Vice President, Legal & Compliance | ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment
General Counsel/Head, Compliance and Risk, Africa | Junior Achievement Africa
Partner and head of deal advisory, M&A, Tax | KPMG
Head of legal and group company secretary | Caverton Offshore Support Group
Company secretary, general counsel | Chemical and Allied Products
Aramide Nwokediuko is a seasoned legal professional with over two decades of experience in corporate governance, mergers & acquisitions, and compliance and a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives...
Group company secretary, head of legal and chief compliance officer | CFAO Nigeria
General counsel and company secretary | Nigerian National Petroleum Company
Legal and compliance manager | International Breweries, a part of ABInBev
General counsel | FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company
Group Head Audit, Compliance and Risk | OmniRetail Technology
Cluster head legal, Anglophone West Africa, East and Southern Africa | Novartis
Managing Counsel, Global Litigation, Sub-Saharan Africa | The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria
Company secretary and group director, legal services | Flour Mills of Nigeria
Head of legal sub-saharan africa | Reckitt Benckiser
Madonna Okpaleke is a legal and compliance professional with over 20 years of experience advising multinational organizations across Africa and Europe. She currently serves as the Head of Legal for...
Regional Compliance and Ethics Counsel, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) | Oracle
General counsel & Company Secretary | Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Systems
Head of legal Sub-Saharan Africa cluster and company secretary | FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria
Company Secretary/Chief Legal Officer | BUA Group
Formerly Deputy Chief Legal Officer | Moove
Olutola Bella is a senior corporate counsel with significant experience in corporate finance, banking, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions and corporate and commercial law. He was, until recently, Deputy Chief...
Formerly legal counsel/ company secretary | Heirs Energies
Chief legal and regulatory affairs officer | Airtel Networks
Group head legal and regulatory management | Transnational Corporation
It is with great pleasure that usher in the second edition of the GC Powerlist Nigeria 2025, a celebration of the most influential and innovative in-house lawyers shaping the future of Nigeria’s legal and business landscape.
At The Legal 500, we continue to take immense pride in recognizing outstanding legal talent worldwide, and Nigeria’s legal market continues to impress with its sophistication, and resilience. This edition of the GC Powerlist: Nigeria is the result of months of extensive research, countless interviews, and careful analysis to identify the standout in-house counsel who are driving change, fostering innovation, and providing strategic leadership in their organizations.
We are especially thrilled to have partnered with TNP to bring this research to life. Their deep understanding of the Nigerian legal market has been invaluable in making this publication a reality. The GC Powerlist has become a global benchmark for excellence in in-house legal practice, and its continued success worldwide is a testament to the strength and impact of the legal professionals we celebrate today.
Congratulations to all those featured in this year’s GC Powerlist Nigeria. Your work not only advances your organizations but also elevates the broader legal community. We, at The Legal 500, look forward to witnessing your continued success and contributions to the legal profession.
On 4 March 2025, Legal 500, in association with DLA Piper, proudly unveiled the inaugural GC Powerlist: Spain 2025, following the split from its predecessor, the GC Powerlist: Iberia. This highly anticipated launch event took place at the Hyatt Regency Hesperia in Madrid, bringing together over 150 distinguished guests, including Spain’s most prominent and accomplished in-house lawyers, to celebrate this remarkable and well-deserved recognition.
The evening commenced with a warm welcome from Francisco Castro, Research Editor at the Legal 500, expressing enthusiasm for the publication’s launch and underscored its significance in recognising and honouring outstanding in-house lawyers across Spain. He also highlighted the dual importance of acknowledging the brilliant work of corporate legal professionals while fostering a strong in-house legal community – encouraging the exchange of ideas and best practices through events like this.
Following his remarks, the stage was handed over to Francisco Cerezo, DLA Piper’s Chair for its US-Latin America practice, who extended heartfelt congratulations to the individuals featured in the GC Powerlist: Spain 2025. In his speech, he emphasised the invaluable role of in-house lawyers in providing strategic support to businesses and driving legal excellence within their organisations.
The final address of the evening was delivered by Mariana García Fernández de Mesa, General Counsel for Iberia at Accor, who shared her perspective on the significance of being included in the GC Powerlist. She reflected on the impact the publication has had on the recognition and development of Spain’s in-house counsel community. Drawing from her own experiences, she spoke candidly about the key challenges faced by in-house lawyers in the country, while also highlighting the opportunities ahead. Her words resonated with the audience, reinforcing a shared sense of accomplishment and community.
The launch event for the GC Powerlist: Spain 2025 was a true celebration of Spain’s most distinguished in-house legal professionals. It not only showcased the immense talent within the corporate legal sector but also reinforced the Legal 500 and DLA Piper’s commitment to supporting and promoting the exceptional contributions of in-house lawyers across the country.
