High profile set Matrix Chambers has appointed former BPP marketing head Rachel Holmes as its new chief executive - five months after the first person to hold the post said they were stepping down.

Holmes joins from London and Geneva-based set from Seven Bedford Row (7BR). She will be responsible for the overall management of the chambers and its growth. Before joining 7BR Holmes was director of marketing at the law school and also worked as commercial director at EF Education.

Matrix’s interim chief executive Jason Housden, who took over after former CEO Lindsay Scott departed for 39 Essex Chambers earlier this year, will continue until Holmes’s arrival in March 2018.

Hugh Southey, chair of Matrix’s management committee, said: ‘We welcome Rachel, who we are sure has the vision, expertise and skills to ensure Matrix continues to thrive.’

Holmes said: ‘The set has a market leading reputation in a number of practice areas and I look forward to working with the barristers and staff to build on the successes Matrix has achieved to date.’

Advertising the post in October, the chambers said the successful candidate would be paid a six-figure salary and show ‘outstanding leadership, financial management, organisational and interpersonal skills’.

The changes at the set come against a backdrop of a sexual harassment scandal. Staff at the former chambers of Cherie Booth QC have complained of harassment and a report published last month allegedly found flaws in the way a previous report into harassment was conducted. The set has not commented publicly on the allegations.

Matrix’s members include Ben Emmerson QC, previously senior counsel on the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse and international human rights specialist Philippe Sands QC.