Eduardo Leite is chairman, chairman emeritus and senior partner for Baker McKenzie with a focus on the firm's priority of driving growth in New York and Latin America. A partner since 1986 and an accomplished energy, infrastructure projects, and M&A lawyer, he served on Baker McKenzie’s Executive Committee from 1999 to 2003, was chairman of the firm's Latin American Regional Council, and chaired the firm’s Policy Committee in 2005. Prior to being elected chairman, Leite was the managing partner of the firm's four offices in Brazil, a position he held for seven years. In his tenure as chairman, Baker McKenzie opened 11 new offices in eight countries, grew its revenues by 25 percent and profits by 16 percent, and increased its increased global headcount by 31 percent, including an industry-record 40 percent average annual female partner promotion. As chairman, he was a member of the International Business Leaders Advisory Council for the Mayor of Beijing, a member of the World Economic Forum and co-chair of the Professional Services Industry Group and the chair of the U.S. section of the U.S.-Brazil CEO forum. Before becoming chairman, Leite spent several years working in Baker McKenzie’s Chicago and Miami offices and previously led the firm’s Global Energy, Mining, and Infrastructure Industry Group. He has degrees from New York University, the University of São Paulo and the University of Uruguay.