Career Biography

Benedicta Rita Adjei currently serves as Head of Legal, Compliance & Company Secretary

at Hollard Life Assurance Ghana LTD. She has extensive experience in corporate and

financial law, having previously practiced with AB & David, a leading business law firm in

Ghana and across Africa. Benedicta is a Data Protection Supervisor, certified by the Data

Protection Commission, and the company’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Reporting

Officer. She holds an LLM in Financial Markets Law & Regulation from the University of

Ghana School of Law and is a member of the Ghana Bar Association.

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past twelve months?

Over the past twelve months, a key focus of my role has been providing strategic support to the company in establishing new partnerships and strengthening existing ones within Ghana’s highly competitive insurance industry. Given low insurance penetration in Ghana, partnerships offer an attractive avenue for market expansion. In my capacity as General Counsel (GC), I have been actively involved in the drafting, review and execution of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), confidentiality agreements, and related commercial contracts that provide a robust framework for these strategic alliances, primarily with fintech companies and banks. In the past year, the company secured a partnership with a leading telecommunications provider, thus expanding product accessibility and visibility. Additionally, in response to emerging technology, cybersecurity, and anti-money laundering (AML) matters, I worked closely with the IT and Risk teams to explore the procurement of a robust AML solution for the business. I provided legal advice to ensure that data handling, system integration and vendor arrangements were aligned with applicable data protection and AML laws.

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 organisation’s resilience?

During periods of crises or instability, I adopt a collaborative approach by working closely with the Board, management and cross-functional teams. This approach enables the legal team to identify key legal, regulatory and operational risks and determine the appropriate legal solutions. In practice, my company organises monthly risk meetings involving executive management and relevant functional stakeholders. These meetings provide the forum to review the organisation’s top ten risks, assess mitigating strategies, and agree on clear targets and timelines for resolving identified risks. To align the legal strategy with the broader business strategy, the legal team plays a critical role in annual strategy sessions and facilitates the integration of relevant governance and compliance frameworks into strategic initiatives.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

To succeed in today’s complex business environment, modern in-house counsel must possess an in-depth understanding of the company’s core operations, enabling them to provide business oriented and tailor-made solutions to complex legal issues. Adaptability is also essential, allowing them to operate in a rapidly evolving corporate landscape. In-house counsel are expected to maintain up-to-date legal and regulatory knowledge to provide timely advice that avoids or minimises regulatory breaches, sanctions and fines. They play a critical role in setting the tone from the top by communicating decisions and policies of the Board and management in clear and relatable terms. Business functions require in-house counsel who can effectively communicate and assist with the implementation of policies, procedures and decisions of the Board and management. Above all, in-house counsel are expected to be organised.