Shoosmiths strengthens mobility and technology focus with appointment of Ben Gardner
February, 2024 - Milton Keynes, England
Law firm Shoosmiths is pleased to announce the appointment of partner Ben Gardner, an accomplished commercial lawyer, to further bolster its strategic sectors of mobility and technology.
Ben’s strategic appointment further underpins Shoosmiths’ commitment to delivering against its strategy – to lead the upper mid-market law firms by 2030 by focusing on its chosen markets and sectors.
Ben joins from Pinsent Masons and has extensive experience in the automotive and technology sectors and, in particular, where these two worlds collide: future mobility. His work and profile over 13 years in the automotive sector have seen him appointed to specialist boards and working groups within both the UK Automotive Council and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Recently Ben gave evidence to a House of Commons Transport Select Committee on the urgent regulatory changes needed to facilitate the development and deployment of autonomous vehicles in the UK. Following the announcement of the Automated Vehicles Bill in the King’s Speech, Ben is working with government and other industry stakeholders to support the implementation of the Bill during the course of this year.
While Ben supports across all commercial disciplines, his focus areas include direct/indirect sourcing, R&D, warehousing and logistics, IT transformation, outsourcing, E-Commerce, connected and autonomous vehicles and automotive regulatory matters.
Robin Webb, Head of Shoosmiths Commercial Group, commented: "Shoosmiths has, in recent years, developed a market leading reputation in supporting clients across the entirety of the automotive ecosystem, particularly automotive brands, with much of our work being novel and international in nature. Ben's expertise and reputation in the automotive sector makes him a valuable addition to our team and his deep understanding of the automotive industry and future mobility align perfectly with our strategic goals, further establishing Shoosmiths as a leader in this key sector."
Jonathan Smart, Head of Shoosmiths’ Mobility Sector added: “Shoosmiths is one of the UK’s leading automotive law firms and advises the majority of leading automotive manufacturers. Ben’s incredibly impressive automotive credentials will add further weight to what we can offer clients at an exciting time of development in the sector”.
Ben Gardner said: "I am thrilled to be part of a firm that shares my passion for offering pragmatic and sector specialised advice to its clients. Shoosmiths is arguably already a market leader in the mobility and technology sectors, and I am looking forward to further enhancing the firm’s profile, expertise and capabilities in these areas. I look forward to contributing to the firm's continued success across commercial and specifically in the mobility and technology sectors."
