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

One of our most significant recent transactions was TransUnion Africa’s first minority investment, through our strategic investment and partnership with Omnisient, a South African fintech specialising in privacy-preserving data collaboration and advanced analytics. The legal team led the transaction structuring, governance arrangements, shareholder negotiations and investment documentation. The partnership supports our broader strategy of expanding financial inclusion through the responsible use of alternative data. We have also played an active role in government and regulatory affairs across East Africa, engaging on developments relating to open finance, digital identity, privacy, alternative data and financial inclusion. These matters sit at the intersection of innovation, regulation and data governance, increasingly requiring legal functions to help shape frameworks that enable responsible growth.

In light of increasing regulatory scrutiny across sectors in East Africa, how are you adapting your compliance frameworks to stay ahead of change?

Our focus has shifted from maintaining compliance to building a proactive and adaptive compliance framework. We combine regulatory horizon scanning, risk-based monitoring and strong governance structures to identify emerging requirements early. Using tools such as Afriwise, together with expert legal advisors and industry engagement, we monitor legislative developments across our markets and conduct structured gap assessments to ensure timely implementation. Our Africa Risk Management Committee brings together legal, compliance, privacy, security, risk and business leaders to assess emerging risks, monitor remediation plans and provide executive oversight. By embedding regulatory considerations into strategic planning and product development, we are able to support innovation while maintaining strong governance and compliance standards.

What strategies has your legal team adopted to mitigate legal and regulatory risks in a rapidly evolving business and political environment?

We take a risk-based approach focused on anticipation rather than reaction. Through regulatory intelligence, stakeholder engagement and local market expertise, we identify emerging legal, regulatory and political developments early and assess their impact on the business. Our resources are prioritised towards key risk areas including privacy, cybersecurity, credit bureau and financial services regulation, and third-party risk management. Most importantly, legal and compliance are embedded into business decision-making from the outset. By working closely with commercial, product, technology and operational teams, we help the business manage risk while remaining agile in a changing environment.

How is the role of the General Counsel evolving in East Africa as organisations place greater emphasis on governance, transparency and ESG considerations?

The General Counsel’s role has evolved from providing legal advice to serving as a strategic adviser on governance, risk, ethics and long-term business resilience. 

Increasing stakeholder expectations around transparency, privacy, cybersecurity and consumer protection have elevated the importance of legal leadership in Board and executive decision-making. General Counsels are increasingly expected to integrate legal, risk and compliance functions, provide foresight on regulatory change and help organisations navigate complex stakeholder expectations. Technology is also reshaping the function, with tools such as regulatory intelligence platforms, data analytics and AI improving governance and risk monitoring. Today, the General Counsel plays a critical role in enabling sustainable business growth while building trust and accountability.