What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

It has been a busy year of development of M&P, and I am pleased to have joined the team when there are so many interesting acquisitions and projects ongoing. In December 2022, M&P announced the public takeover of its partner in Tanzania, Wentworth Resources Plc, by way of scheme of arrangement. The scheme obtained shareholder approval in February 2023 and is subject to approval from a number of Tanzanian authorities. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2023. In August 2023, M&P announced the signing of an SPA for the acquisition of Assala Energy. This acquisition would be transformational, anchoring M&P as the leading onshore producer in Gabon. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in quarter four of 2023, to quarter one of 2024. We continue to monitor the political situation following the coup in Gabon at the end of August 2023.

What are some of your main tips for dealing with a crisis?

Being in the energy industry in the locations where we have assets requires effective crisis management skills, from dealing with sanctions to military coups to a sudden change in the geo-political landscape. I truly believe that we are stronger together and that it is important to leverage the experience and creativity of all members of the team in a crisis situation. Breaking a problem down into smaller, more manageable problems, and finding the right person to work on each particular issue, is often the best way to pull through.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

Relationships can only be built on trust and the first job of any in-house lawyer is to work on this. A successful in-house lawyer needs to be able to do more than just the law and needs to fully understand every other aspect of the business to be able to assist in the most helpful way. Some business partners may view legal as an impediment to progress, but it is our job to show (by being commercially minded and proposing workable solutions rather than creating additional problems or roadblocks) that legal is an essential part of the decision-making process.