Hogan Lovells hosts GC’s in Nigeria to discuss Brexit and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement

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Global law firm Hogan Lovells hosted a roundtable discussion forum for General Counsel to deep dive into the hot topics affecting regional and global businesses. The session provided a platform for GC’s from key industry players to discuss global legal practices and trends as well as explore the issues and opportunities within the across various sectors.

The panel of speakers included Hogan Lovells London-based partners Andrew Skipper, Head of Hogan Lovells Africa practice, Arun Velusami, energy and projects specialist and Sarah Shaw, who focuses on cross border M&A. The roundtable discussions focused on current topics and developments such as Brexit and its impact on cross-border trade for African companies; and the implication of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) on businesses in Africa.

L-R: Partner, Hogan Lovells London, Sarah Shaw; Partner and Head of Africa Practice, Hogan Lovells, Andrew Skipper; Partner, Hogan Lovells, Arun Velusami at the GC Breakfast Roundtable hosted by Hogan Lovells in Lagos

Speaking at the event, Andrew Skipper, Hogan Lovells partner and head of the firm’s Africa practice highlighted the importance of gaining an understanding of the overall impact Brexit may have on their businesses and stressed the need to be vigilant and prepared.  With so much global uncertainty, Africa will become increasingly attractive to foreign investors, but African businesses must ensure they are well positioned to operate in a global marketplace, and this is where firms like ours can help. He underlined that AfCFTA could be a key driver for many local companies to expand and grow across territories as trade barriers are removed. This is crucial to trade development.

L-R: Partner, Hogan Lovells London, Sarah Shaw; Partner and Head of Africa Practice, Hogan Lovells, Andrew Skipper; Partner, Hogan Lovells, Arun Velusami at the GC Breakfast Roundtable hosted by Hogan Lovells in Lagos

“This is our inaugural GC roundtable in Lagos and we are happy it has been a huge success. The event was organised to discuss global best practices, examine the looming impact of Brexit and cross-border trade for African companies, and to establish solutions that can lead to sustainable growth; and we happy to have had engaging discussions that will shape the way organizations address these key issues going forward.

“We believe that General Counsels are increasingly the agents of change at institutions, their roles have become more expansive; and discussions such as these will help the industry achieve progressive processes that lead to growth. We look forward to hosting more engagements like this with other leading players in the African market.” He added.

With over 40 offices across the world, Hogan Lovells is committed to providing business-oriented legal advice and high-quality service across its exceptional breadth of practices to clients around the world.