Meet the speakers

Find out more about the speakers attending PLEASe 2024

DAY ONE: WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2024

Redefining Success: Innovative Approaches to Business Development

Ngozie Azu, Special Advisor, International Law Firm Relationships, Slaughter and May
Ngozie is a qualified Solicitor of England and Wales. She has over 10 years of experience in business development and marketing. Working closely with the Partners of the firm, she is responsible for developing and strengthening our international law firm relationships. She is involved in the IBA and also sits on the firm’s Secondment Committee. She has been twice recognised in the EMPower Future Leaders list for her work around inclusion in the workplace and in 2016 was named as one of the most influential people of Afro Caribbean origin in the Power List.
Carlotta dal Lago, Head of Business Development, Marketing and and Communications, ALN
Carlotta Dal Lago is an international executive and a catalyst for change with over 20 years of experience in business development, marketing and communications. She excels in leading global communications and public engagement strategies across various industries, specialising in stakeholders’ engagement, strategic marketing and communications and business development. With a strong track record in developing core narratives and messaging platforms, she is currently the Head of Business Development, Marketing and Communications at ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna, East Africa’s largest independent law firm, and the wider legal alliance ALN.
Tracy Cohen, Executive: Growing Business, ENS
Dr Tracy Cohen is an Executive and responsible for the firm’s Growing Business team, which is responsible for driving the firm’s client growth, retention and relationship strategies.
FAyaz Bhojani, Managing Partner, FB Attorneys
Dr FAyaz Bhojani is the Managing Partner of FB Attorneys, one of Tanzania's leading law firms. He co-leads the litigation practice in the firm and is member of the FB Attorneys business development team.

Building Identity and Cultivating a Strong Culture in Modern Law Firms

Robert Byk, Partner, Slaughter and May
Robert advises on a wide range of banking, finance and corporate transactions, including acquisition and bid finance, structured finance, debt and equity capital markets and general banking and corporate work.
Didier Martin, Senior Partner, Bredin Prat
Didier Martin is one of the leading specialists on French public tender offers, securities laws and corporate law.
Karim Anjarwalla, Senior Partner, Anjarwalla & Khanna
Karim Anjarwalla is a Senior Partner at ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna, with an impactful legacy spanning approximately 3 decades with the firm. His visionary leadership has been the driving force behind the firm's remarkable evolution, witnessing its growth from 6 partners to a team of nearly 30. Under Karim’s leadership, ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna has earned its reputation as the pre-eminent corporate law firm and the largest full-service corporate law firm in East Africa.
Sharon Sakuwaha, Co-Managing Partner, Moira Mukuka
Sharon is a corporate lawyer who has been ranked by Chambers and Partners severally as one of Zambia’s top corporate finance lawyers; cited as a Highly Regarded Lawyer for Mergers and Acquisitions by IFLR 1000 and as a ‘Leading Individual’ by Legal 500. She has over 20 years of experience advising Zambian, regional and international clients on M&A deals, capital markets transactions, financing, fund formation, mining, Energy, private equity and projects.
Waringa Njonjo, Managing Partner, MMAN Advocates
Waringa Njonjo is the Managing Partner at MMAN Advocates and head of the Commercial and Projects Practice Groups. She has over 20 years’ experience in commercial and corporate law practice, with expertise in banking and finance, corporate M&A and infrastructure projects. Waringa has acted as lead counsel to both international and local clients in numerous transactions over the years.

Global disruptions and Local impact: strategic responses

David Watkins, Partner and Chairman Africa Practice Group, Slaughter and May
David’s principal areas of practice include mergers and acquisitions of both public and private companies, general corporate finance, equity capital markets and corporate governance. He advises clients across a broad range of sectors including financial institutions, insurance, media and IEN.
Naa Aku Jäätma, Senior Economist for Africa, SMBC Europe
Naa-Aku Jäätma is the Senior Economist for Africa at SMBC Group, based in London. Naa Aku advises the Bank and its clients on country risk with respect to a range of investment and transaction structures. She is a frequent traveller to African countries meeting with members of the public and private sectors to gain a good understanding of on-the-ground conditions. Naa-Aku holds an MBA from Oxford University Saïd Business School and a BA from Swarthmore College.
Robert Hutchinson, Partner, Head of East Africa, Control Risks
Hutch leads the Control Risks’ East Africa business where he supports clients to be secure, resilient and compliant in their market entry, operations and growth across a footprint of ten countries. Hutch is based in Nairobi, Kenya and specialises in advice to business leaders and investors on matters relating to enterprise risk, business resilience and crisis management.
Paras Shah, Managing Partner, Bowmans, Kenya
Paras Shah is the managing partner of the Bowmans’ Kenyan practice. He specialises in corporate and commercial law, banking and finance law, privatisations, M&A, capital markets and real estate law. He is qualified as a Solicitor in England, and an Advocate in Kenya.
Paul Jing, Managing Partner, Jing & Partners
Paul is the Founder and Managing Partner of the firm. He is responsible for the Firm’s strategic growth and development. He has over 30 years of professional practice experience. Paul’s practice specialises in commercial, corporate, corporate finance, energy, oil & gas, foreign investment advisory, capital markets and Intellectual Property.

DAY TWO – THURSDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2024

Sustainability Exchange 2024

David Watkins, Partner and Chairman Africa Practice Group, Slaughter and May
David’s principal areas of practice include mergers and acquisitions of both public and private companies, general corporate finance, equity capital markets and corporate governance. He advises clients across a broad range of sectors including financial institutions, insurance, media and IEN.
Lorna Nsoatabe, Partner, Competition, Slaughter and May
Lorna advises clients on a broad range of EU and UK competition law matters including mergers and acquisitions, antitrust investigations, subsidy control and competition litigation.
Kathrine Meloni, Special Advisor and Head of Treasury Insight, Slaughter and May
Kathrine joined Slaughter and May in 1994. She spent her first decade advising on cross-border financing and M&A transactions, based mostly in the London and former Singapore offices of Slaughter and May. Since 2004 she has been a Special Adviser in the financing practice, advising the Firm and its clients on risk management and strategic issues in banking and finance transactions.

ESG Litigation – Risks and Trends

Jonathan Cotton, Partner and Co-Head of Global Investigations Group, Slaughter and May
Jonny is Co-Head of our Global Investigations group. For over 25 years he has helped many clients investigate and defend allegations of wrongdoing in civil, criminal and regulatory cases across sectors from telecoms to fast-moving consumer goods to financial services.
Adam Shalakany, Senior Partner, Shalakany Law Office
Adam El Shalakany is a disputes specialist and acts as counsel and arbitrator. Trained in the Common Law and Civil Law legal systems Adam is experienced in high-value, complex and multi-jurisdictional disputes in the MENA region including Egypt, the U.A.E., Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, and Sudan as well as before investment tribunals.
David Mpanga, Head of Dispute Resolution, AF Mpanga
David has cultivated a specialization in handling and advising on complex disputes, corporate governance, regulatory compliance and investigation. David also advises on strategic aspects of commercial transactions.

Promoting Wellbeing in the Legal Profession

Lorna Nsoatabe, Partner, Competition, Slaughter and May
Lorna advises clients on a broad range of EU and UK competition law matters including mergers and acquisitions, antitrust investigations, subsidy control and competition litigation.
Tammy Beira, Partner, Talent and Business Development, Bowmans
Tammy focuses on people experience and operational excellence. As the partner in charge of Talent, Business Development and Knowledge she works closely with Bowmans’ Management Board in executing Bowmans’ Business Development and Talent strategies across the Firm’s six jurisdictions and nine offices in Africa, making sure its client-centric focus is at the centre of everything it does. She is a member of the Management Board and an elected member of the firm’s Remuneration Committee.
Elizabeth Ashun, Partner, Bentsi-Enchill
Elizabeth is a Partner in the Energy and Infrastructure practice group and is a dual qualified UK and Ghanaian lawyer. She advises on a wide range of transactions in the infrastructure and real estate sectors.
Baba Alokolaro, Managing Partner, TNP
Baba is TNP’s Managing Partner and leads the firm’s Corporate Finance and Business Advisory Groups. He is regarded as a solution-oriented business lawyer and is responsible for the firm’s reputation in the Capital Markets and M&A space, having spearheaded a series of deals across several industries.

The Client Perspective: Shaping Exceptional Legal Services for Tomorrow

Jonathan Cotton Partner, Co-Head of Global Investigations Group, Slaughter and May
Jonny is Co-Head of our Global Investigations group. For over 25 years he has helped many clients investigate and defend allegations of wrongdoing in civil, criminal and regulatory cases across sectors from telecoms to fast-moving consumer goods to financial services.
Denis Magonga, Senior Legal Counsel, East Africa, Unilever
Wambui Kosgey, Chief Legal and Governance Officer, Africa, Prudential
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 been involved in some of Africa’s largest and most complex transactions and corporate restructurings. Throughout her career, she has held senior executive positions at major global companies, law practices, and financial institutions, including serving as general counsel and chief legal and governance officer for Africa at Prudential.
Brenda Aluoch, Head of Legal, Transaction Banking, Africa and Middle East, Standard Chartered
Brenda Aluoch is the Head of Legal for Transaction Banking in Africa and the Middle East at Standard Chartered Bank. In this role, she oversees the product legal coverage for all client segments in Africa and Middle East for transaction banking.
Teresa Parkes, General Counsel, Cygnum Capital
Teresa Parkes is General Counsel at Cygnum Capital, and works across the asset management and investment banking practices. Cygnum Capital is an investment banking and asset management firm with a focus on frontier and emerging economies across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, advising clients on “first-of-their-kind” transactions across a number of sectors.

Pitching Workshop and Presentations

Robert Byk, Partner, Financing, Slaughter and May
Robert advises on a wide range of banking, finance and corporate transactions, including acquisition and bid finance, structured finance, debt and equity capital markets and general banking and corporate work.
Mo Ali, Business Development Manager, IEN & Growth Markets, Slaughter and May
Mo is a member of Slaughter and May’s Global Client Development team, managing business development activities for the Firm’s Energy and Infrastructure sector as well as being our BD lead for the Africa and Middle East regions.

Special Guest speaker

Mutua Matheka, Travel and architectural photographer
I am an architecture, travel & conceptual photographer and a Ford Foundation (Africa - No Filter) Fellow, forged in Kenya and based in Nairobi. I see myself as an artist using photography as a medium to see the world and invite you to see the world as I do. My mom says she placed crayons in my hands when I was 3 (I believe her). Since then I drew, painted, did sculpture and now I photograph.