2022 Webinar: Corporate Strategies and Setting Up Business in Africa and the Middle East

The Africa & Middle East Regional Group hosted a complimentary webinar on June 21, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. Central Time titled, “Corporate Strategies and Setting Up Business in Africa and the Middle East” CLE credit is available for this webinar.

Click here to view the webinar recording. 

Webinar Materials:

• Webinar Agenda 6/21/22
• Webinar PPT 6/21/22

About the Webinar:

Many analysts agree that Africa and the Middle East are growing larger on the corporate map. Increasing competition for growth in Asia and Latin America has given new impetus for corporate executives to seek out the next frontier markets. They have accordingly trained eyes and resources on Africa and the Middle East. But how does one win in these regions? Africa remains a continent with a dizzying collection of emerging markets and at least 53 jurisdictions. Success in China, India or Brazil does not guarantee success in Africa. So for corporate executives and investors looking to get a piece of the African growth story, what should be the winning strategy to enter, survive and thrive on the colourful continent? In this webinar, our panel of experts will discuss and show us some of the strategies for setting up and winning in Africa and the Middle East from a legal standpoint. What should investors expect on the ground, and what is needed to navigate the labyrinth imposed by the different legal and regulatory systems within these regions to build a solid, resilient, and profitable business? Our experts will help us in this webinar.

Moderator:

ESINE OKUDZETO is a Partner with ALFA International member firm Sam Okudzeto & Associates in Ghana. Esine focuses on Mergers and Acquisitions, Capital Markets, Oil and Gas Law, Corporate Law, Commercial Law, Labor Law, Intellectual Property and Arbitration. Esine has performed due diligence for several international clients advising these clients on mergers and acquisitions in Ghana. She is a Board Member of Sena Chartered Secretaries, the firm’s sister company specializing in company secretarial and investment consultancy. Esine serves as a Corporate Secretary for various clients, where she attends board meetings and advises companies on their corporate responsibilities and powers. She also helps corporations with filing relevant documents in compliance with the Company’s Act of Ghana.

Panelists:

WASSIM BENZARTI is the managing partner of ALFA International member firm Westfield in Rabat, Morocco. Wassim works with companies to enable them to take a step forward: either by restructuring to be more efficient, or by internationalizing by setting up abroad, or by opening their capital to new investors or in external growth operations via acquisitions or mergers.

ALEKSANDRA BURR-DIXON is a director of ALFA International member firm Knowles Husain Lindsay Inc. in Johannesburg. Aleksandra specializes in corporate and commercial law. She regularly advises clients on both the practicalities and intricacies of company law and on clients’ corporate structures and constitutional documents. She also assists clients with their commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, financing and security transactions and a wide spectrum of commercial arrangements.

ALABOTA HAPPY-GREAT is a managing associate with ALFA International member firm Primera Africa Legal in Lagos, Nigeria. Alabota is highly skilled in providing high-level analytical opinions for domestic and international clients, which typically addresses the possibility of success pre-arbitration or litigation. In addition to her expertise in labour, projects, real estate/wills, debt recovery, and family law, she recently expanded her practice to include oil and gas, cyber law, media and entertainment.

ANJULI SIVARAMAKRISHNAN is a senior corporate partner with ALFA International member firm Kochhar & Co. in Dubai. Her practice areas include banking, finance, private equity, mergers, acquisitions, foreign investments and securities laws, including structured finance, cross-border financing, project finance, asset-backed securitization, regulatory approvals and corporate restructuring. Anjuli has vast experience and expertise in negotiating and preparing project finance documents, structured banking transactions, external commercial borrowings, derivatives, trade credits, syndicated loans, and corporate and retail banking documentation. She has advised banks, non-banking finance companies and housing finance companies on regulatory and compliance issues and all aspects of structuring and documentation of funded and non-funded facilities, creation and enforcement of security interest. In addition, she advises clients on issues relating to banking law, foreign direct investment policy, foreign exchange laws and securities law.

MU’AWIYA YUNUSA is an associate partner with ALFA International member firm Primera Africa Legal in Abuja, Nigeria. Mu’awiya is a project finance, Islamic finance and dispute resolution enthusiast with specialties in core financing, Islamic finance, legal & regulatory compliance and estate planning. He has led various legal advisory projects advising top-tier corporations on key transactions ranging from project finance to mergers and acquisitions. He possesses an uncommon knack for solving complex legal issues. Over the years, he has developed capacity in corporate transactions such as issuance of bonds, capital raising, project financing, due diligence, asset tracing and legal advisory and company secretarial services. He possesses excellent interpersonal and motivational skills. He has extensive experience in mentoring staff and the ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams across field and office locations.