Major legal advisers/external counsel: G Elias

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organization’s resilience?

As a legal team, we approach all periods first as business partners, and then the legal hat comes on. As such, we try to anticipate and build strategies in advance, being more proactive than reactive, while allowing room to rebalance in unforeseen cases. We also work very closely with other members of leadership, from routines to strategic conversations, to ensure we approach each point from an aligned position.

In your opinion, what are the main trends that are salient in your country currently (these can be legal, political, economic, or business-based)?

Presently, Nigeria is going through unconventional times. The current trend is not just about surviving these times but thriving in them. This has led to out-of-the-box thinking, and you can see a lot of movement in this direction all around us, from individuals to businesses. 2024 has indeed been the year of dynamism in a unique market.

Are there any causes, business or otherwise, you are passionate about?

I am very passionate about mentoring and helping those coming after us, ensuring they do not make the mistakes we made and can climb the ladder faster than we did. I believe a huge part of our generation’s journey would have been easier if we had the right mentorship early in our careers.

I am also very passionate about empowering women who need a second chance. Society can be very unforgiving toward a woman who errs or chooses to follow a path that is unconventional. Where I can stand beside one who is true in her journey, having been on similar paths myself, I do.