Former King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) global managing partner Stuart Fuller has joined KPMG Australia as head of legal. Fuller stepped down from the post in November last year, following a turbulent period for the European arm of the firm that culminated in its collapse in January. He subsequently returned to fee-earning in the banking and finance practice of the Australian arm of the firm. He was replaced in the role earlier this year by Australian partner Sue Kench. Fuller was first appointed managing partner in March 2012, based primarily in Hong Kong, when KWM was established through the merger of China’s King & Wood and Australia’s Mallesons Stephen Jaques. During his tenure, Fuller also oversaw the merger between KWM and SJ Berwin which went live in November 2013. He was reappointed in 2015 for a five-year term before stepping down last year – two months before the European arm entered administration. Stuart first joined legacy Mallesons Stephen Jaques in 1990 and held several other leadership roles during his 27 years at the firm, including a brief stint as chief executive partner based in Sydney and Hong Kong in early 2012, managing partner of Malleson’s Sydney office between 2006-2011 and practice team leader of the banking & finance group. In August, KWM appointed its first EUME managing partner since the collapse, with China M&A partner Wang Rongkang relocating to London to take up the new role. Previously, Tim Bednall headed up the EUME operations before returning to fee-earning in the Australian M&A practice Sydney at the same time as Fuller.