The vote gives Mark Otty, currently managing partner for northern Europe and the Middle East, India and Africa, the go-ahead for a 21-member executive led by himself with a set of new deputies.

The UK will have two members on the board: Scott Halliday, who is sub-area managing partner for London, the only city with special board representation, and Richard King, sub-area managing partner for the UK and Ireland.

Management areas will include central Europe, Nordics, France and Luxembourg, Mediterranean, south east Europe, the Middle East, the CIS, Africa and India, all of which will have board members.

Other seats on the board go to HR, audit and advisory, tax and transaction services.

Sweden remains the only country to remain outside the new grouping because of unique local difficulties.

Otty said that the restructuring would help its clients in Europe to expand into developing countries, and new business giants from the Middle East, India, the CIS and Africa to break into developed markets.

Partners in the new structure will not be paid out of a single pool of profits, but it is unclear how the firm will deal with any liabilities that arise.

In a statement the firm said: If we thought there was a serious increase in risk, we wouldnt be doing this. We also think we will manage risk better as a result.

It is understood that the new structure will do away with many national management practices as the new executive takes over.