Slaughter and May and European Best Friends host African Symposium in Botswana
Building on the success of last year's event, Slaughter and May has hosted a second African Symposium in Botswana, together with its European Best Friends.
The event attracted 29 law firms representing 28 countries across Africa, a region from which Slaughter and May has seen an increasing amount of business in recent years to add to their portfolio of African work spanning a number of decades, together with representatives of a number of multinational corporations having operations on that continent.
The sessions were led by partners from the host European Best Friends with contributions from Standard Chartered Bank and Heineken who provided valuable client insight into the sectors in which their businesses transact and the laws and regulations relevant to those sectors.
Panellists were also drawn from from a number of African law firms, who provided crucial local expertise on key topics. These firms included:
- Abenry & Company (Tanzania)
- Anjarwalla & Khanna (Kenya)
- Banwo & Ighodalo (Nigeria)
- BLC Chambers (Mauritius)
- Conyers Dill & Pearman (Mauritius)
- Coulson Harney (Kenya)
- Fugar & Co (Ghana)
- Sharkawy & Sarhan (Egypt)
- Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie (Nigeria)
Jacob Thamage of Botswana’s Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources and Lynda Gratton, Professor of Management Practice from the London Business School, were keynote speakers covering the Management of Mineral Resources in Botswana and the changing world of global corporations and the implications for those who advise them.
The Symposium coincided with the launch of Slaughter and May's 'Africa Profile - Disputes Focus' which covers dispute regimes in ten key African jurisdictions written in conjunction with local law firms.
The London-based Slaughter and May Africa group is headed by Nigel Boardman and highlights for the firm in Africa over the last 12 months include advising:
- Okavango Diamond Company on the establishment and launch of its online sales platform for the auctioning of rough diamonds in Botswana
- Republic Bank Limited in relation to the acquisition of 32% of the shareholding of HFC Bank Ghana Limited
- FS Africa Limited in relation to a recommended cash offer for Lonrho plc
- Investec Asset Management on its agreement with senior management and related financing for the acquisition of a 15% shareholding in Investec Asset Management
- Diageo on its joint venture in respect of United National Breweries' traditional sorghum beer business in South Africa
Slaughter and May's Africa team have recently been shortlisted in three categories for the African Legal Awards (Corporate Team; Banking, Finance and Restructuring Team; and Energy & Natural Resources Team) and were highly commended by the FT in the Innovative Lawyer Awards 2013 for building an Africa business through providing extensive support to local firms to help them modernise.