Barclay’s national legal head for 11 years, Bonaventure Mbewe’s full tenure with the leading global institution spans almost 20. Leading a 17-strong team split across legal and compliance, he has taken steps to reposition the team as a ‘business partner’, rather than ‘reactive’ check.

According to sources, he has particularly set himself apart in his contribution to effective corporate governance processes and training at the bank. When instructing outside counsel, as well as ‘practical solutions’, he says he would like to see a greater focus on ‘efficiency’ in the service they provide. Mbewe previously covered legal and corporate secretarial functions at African insurance provider, ZCF.