Norfolk-born investment banker Jonathan Agar (right) has been appointed the new chief executive of law firm Birketts. He will take up the new role on June 1. Pictured with Nigel Farthing (left), senior partner

A Norfolk-born investment banker is to take over the reins at East Anglian law firm Birketts as its new chief executive.

Jonathan Agar, who works for Deutsche Bank will start his new role on June 1.

The appointment follows the departure of Alistair Lang, who is leaving the firm after nearly 12 years in post.

Mr Lang was the first non-lawyer to take up chief executive’s post, when he joined in 2001 after a successful career at Bank of Scotland, including a stint as East Anglia regional director.

During his time at Birketts, which is celebrating its 150th year, the firm has grown from a £6m-a-year to a £28m turnover business and expanded from its Ipswich base to open offices in Norwich in May 2004, and Cambridge in March 2008 and Chelmsford, following a merger with Wollastons in September 2010.

Mr Agar has also worked at Fidelity International and Schroders Investment Management and served in the British Army for six years with the Royal Green Jackets.

Nigel Farthing Senior Partner, said: “I would like to thank Alistair for the energy and enthusiasm he has brought to Birketts.

“We are incredibly excited to be welcoming Jonathan to the Birketts team and his track record in strategic organisation design and implementation will be key to navigating the firm through a dynamic and evolving industry landscape.”

Mr Lang said: “I am grateful to have spent nearly 12 years with this great law firm, and deeply honoured to have had the opportunity to lead it along with senior partner Nigel Farthing for the last six years. I am very proud of what my Birketts colleagues have accomplished together during a decade of both successes and challenges.”

“I believe that 2013 is the right time for me to step aside for a number of reasons. Birketts has grown to be a nationally recognised top 100 UK law firm. As a result, the firm is operationally very sound and positioned for continued success. I and the senior leadership team have laid out a vision for the firm that will guide Birketts for many years to come, and this gives me great confidence about Birketts’ future success.”