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

Legal was involved in a multitude of matters across various legal disciplines across Africa. We were engaged in acquisitions, ‘new energies’ projects, as well as the sale of various assets across the region. Additionally, we were involved in complex litigations and managed a variety of matters with numerous stakeholders and regulatory bodies.

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?

In trying to find a balance between reducing external legal expenses, supporting the legal team in prioritising significant matters, and ensuring day-to-day transactional issues are attended too, we have implemented a Managed Legal Service offering with an external third party. This has been working very well, and we have now begun ‘mining’ the data which is providing us with key insights.

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

I believe it is imperative to have a deep understanding of the business, including the key drivers. The ability to speak the ‘business language’ ensures that the team is on the same wavelength as the business, building relationships, trust, and ultimately evolving into trusted advisers.