Southeast Asia
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
General counsel and senior vice president | Frontiir
General counsel Southeast Asia, Korea, Japan and India | EssilorLuxottica
Senior vice president of legal, compliance and privacy; corporate secretary | Privy
General counsel region ASEAN, Australia | Siemens
Senior vice president and head of legal, APACÂ | Publicis Groupe
Managing director, general counsel at Macquarie Asia Infrastructure Funds | Macquarie Asset Management
Corporate secretary, chief compliance officer, senior vice president, chief legal officer | Aboitiz Power
Corporate secretary, corporate governance group head and chief legal officer | Ayala Corporation
Managing director, global counsel ethics and compliance | Accenture
Senior executive vice president, head of legal and compliance | CIMB Thai Bank
Managing director of legal for Southeast Asia and North Pacific | FedEx Express
General counsel of Asia-Pacific | Revantage Asia-Pacific
Group general counsel, head of secretariat and compliance | CapitaLand Investment
General manager; head of Group legal, compliance and risk management; Group integrity officer; Group data protection officer | Warisan TC Holdings
Lead senior counsel, CBRE Global Workplace Solutions, APAC | CBRE
Asia-Pacific general counsel and global head of ESG legal | SHEIN Group
Senior director, legal affairs and general counsel | Kulicke and Soffa
Director of corporate services and general counsel | Eastern Pacific Shipping
Vice president and assistant general counsel | IBM Asia-Pacific and Japan
General counsel and vice president corporate development | Campana Group
Vice president – legal, ethics and compliance; corporate secretary and data protection officer | Manila Water
General counsel and chief compliance officer, APAC | CBRE Investment Management
Asia-Taiwan general counsel; CBG Philippines; and GSC general counsel | 3M
Chief legal and compliance officer, Aboitiz Group general counsel | Aboitiz Equity Ventures
Director of legal and corporate affairs, APAC | Infront Sports and Media
Executive vice president, legal and international projects | Thoresen Thai Agencies (TTA)
Group general counsel and chief sustainability officer | Jardine Cycle & Carriage
Chief operating officer and general counsel Asia-Pacific | Aquila Clean Energy APAC
Vice president legal and compliance | Singapore Airlines
General counsel and executive vice president corporate services | BW Group
Vice president, structuring and regulatory affairs; head of legal | Aboitiz InfraCapital
Head of legal affairs, Michelin E2A region (East Asia and Australia) | Michelin Asia-Pacific
Head of legal | PVEP (PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation)
Senior vice president, regional head of compliance and regulatory, APAC | OMERS Administration
On 26 February, Legal 500 returned to Lagos to launch the latest edition of the GC Powerlist: Nigeria, hosted at the exclusive Metropolitan Club and attended by more than 100 senior in‑house lawyers from across the country. The evening brought together many of Nigeria’s most influential corporate counsel for a programme that blended recognition, thought leadership and high‑level networking in a setting that reflected the prestige of the series. Honourees were celebrated for the impact they have made within their organisations, their contributions to the wider legal ecosystem and their ability to drive innovation and strategic value across sectors ranging from finance and energy to technology and consumer markets.
The event opened with remarks from David Freeman, Global Business Development Manager at Legal 500, who spoke about the significance of the GC Powerlist in Nigeria and the evolving role of in‑house counsel as strategic leaders. He highlighted the growing influence of general counsel in shaping governance, regulatory engagement and business transformation, setting a purposeful tone for the evening.
The programme continued with insights from two distinguished speakers. Adedoyin Afun, Partner at Bloomfield, offered a forward‑looking analysis of Nigeria’s regulatory and transactional landscape, noting the increasing pressures and opportunities facing in‑house teams as they navigate compliance shifts, cross‑border transactions and the expectation to operate as commercial partners. He was followed by keynote speaker Angela Omo‑Dare, retired General Counsel of Stanbic IBTC Group, whose reflective address on leadership, ethics and the long‑term development of legal teams resonated strongly with the audience. Drawing on her extensive career, she underscored the GC’s role as an ethical steward, culture‑shaper and trusted adviser to senior leadership.
After the formal proceedings, guests enjoyed dinner and continued discussions on emerging trends shaping the Nigerian legal landscape, from regulatory reform and investment flows to legal operations and talent development. The atmosphere remained warm and engaged throughout, reinforcing the sense of community that has become synonymous with the GC Powerlist.
Overall, the GC Powerlist: Nigeria 2026 launch event ultimately reaffirmed Legal 500’s commitment to celebrating and elevating the work of general counsel in one of Africa’s most dynamic markets. With its combination of high‑calibre speakers, strong industry representation and meaningful recognition, the event stood out as a defining moment in the 2026 calendar and further strengthened the platform’s role as a convening force for leadership and professional excellence within Nigeria’s in‑house legal community.
Legal 500 extends its sincere thanks to Bloomfield Law for its invaluable support of this year’s publication.
