Wayne Spanner is the firm's Global Chief Strategic Alignment, Innovation and People Officer. He is a member of the Global Executive Team based in New York. He was previously the Managing Partner of our Australian practice from 2012-2020. He joined the firm and its predecessor in 2002.

Wayne is responsible for the firm's global and regional alignment, focusing on human resources, learning and development, partner incentive programs, knowledge, governance and conflicts. He also is responsible for driving social engagement, including diversity and inclusion as well as corporate social responsibility. Additionally, he leads and coordinates innovation efforts that benefit clients in all regions.

He is an experienced litigator with a background in employment and labour law, having spent over 25 years in South Africa, the United Kingdom and Australia. He now works out of New York. Prior to being elected Australian Managing Partner, he was part of the Australian executive for a number of years, serving as head of our Australian disputes practice and global head of the Employment and Labor practice.

Wayne's leadership of the Australian practice was recognised when he was named Lawyers Weekly Managing Partner of the Year in 2014.

During his time as Managing Partner, the Australian practice has continued its growth to be one of Australia's major legal teams, advising almost half of ASX top 100 companies and over 200 of Australia's top 1000 companies. As a member of the global group, the practice is one of the largest global legal providers in Australia. Wayne was a member of the firm's global executive in delivering six successful combinations with other large law firms around the world.

Wayne has been a member of the Business Council of Australia (2012 – 2021) and he served alongside leaders of corporate Australia. He chaired the BCA's Workplace Advisory Group, formed to focus on the need for companies to have enhanced workplace flexibility in order to remain internationally competitive and more recently the BCA's response to the Covid 19 pandemic.

He is also a board member of the Asia Society Australia (2017 – present) and currently chairs their audit committee. He was also a councilor to the Australian British Chamber of Commerce (2012 – 2021) and the University of Cape Town Australian Trust (2013 – 2021 including part as Chairman).

He has also been recognized by Best Lawyers in 2012 to 2018 in employee benefits law  and worked on notable cases including commercial and industrial cases. When in practice Wayne conducted extensive and major large employment claims for defendants and claimants, major discrimination claims for defendants, the defense of significant occupational health and safety claims and industrial disputation matters.

He holds professional qualifications in law, commerce and management including a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Cape Town, a Master of Science in Management from Oxford.