East Africa 2024
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Legal director | Uganda Breweries
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...
Head of legal services | Umeme
Allan Rwakakooko is the head of legal services of Umeme; the largest electricity distributor in Uganda. He is responsible for developing and implementing legal strategies and overseeing legal service delivery....
Head of legal | Shell Exploration and Production Tanzania
Angela Caramaschi a dual qualified lawyer, a solicitor in England and Wales and an advocate of the High Court of Tanzania. She has over 12 years of international experience advising...
Senior manager, legal counsel Africa | The Coca Cola Company (Coca-Cola Central East and West Africa)
Company Secretary | Housing Finance Bank
Anne is the company secretary and chief legal officer at Housing Finance Bank. She previously practiced in the multi-media and oil industries. She has over 15 years’ experience as a...
General Counsel and Corporation Secretary | AGRA
Annette, a Kenyan national, is a distinguished corporate lawyer with 16 years of experience in the legal field. She currently serves as the general counsel and corporation secretary at AGRA,...
Group Head of Legal, Nairobi | Wave Mobile Money Group
Asana Abu is a dual-qualified lawyer in the UK and Tanzania with 20 years of experience in fintech, e-commerce, retail, and FMCG sectors. Specializing in Africa, Asana is known for building...
Company Secretary, and General Manager-Legal Affairs | Kenya Electricity Generating Company
Group general counsel | KCB Bank Kenya
At KCB Group, Bonnie Okumu serves as the group general counsel. She started off as head, legal services in 2014 and has worked her way up the ranks, becoming director,...
Head, legal, transaction banking, Africa and Middle East | Standard Chartered Bank
Brenda Aluoch is the head of legal for transaction banking in Africa and the Middle East at Standard Chartered Bank (SCB). In this role, she oversees the product legal coverage...
Director, Legal and regulatory | IHS Towers
Brian Kirungi is a seasoned business and corporate law practitioner with over 22 years of experience spanning the public, private, and international development sectors. Renowned for being a trusted advisor...
Head legal department | Stanbic Bank Uganda
Candy has over 25 years’ experience in senior roles within legal practice, financial markets and consulting. She currently holds the position of head legal Stanbic Bank Uganda, a member of...
Corporation secretary and director of legal services | Special Economic Zone Authority
Group Vice President, Deputy Managing Director, and General Counsel | Trade and Development Bank Group - TDB Group
Mr. David Bamlango is group vice president, deputy managing director, and general counsel of TDB Group and is the Group’s chief legal officer, advising TDB Group’s management and governing bodies...
Senior legal counsel and ompany secretary: Geita Gold Mining Limited | AngloGold Ashanti
Head of Legal, compliance and regulatory affairs | Ruzizi III Energy
Head of legal, Kenya and East Africa | Standard Chartered Bank Kenya
Head of legal services and company secretary | Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company
Affordable housing is a key pillar in the any government’s social agenda. KMRC is a special purpose mortgage liquidity facility that was set up as one of the key implementing...
Manager, Africa Office of General counsel, East Market Area | PricewaterhouseCoopers
Company Secretary and Head of Legal Services | Formerly Bank of Africa- Tanzania
East Market Area General Counsel | PricewaterhouseCoopers
General counsel and group company secretary | BK Group
Emmanuel Nkusi Batanage is the general counsel and group company secretary of BK Group. Prior to this role, he was the company secretary and head of corporate affairs at Bank...
A/Group VP Legal Counsel and Corporate Secretariat | Ethiopian Airlines Group
Group legal manager | Siginon Group
Evalyne Odongo is currently the group legal manager for Siginon Group. In this role, she is responsible for providing legal advice and managing various legal affairs of the company. Having...
Head of legal, wealth, retail banking Kenya and East Africa | Standard Chartered Bank Kenya
Evelyn Gachanjah is the head of legal, wealth and retail banking for Kenya and East Africa at Standard Chartered Bank Kenya. Previously she served as legal counsel at Standard Chartered...
Country head of legal, governance and company secretary | BPR Bank Rwanda
General Manager (Company Secretary and head of legal services) | Kenya Pipeline Company
Head of legal, human resources and industrial relations department | Credit Bank Kenya
Group company secretary, chief legal officer | CIC Insurance Group
Gail is the director of legal and group secretary at CIC Insurance Group, a position she took on in May 2024. Reporting to the group managing director and CEO, she...
Chief Legal, Regulatory, and Corporate Governance Officer | Safaricom Ethiopia
Associate General Counsel | Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank
Company Secretary and general counsel | Development Bank of Rwanda
Gloria aims to serve, grow her potential and empower others. She is a business and corporate lawyer and a certified John Maxwell Leadership team coach. With a combined professional experience...
Director Legal Services and Company Secretary | Kenya Airways
Director of legal services | Electricity Regulatory Authority
Harold R. Obiga is a seasoned regulatory, power, and renewable energy lawyer with a wealth of experience. Serving as the director of legal services for the Electricity Regulatory Authority...
Company Secretary and Legal Advisor | Brassieres et Limonaderies du Burundi Brarudi
Director legal and company secretary | Britam Holdings and Group
Hilda is a financial services executive with over 17 years’ experience in legal and regulatory affairs and corporate governance leadership. Hilda is the director for legal services as well...
Corporation Secretary & Director, Legal Services | Energy & Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA)
CS. Kitoo is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Legal Counsel of at least fifteen (15) years’ post-admission experience and a near-decade experience in the energy sector....
Head, government affairs and policy sub saharan africa | Johnson & Johnson
Idah Asin is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya who holds well over 14-years experience in the corporate sector. Her vast number of years has seen her navigate...
Chief Legal Advisor and Company Secretary | Rwandair
Isah Byarugaba holds the esteemed position of chief legal officer and company secretary at RwandAir, where he plays a pivotal role in steering the airline’s legal strategies and ensuring compliance...
Head of legal affairs and privacy officer | Vodacom Tanzania
Head of legal and company secretary | Exim Bank Uganda
John Nambale is an accomplished lawyer with over 16 years of expertise in corporate and commercial transactions within the banking and financial sectors. Currently leading the commercial transactions team, John specialises...
Head of legal, compliance and company secretary | Bamburi Cement
Head legal, Corporate and Investment Banking | Stanbic Bank Tanzania
Head of legal affairs | Airtel Networks Kenya
Lillian Mugo is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with 17 years of experience. She is a certified public accountant and a certified public secretary. She is the...
Head of Legal and Regulatory Affairs | ATC Uganda
Mark is the head of legal and regulatory affairs at ATC Uganda and doubles as the company secretary. In his role, he is tasked with offering sound legal advice to...
General counsel | Ethiopian Engineering Corporation - Construction
Head of legal services and company secretary | Tanzania Mortgage Refinance Company
Acting General Counsel - Diageo Africa and Group Legal | East African Breweries
Legal counsel | Rendeavor Group, Tatu City
Oliver Dundo is a corporate and commercial lawyer with experience in commercial transactions including public private partnerships (PPPs), mergers and acquisitions (M&A), energy and infrastructure projects, Utilities regulation (Water, Power...
Head of legal advisory and transaction, group company secretary, ag. managing director | EPC Africa Group
Head, Legal, Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking, East Africa | Standard Chartered Bank Kenya
Pat Mbugua is the head, legal, client coverage, corporate commercial and institutional banking, East Africa at Standard Chartered Bank Kenya, where her team provides differentiated customer-oriented service. With over 20...
Company Secretary and head legal | Jubilee Allianz General Insurance Company
Head of Corporate and Legal affairs | Industrial Promotion Services Kenya
Head legal and company secretary | UAP Old Mutual Insurance Uganda and Old Mutual Investment Group Uganda (OMIG)
General counsel | Rubis Energy Kenya
Ruth Mabele is a seasoned legal professional with over a decade of experience in corporate law. Beginning her career as a litigator for five years in Sisule, Munyi Kilonzo Advocates...
Head legal and company secretary | Standard Chartered Bank Uganda
Stella Keshubi is an accomplished legal and corporate governance leader currently serving as the Head of Legal and Company Secretary at Standard Chartered Bank Uganda. With over 13 years of...
General counsel and chief compliance officer | Trinity Metals Group
Tristan Minyati is the general counsel and chief compliance officer at Trinity Metals and heads up Trinity Government Affairs. Tristan’s previous roles have included rule of law advisor at the...
Head of legal and compliance BAT East and Southern Africa | British American Tobacco
Country Head of legal and compliance and company secretary | Standard Chartered Bank of Tanzania
Chief legal and governance officer, Africa | Prudential Africa
Wambui is a seasoned commercial legal adviser with over 25 years of experience, offering strategic and creative counsel across legal, compliance, risk, governance, commercial, and corporate advisory roles. Wambui has...
Co-Head of Legal | GuarantCo Management Company
Yvette Dzakpasu co-heads the legal function at GuarantCo, a private Infrastructure Development Group company, that offers local currency credit solutions for infrastructure financing in countries across Africa and Asia. With...
The Legal 500 is thrilled to introduce a new and eagerly awaited addition to the GC Powerlist Series: GC Powerlist East Africa 2024! This inaugural edition highlights the insights and notable achievements of East Africa’s most distinguished senior in-house counsel, all of whom were enthusiastic about sharing their experiences with us, for which we are deeply appreciative.
Covering countries across East Africa, including Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Burundi, and Tanzania, The Legal 500 is proud to showcase the legal expertise of 130 dynamic individuals from these regions. While they share the common honour of being featured in the first-ever GC Powerlist East Africa, this senior in-house counsel, spanning various industries, also express shared concerns.
Within this publication, you will find consensus on the impact of evolving regulations and the adaptability that legal departments must adopt to navigate the African business landscape. Particularly noteworthy is the shared enthusiasm about the role of artificial intelligence in their legal workload and broader business operations. In-house counsel in East Africa appear eager to lead their companies through changing times with creativity and vigour.
As Njeri Waitamu, Head of Legal and Company Secretary at DIB Bank, eloquently states, “As in-house counsel and company secretary, I am influencing day-to-day operations and decision-making, especially in redefining strategy to address emerging risks while capitalizing on sustainability-related financial and non-financial opportunities.” This sentiment is echoed by Isah Byarugaba, Director of Legal Services at RwandAir, who remarks, “I firmly believe that the role of legal professionals extends beyond traditional advisory services to providing innovative and strategic solutions that drive business success by navigating legal complexities and developing legal departments as internal legal firms.”
Moreover, many of the in-house counsel featured in this publication share a deep commitment to inspiring the next generation of in-house lawyers and young Africans. Nadida Rowlands, Acting General Counsel at Diageo, succinctly captures this spirit: “Having a deep passion for people and culture, with a particular focus on engaging with younger generations, such as Gen Zs and Gen Alphas, by helping them improve themselves and their careers, giving them a positive outlook on life.”
It has been an honour to lead the research of such an eclectic group of individuals in East Africa and to shine a light on their many accomplishments, both as legal teams and as individuals. Not only are they invaluable assets to their respective companies, but they also enhance our global portfolio of outstanding Powerlisters. Congratulations to all those included!
ENS, together with The Legal 500, hosted the inaugural GC Powerlist: East Africa Awards at Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi, Kenya on Wednesday, 14 August 2024.
The event celebrated over 130 East African general counsel for their notable contributions to the legal community, handpicked by The Legal 500’s rigorous selection process.
In attendance were the GC Powerlisters, along with ENS Executives from our offices across Africa, led by ENS CE, Mzi Mgudlwa and our East African Office Heads.
Désiré Kamanzi, head of ENS’ Rwanda office, had this to say, “It is very exciting to be gathered amongst a crowd of East African legal elite. The calibre of talent on display affirms that the future of the legal landscape in East Africa is very bright indeed!”
“The Legal 500’s recognition of general counsel in East Africa is testament to the quality of legal expertise in our region, and it’s crucial to recognise their role in the business landscape. To work alongside such legal talent is a privilege and an honour” added, Nigel Shaw, Head of ENS’ Kenya office.
Rachel Musoke, Head of ENS’ Uganda office, added, “This event highlights the exceptional talent and dedication of general counsel in East Africa and we are honoured to recognise their achievements and to be part of this celebration.”
We extend our warmest congratulations to all the individuals recognised at this year’s event.
Legal 500 was proud to host the second edition of the GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025 in Nairobi, honouring the top General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, Legal Directors, and senior in-house legal professionals across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. This year’s reception brought together over 100 of the most influential and innovative corporate counsel from the region, and was an unrivalled success, cementing Legal 500’s role as the leading voice in recognising in-house legal excellence across Africa.
The evening was opened by Joe Boswell, lead editor of the GC Powerlist publication at Legal 500, who highlighted the growing prestige of the East Africa edition and the increasing challenge of selecting honourees from such a deep (and rapidly growing) pool of talent.
Guests were then treated to some particularly relevant insights from distinguished speakers. Rachel Musoke, Head of ENS Uganda, delivered a thoughtful welcome that reflected on the importance of collaboration between private practice and in-house teams. This was followed by a powerful keynote from Habil Waswani, Company Secretary & Director Legal Services and Regulatory Compliance at Kenya Airways, who shared reflections on leadership, regulatory stewardship, and the evolving role of corporate counsel in East Africa.
The highlight of the evening was the certificate ceremony, where this year’s honourees were formally recognised. Certificates were presented by senior representatives of ENS, including Désiré Kamanzi (head of ENS Rwanda), Rachel Musoke, Nigel Shaw (head of ENS Kenya), Donald Nyakairu (Partner, ENS Uganda), Dieudonne Nzafashwanayo (partner, ENS Rwanda) and Binti Shah (Partner, ENS Kenya) whose participation underlined the depth of the firm’s support for the GC Powerlist initiative.
The GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025 reaffirmed The Legal 500’s commitment to shining a spotlight on the region’s most talented in-house lawyers. With an even stronger field of candidates, this year’s edition stands as a powerful testament to the influence and expertise of East Africa’s legal leaders. Habil Waswani’s excellent speech, which got a raucous reception from those in the room, is reproduced below with his permission:
‘My name is Habil Waswani, and I have been an inhouse legal practitioner for the past 21 years in different sectors (having done law-firm practice for 2 years before that). Tt is indeed a true privilege and honour for me to be here tonight, surrounded by the sharpest legal minds and calmest crisis-handlers the East African corporate world has to offer.
First, let me thank the Legal 500 and ENSAfrica teams, for organising such a fantastic event and for bringing us together in such style. Congratulations to each of tonight’s honourees. You represent the very best of general counsel in this very dynamic corporate space the businesses we support operate in. Strategic, ethical, resilient, and, let’s be honest, often underappreciated leaders of industry.
I am so happy that this evening is not about contracts, or compliance checklists, or board packs. Tonight is about celebrating you, the people behind all of that. The steady hands guiding companies through complexities, uncertainties, and ensuring that the opportunities that lie within those difficult circumstances are lawfully realized.
We all know the role of GCs has evolved. We are no longer tucked away at the end of a corridor marked “Legal” or labelled the proverbial “cost centres”. These days, the GCs sit at the big table – helping drive corporate strategy, shaping desired culture, providing leadership and safeguarding business reputations. We have become indispensable partners to businesses, interpreters, navigators, protectors… and on some (many) days, therapists with law degrees. And yet, we mostly do it all so quietly. No victory laps, no press releases. Often, success for us means the expected disaster didn’t happen.
But tonight, we break that rule. Tonight, we raise a glass to the GCs who’ve blazed the trail courageously, with clarity, conviction, and tremendous resilience that only matches the expectations of the Leadership Guru John Maxwell when he said, “resilient leaders don’t wait for the storm to past — they learn to dance in the rain”. You have managed to balance growth and governance, risk and reward regularly. And, of course, always managed to deal with those 10pm messages: “Hey, just a quick question…Are you able to talk right now…?”
Let this evening serve as a reminder that you are not just experienced legal advisors. You are leaders — spear heads and enablers of execution — and without a doubt critical pillars of business strategy.
To all the honourees, congratulations once again for the well-deserved recognition. This is for the heavy lifting that you do, the standards you uphold, and the impact you make – quietly, consistently, and brilliantly so. You’ve earned this spotlight.
