 new partners and teams since FY23 – equivalent to more than a quarter of its entire partnership globally – including hires in Hong Kong, Kuwait City, London, Melbourne, Paris, Perth, Piraeus, Riyadh, Singapore, and Sydney.

The firm also established a new entity in Saudi Arabia to continue the growth of its leading Middle East offering, and launched an office in Shenzhen to support its clients in China’s Greater Bay Area.

HFW was recently named UK Firm of the Year at the British Legal Awards – one of the industry’s top honours.