Team size: Seven

Major legal advisors: K&K Advocates, MMAKS Advocates, S&L Advocates, Paragon Advocates, Ortus Advocates

Jurisdictions your role covers:  Uganda, Great Lakes (Rwanda, Burundi and Eastern DRC)

Career Biography 

Agnes is the Legal Director and Company Secretary of Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL), a leading alcoholic beverages manufacturer in Uganda, subsidiary of the East African Breweries Plc (EABL) Group and member of Diageo. Agnes has over 15 years’ experience as an advocate and in-house general counsel, specialising in the areas of Corporate Governance, Commercial Law, Land Transactions, Intellectual Property Management, Regulatory Review, Litigation, Employment, and Retirement Benefits. 

She started her career with S&L Advocates (previously, Sebalu & Lule Advocates) where she worked as a Legal Associate before joining BAT Uganda (previously, British American Tobacco Uganda) as inhouse legal counsel. She later moved to British American Tobacco Area based in Nairobi, Kenya, where she served as Marketing, PRRP and Regulations Counsel for the East and Central African Region covering 17 countries.   

She holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree (Honors) from Makerere University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre. She also holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Heriott-Watt University (UK) and is a graduate of the Strathmore Business School, Advanced Management Programme. She is an advocate of the High of Court of Uganda and a member of the Uganda Law Society, East African Law Society and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) UK. Agnes has been recognised since 2024 on the list of top General Counsels in East Africa by Legal GC 500.  

Agnes is passionate about helping young talent to unlock their full potential through coaching and mentorship. She is passionate about women empowerment and is presently leading the Spirited Women employee resource group at UBL as its Patron. 

Q&A

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

Our legal team has been actively engaged in a number of high impact matters across Uganda and Rwanda, with a particular focus on tax, regulatory and governance issues. A significant area of work has been the management of complex tax disputes and engagements with the Uganda Revenue Authority, where we have supported the business in safeguarding its commercial interests while maintaining a constructive and compliant relationship with regulators. 

In parallel, we have played a central role in supporting strategic business initiatives, advising on regulatory approvals, commercial transactions and operational matters across our portfolio of companies. We have also continued to strengthen governance frameworks by supporting our Boards, ensuring robust decision-making processes and compliance with evolving corporate governance requirements including statutory filings.

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

The regulatory landscape across East Africa continues to evolve rapidly, requiring organisations to adopt a proactive rather than reactive approach to compliance. Our focus has been on embedding compliance into day-to-day business operations through strong governance structures, regular policy reviews and continuous stakeholder engagement to drive awareness and embedding a compliance culture. 

We leverage both global and regional compliance frameworks while ensuring local regulatory requirements are fully integrated into our operating model. We also invest significantly in training, awareness and proactive horizon-scanning initiatives to identify emerging legal and regulatory developments early such that we can participate in shaping the same through compliant engagements, whilst ensuring timely implementation of required changes for enacted legislations. This approach helps foster a culture of accountability and compliance throughout the organisation.

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

Our strategy is anchored on early risk identification, strong stakeholder engagement and close alignment between legal and business priorities. We work closely with cross-functional teams to assess legal and regulatory risks at the planning stage of key business initiatives, allowing us to provide practical, commercially focused solutions while maintaining compliance. 

We also maintain constructive relationships with regulators, industry bodies and external counsel, enabling us to anticipate developments that may impact the business and proactively participate in shaping the same through regulatory reviews and submissions. Scenario planning, continuous monitoring of legislative changes and regular governance reviews have further strengthened our ability to navigate an increasingly dynamic operating 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 role of the General Counsel has evolved significantly from that of a traditional legal adviser to a strategic business partner and trusted governance leader. Today, General Counsels are expected to provide legal guidance while also helping shape corporate strategy, strengthen governance frameworks and drive ethical business practices while supporting businesses to protect their competitive edge. 

As organisations place greater emphasis on transparency, sustainability and stakeholder trust, General Counsel increasingly play a leading role in ESG oversight, risk management and board governance. In East Africa, where regulatory expectations continue to grow, the General Counsel is uniquely positioned to bridge legal, commercial and governance considerations, helping organisations achieve sustainable growth while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and accountability.