- within Law Department Performance, Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment and Transport topic(s)
- with Senior Company Executives, HR and Inhouse Counsel
Tell us about your career highlights to date?
One of the highlights of my career has been working as a law researcher for Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng in 2017 / 2018 at the constitutional court of South Africa. I truly enjoyed seeing how judges think about the law and engage in the process of applying the law to complex situations. I enjoyed being challenged on a regular basis by the nuances in the different areas of law that I have never worked in or had much exposure to. My time at the constitutional court was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and I have since learned to appreciate the uniqueness and exceptional value of the South African Constitution in helping shape and build South Africa.
Another highlight of mine was assisting the Anglo Group in its internal reorganisation which comprised the separation of the Anglo Group's South African "thermal coal" assets and business operations from the group's remaining assets and the subsequent disposal of the assets as well assisting Thungela Resources Limited (“Thungela”) with the establishment of its employee share ownership plan trust and community trust. This matter truly stretched my thinking and abilities. Additionally, contributing to the establishment of the Thungela employee share scheme was something I found to quite meaningful especially considering the positive impact of the employee share scheme on the lives the ordinary mine workers.
What are your goals in the coming months and for 2026?
I look forward to working on complex matters that will challenge my thinking and drafting as a legal practitioner. I look forward to working well with the various legal practitioners in the firm and contributing positively to the work we do and the culture of the firm.
Talk to us about the complexities in your field of work and how you navigate challenges that arise when doing business in Africa?
I work in the M&A and private equity sectors and I have found that some of the key challenges of doing business in Africa include, (i) the complex regulatory environments, (ii) at times, language barriers, and (iii) macroeconomic uncertainty that affects various jurisdictions in unique ways. These challenges can be navigated through building strong relationships with in country counsel to assist with navigating the bespoke challenges faced in specific jurisdictions. Additionally, notwithstanding the complexities, learning to be commercially minded when working on transactions and working towards effective solutions that also protect the client’s interests can greatly assist with navigating the challenges of doing business in Africa.
What is the best and most honest advice ever given to you?
The best advice I received was to look at my legal career with the correct perspective and that legal practice is an ongoing process of developing and becoming a better legal practitioner each day.
Who are your dream dinner guests and why?
- Tim Keller (a theologian and pastor). I would like to talk to him about some of the books he wrote that have been influential in my life.
- Dave Ramsey (CEO of Ramsey Solutions and author on personal finance). He is one of my favourite personalities on social media and his thinking on personal finance is simple yet so effective and has greatly influenced my view of personal finance.
- Oliver Tambo (anti-apartheid activist). His perseverance and fortitude in challenging times was admirable and throughout his journey he continued to uphold his values.
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