Legal team size: Company Secretariat (5), Compliance (15) 

Major legal advisers/external counsel (optional): BANWO & IGHODALO, SPA AJIBADE & CO 

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises? 

During periods of instability or crisis, my approach to managing legal risks is focused on proactive, strategic decision-making, with a clear emphasis on protecting the organization’s interests, ensuring compliance, and minimizing risk exposure. My strategy revolves around four key principles:

• Comprehensive Risk Assessment: A thorough and timely risk assessment is critical to identifying potential legal liabilities and operational vulnerabilities. By mapping out both immediate and long-term risks, I can develop tailored legal strategies to mitigate the impact of a crisis and position the organization for resilience.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Communication: Clear and transparent communication with key stakeholders—including the board, senior leadership, and external partners—is essential during crises. This ensures legal decisions are aligned with broader business objectives, fosters trust, and strengthens relationships, even in challenging circumstances.
• Staying Ahead of Regulatory Changes: Crises often lead to regulatory shifts. By staying informed about developments in relevant laws and regulations, I can provide timely, accurate, and compliant legal guidance, minimizing legal exposure and enabling the organization to navigate emerging challenges with confidence.
• Agility and Flexibility: Instability demands legal teams to be adaptable. This may include revisiting contracts, modifying internal policies, or developing new compliance frameworks to address evolving risks. A deep understanding of both the organization’s strategy and external dynamics ensures the legal team can pivot effectively to address changing circumstances.

This comprehensive and flexible approach ensures that legal risks are managed efficiently, positioning the organization to emerge stronger and more resilient in the face of uncertainty.

How does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organization’s resilience? 

Our legal strategy is fully integrated with the organization’s broader business goals, enabling resilience through proactive risk management, compliance, and operational flexibility. By embedding legal considerations throughout the business, we cultivate a culture of risk awareness and organizational resilience.

A core element of our strategy is proactive risk assessment and strategic counsel. This minimizes legal disputes and ensures our business decisions are legally sound. Our contracts are crafted with foresight, incorporating flexibility mechanisms like force majeure clauses to address uncertainties.

We also prioritize data privacy and cybersecurity, ensuring robust protection against reputational and financial risks. Our commitment to corporate governance is reflected in active engagement with regulators and strict adherence to anti-corruption standards, keeping us ahead of emerging legal requirements.

To streamline operations, we’ve implemented an automated contract management system to ensure timely fulfillment of contractual obligations. In dispute resolution, we balance litigation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR), enabling us to resolve issues efficiently while maintaining business continuity.

As Company Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer, I focus on anticipating emerging legal risks, especially in areas like technology and regulatory change. We leverage regulatory intelligence tools to stay informed about evolving laws, particularly in data protection and cybersecurity, ensuring compliance with industry standards. Our cross-functional collaboration with business leaders and external advisors allows us to swiftly respond to regulatory shifts.

By aligning our legal strategy with business priorities, we safeguard the organization’s resilience, fostering sustainable growth while minimizing legal and regulatory exposure.

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

I am deeply passionate about mentoring young professionals, corporate strategy, governance, and consulting, where I can contribute to shaping the future direction of businesses and guiding them through complex challenges.