The Legal 500 is thrilled to bring its Powerlist publication to the Rainbow Nation for the first time ever in 2024! On behalf of The Legal 500, I am honoured to present the inaugural edition of the GC Powerlist: South Africa. This edition marks a long overdue milestone in the Powerlist Series, having covered Africa wholly as a continent previously, it was about time we shone the spotlight directly onto South Africa – recognising and celebrating the impressive pool of in-house talent that the nation hosts.  
 
The interviews conducted in this edition provide us with unique insights into the intricate workings of some of the most impressive cases and transactions handled by these individuals. However, they offer more than just a means to present legal specificities. The selected in-house counsel grant us a holistic understanding of the ever-evolving role of the South African general counsel. Moreover, this edition sheds light on the burgeoning landscape of South African business, revealing key trends that drive business success as well as the challenges that can hinder such growth. In essence, through these conversations, you will gain invaluable insights not only into the legal handlings of our counsel but also into the broader business dynamics and challenges at play in the region.  
 
There is a widespread consensus among our in-house counsel that the role of the general counsel has evolved and will continue to evolve in a manner congruent with the idea of the general counsel stepping outside of their conventional legal remit. As expressed by Mershia Arumugam, head of legal and company secretary for Reckitt South Africa, the role of the general counsel ‘is moving from a purely legal advisory role to that of a legal strategic partner’. Moreover, she believes the general counsel will be ‘heavily leaned on’ for ‘critical strategic transactions’. Mark Grobler, director of legal and compliance for Samsung Africa, further builds on this sentiment with a thought-provoking idea – he believes that the general counsel’s role in South Africa will begin to ‘mirror that of the US and the UK’, with more general counsel taking ‘seats at the C-Suite table’ they will increasingly ‘become more operationally invested’. To really cement this point, Candice Pillay, the general manager of legal services at BMW Group South Africa, highlights some of the driving forces behind this evolution. She sees the shift as a result of ‘growing demands’ from the business ‘based on economic and trade pressure, industry bodies, changing regulatory landscapes, labour and workforce demands, as well as geopolitical conflicts’. 
 
What is truly fascinating to observe in these interviews is that this evolution of the role from legal to business partner is not just driven by external forces as those mentioned above. It is also a demand that these legal professionals place upon themselves and their legal teams so that they may perform their duties to the highest levels. When contemplating how to build strong relationships with business partners, a common theme emerged – understanding the business and its goals. Tshepo Legodi, the general counsel of Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) succinctly summarises this point. ‘It is critical for in-house lawyers to see themselves as business partners and enablers’. This includes an intimate knowledge of the business, company strategy, and priorities. It is important to be a ‘trusted advisor’. In-house lawyers must know the industry, trends, and regulatory landscape affecting their business.’ 
 
The GC Powerlist: South Africa 2024 offers an important and informative view into the South African legal community, providing us with a glimpse into the mindset, legal acumen, and business savvy of elite-level in-house counsel. We observe the role they play and the strategies they employ when traversing a challenging landscape fraught with economic pressures, regulatory changes, and recent geopolitical events, among other factors. Upon reading these interviews, it becomes obvious why these individuals have been chosen by their respective organisations to steer the corporate and legal direction of their businesses.  
 
On behalf of The Legal 500, I would like to extend our congratulations and gratitude to everyone who was featured in this inaugural edition of the South Africa Powerlist. We thank them for sharing their time and insights, allowing us to celebrate their achievements and acknowledging their rightfully earned spot in this milestone edition. 
 
 
Jugroop Singh | Lead Researcher – GC Powerlist South Africa 2024  

It is indeed an honour and a privilege for Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr to partner with Legal 500 in bringing the Legal 500 GC Powerlist to South Africa for the first time in 2024 to highlight those in-house lawyers who have been instrumental in driving their businesses forward across South Africa, particularly those who have done so in an innovative way.

In-house numbers have increased in recent years as companies look to harness more value from their legal departments and develop their own internal skillsets. Since 2013, The Legal 500 has been instrumental in recognising those in-house lawyers who are driving business forward. Thank you to Legal 500 for giving us this opportunity to honour these strategic players in businesses across South Africa.

In the complex legal, regulatory and economic landscape that businesses have to navigate, the role of General Counsel (GC) has evolved into a pivotal position across South Africa. Traditionally viewed as the chief legal advisor, the GC now occupies a multifaceted role that extends beyond legal counsel to encompass strategic, ethical, esg corporate integrity and multiple risk management functions. According to a recent report, GCs say their top three priorities are risk identification and mitigation, keeping abreast of regulation/legislation, and enabling company growth.

CDH continues to recognise the value that GCs add as integral and indispensable members of corporate executive teams, respectful of their ability to wield well-informed influence in key strategic decisions and contribute to the overall success of the business. As a firm that accompanies clients from vision to fruition in relation to their business and strategic objectives, we believe that the relationships that we hold with GCs are vital to the success of businesses across South Africa, and ultimately economic growth for our country. We are therefore delighted to be partnering with Legal 500 to shine a spotlight, “not only on the most distinguished in-house lawyers in South Africa, but also on the rising stars/next generation lawyers being groomed to lead the best in-house legal departments in the country.”

We congratulate the GCs and in-house lawyers who are included in this year’s GC Powerlist. It is worthy recognition of these ‘unsung heroes’ of business and corporate development and progress that have for the longest time had a rightful claim to being best of breed when measured against their global peers. We hold each of you in high regard and believe that your role as GC across South African businesses remains critical for navigating legal complexities, managing risks, and upholding ethical standards and corporate integrity in an ever-changing and challenging business environment. We recognise that GCs, by addressing emerging challenges proactively and leveraging legal expertise and business nous to drive strategic decision-making, help their businesses thrive in the face of uncertainty, adversity and change. Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr is honored to acknowledge the impact of those GCs on their business and on South Africa’s corporate landscape that have been included on the Powerlist South Africa, for the first time this year.

CDH is a full-service law firm consisting of more than 260 lawyers across Africa and with a track record spanning over 170 years. We provide experienced corporate and commercial legal support and authentic, knowledge-based, and cost-effective legal services for clients looking to do business in key markets across Africa. Our Africa practice brings together the resources and expertise of leading business law firms across the continent that have direct experience acting for governments, state agencies and multinational corporations. This combined experience across the continent produces an extensive African corporate legal services capability. We also partner with other professional disciplines such as audit, business consulting and corporate finance to provide a seamless and integrated solution for projects that have a multi-disciplinary and cross-border dimension.

For more information please contact Karushka Naicker, Business Development Manager via [email protected]