General Counsel & Company Secretary

• May 2020 - Present

- Was one of the pioneer staff that set up NG Clearing Limited – Nigeria’s premier Central Counterparty (CCP) - which is responsible for providing clearing, settlement and risk management services for exchange-traded derivatives contracts. - Co-championed all entrepreneurial aspects of NG Clearing’s business, from incorporation to strategy formulation, development of corporate structure and other achievements such as completion of two successful capital raises; drafting of the CCP Rulebook and obtaining SEC's approval of same; development of company's policies and procedures; hiring of a CEO for the company; obtaining CCP operational license from SEC; facilitating market engagement and capacity building programmes. - Currently a member of the Executive Management team of NG Clearing and oversees the Legal & Company Secretariat, Regulation & Compliance and the Human Resources Departments.

Senior Manager/Head, Capital Market, Legal Services Department

• Apr 2019 - Apr 2020

Responsibilities include providing legal advisory services in line with applicable laws and regulations; drafting, reviewing, negotiating legal documents, and protecting NSE’s interests from legal liability.Highlight of specific projects include:- Very instrumental to a number of NSE's key projects such as the establishment of the derivatives market and the Demutualization of the NSE. Specific tasks include participating in the preparation of the necessary legal, regulatory and contractual documentation for the launch of the Nigerian Derivatives market; advising on the structuring and implementation of the Demutualization Project; and drafting and review of the Demutualization of the NSE Bill 2018, which was passed into law in August 2018. - Represented NSE on the Technical Advisory Committee set up by the Senate to review and amend the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) and the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and draft the ISA and CAMA Bills in line with Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business strategic goal. The CAMA Bill was signed into law by the President in August 2020.- Other key projects include participating in the Expert Group Meeting of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, geared towards attracting institutional investors in African Infrastructure, in connection with the NEPAD-AU 5% Agenda; advising on the deployment of a state-of-the-art SMARTS market surveillance technology (developed by NASDAQ), which provided NSE with a high-tech automated surveillance system for the real time monitoring of securities trading to curb fraudulent activities in the Nigerian capital market; and advising on project for the launch of the Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS) for companies listed on NSE.Won the NSE CEO’s Distinguished Staff Award for Legal and Regulation Division, 2016 & the Inaugural African Champ (Employee) of the Month Award Feb. 2017. Received the ESQ Nigerian Rising Star (40-Under-40) Award 2018.

Manager/Head, Capital Market Unit - Legal Services Department

• Nov 2017 - Mar 2019

Deputy Manager/Head, Capital Market Unit - Legal Services Department

• Sep 2015 - Oct 2017

Senior Associate

• Nov 2014 - Sep 2015

Summary of responsibilities:- Structured and advised on a wide range of landmark and complex commercial transactions (in such areas as capital market, project finance, corporate restructurings, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, infrastructure/oil and gas), in a practical manner, in compliance with clients’ constitutional documents, applicable laws and regulations.- Drafted, reviewed, negotiated and finalized various high profile transaction documents such as Shareholders’/Subscription Agreements, Facility Agreements, Term Sheets, Share Sale and Purchase Agreements, Non-Disclosure Agreements, Security documents (such as Debenture/Security Trust Deeds), and industry agreements such as Concession Agreements and Power Purchase Agreements. - Conducted due diligence, which entailed identifying and proffering solutions to legal risks, and prepared comprehensive due diligence and transaction-related reports.- Led various transaction teams from origination to execution and managed all aspects of transactions, including execution, coordination of team members, networking, and client management. Also interfaced with regulators and counterparties on behalf of clients and provided company secretarial services to clients.Was recognized in the IFLR1000 2013, for doing well to build relationships between the clients and their shareholders.

Associate III

• Oct 2012 - Oct 2014

Associate II

• Oct 2011 - Sep 2012

Associate I

• Sep 2010 - Oct 2011

Business & Financial Analyst [MBA Intern]

• Jul 2009 - Sep 2009

Finance & Business Strategy Recommended valuable strategies to the Management, which improved debt recovery procedures and enhanced efficiency and effectiveness in the operations of the Credit Control Department; prepared a Credit Policy Template, and was part of the debt recovery team that successfully recovered a significant amount of debt for the company in less than 3 months. Finance & Business Strategy Recommended valuable strategies to the Management, which improved debt recovery procedures and enhanced efficiency and effectiveness in the operations of the Credit Control Department; prepared a Credit Policy Template, and was part of the debt recovery team that successfully recovered a significant amount of debt for the company in less than 3 months.

Counsel

• Oct 2007 - Apr 2008

Drafted and reviewed legal agreements; represented clients in litigations; conducted due diligence investigations; provided research support; and engaged in initial document development. Drafted and reviewed legal agreements; represented clients in litigations; conducted due diligence investigations; provided research support; and engaged in initial document development.

Legal Officer

• Sep 2006 - Sep 2007

Legal Advisory Services Provided research support for review and amendment of Nigerian capital market laws and regulations; prepared legal opinions; and provided logistics for the meetings of the Board of Directors of the SEC. Legal Advisory Services Provided research support for review and amendment of Nigerian capital market laws and regulations; prepared legal opinions; and provided logistics for the meetings of the Board of Directors of the SEC.