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GC Forum 2025
Governance, Risk & Compliance

Bridging the Gap | Navigating Business, Law, and Geopolitics

17 September 2025

Johannesburg, South Africa

In partnership with

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Africa Legal is delighted to announce a bold new chapter in the evolution of the General Counsel Forum. In partnership with Afriwise—the leading legal data and intelligence platform in Africa—we’re bringing together two powerful brands to host the inaugural GC Forum 2025 | Governance, Risk & Compliance, a platform designed exclusively for in-house legal professionals navigating complex environments.

Taking place alongside the IBA African Regional Forum Conference, this forum marks a step-change in how African GCs engage with the most pressing forces shaping business today: geopolitical volatility, legal fragmentation, and rising demands for risk-conscious governance.

In 2025, GCs are not only legal advisors—they are strategic risk leaders. They interpret political shifts, track global regulatory ripple effects, harness legal intelligence, and guide sustainable business decisions.  This high-level, full-day event will explore how legal leaders in Africa can:

Bridge the gap between legal compliance and strategic business planning

Interpret and respond to geopolitical volatility at operational and board level

Leverage legal data and digital tools to future-proof legal functions

Drive strong governance, ethics, and accountability across cross-border operations

Join us as we convene Africa’s most forward-thinking legal minds for practical insights, peer exchange, and leadership dialogue.

Speakers

Agenda

  • 9.00am - 09.30am | Registration and Coffee
    Join us for coffee and networking
  • 09.30am - 09.40am | Welcome and Opening Remarks
    With Scott Cowan, CEO, Africa Legal Advocate Gushwell Brooks, Presenter, Commentator and Host (MC)
  • 09.40am - 10.00am | Keynote
    To be announced
  • 10.00am - 10.50am | Business Meets Geopolitics | "React, Report, or Reroute? The GC’s Role in Global Volatility"
    In today’s environment of sanctions, shifting alliances, and contested supply chains, geopolitical risk has become a core business concern. This session will explore how General Counsel are helping organisations respond to external shocks — from trade disputes and political upheaval to regulatory disruption. Panellists will examine how and when to escalate geopolitical threats to the board, how legal teams collaborate with policy experts in uncertain markets, and how legal advice shapes decisions to enter, exit, or recalibrate operations across borders. Moderator | Panellists: Anastasia Posokhov, Regional Head of Legal: Africa, Middle East and India, Aggreko Claude de Baissac, Founder and CEO, Eunomix Richard Morgan, Independent Consultant, Government Relations Specialist
  • 10.50am - 11.10am | Quick Fire with Afriwise | “Legal Intelligence in Action: Data, AI & Agile Risk Functions”
    In an era of fast-moving legal reform and compliance risk, legal teams need better visibility — and better tools. This session from Afriwise offers a focused look at how in-house teams are using technology to stay ahead of regulatory updates, improve decision-making, and reduce operational drag. With practical examples drawn from African markets, Afriwise will demonstrate how digital platforms can streamline horizon scanning, automate updates, and deliver timely legal insight across jurisdictions. With Steven De Backer, CEO, Afriwise
  • 11.10am - 11.25am | Coffee and Cake Break
    Join us for a well-deserved refuelling break
  • 11.25am - 12.15pm | Law Across Borders | "Building a Legal Function That Works Across Africa"
    Managing legal risk across multiple jurisdictions demands more than legal knowledge- it requires operational clarity. This panel explores how GCs are designing scalable legal teams and workflows to handle everything from contract volume and litigation oversight to compliance reporting and cross-border data governance. Panellists will debate centralised vs. localised models, share insights on regulatory horizon scanning, and discuss how legal teams stay responsive and consistent across complex, multi-market environments. Moderator | Panellists: Susan Batuuka, Company Secretary and Head of Legal, Uganda National Airlines Pieter Badenhorst, Director: Legal and Compliance, AFGRI Group
  • 12.15pm - 12.35pm | Quick Fire and Q&A
    To be announced – a second fast-paced case study or innovation insight from across the legal, policy, or tech space.
  • 12.35pm - 13.20pm | Lunch Break and Networking
    Join us for a well-deserved refuelling break and digest the morning
  • 13.20pm - 14.30pm | “Integrity Under Pressure: How GCs Navigate Ethical Dilemmas and Compliance Gaps”
    When the rules run out, judgment takes over. This panel brings together legal and business leaders to share how they navigate governance failures, conflicting values, and the ethical grey zones of product responsibility. From protecting users and addressing unintended product impacts to confronting leadership misconduct and the fast-moving risks of AI, panellists will offer real-world examples and practical approaches for making principled decisions under pressure. Moderator | Panellists: Chrissy Dube, Head of Department: Governance Insights and Analytics, Good Governance Africa Mpumi Mazibuko, Independent Legal/Business Advisor/General Counsel Oyinlola Adebayo LL.M, FCIS, FCIArb(UK), Company Secretary and Assistant Vice Counsel, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria Nigel Maramba, Senior Legal Counsel Southern Africa, Unilever South Africa Pty Ltd
  • 14.30pm - 15.00pm | “Under Fire: Leading Through Crisis, Risk and Hard Calls”
    This intimate, one-on-one conversation brings the day’s themes to life through the personal lens of a legal or business leader who has navigated a defining moment of crisis. Whether facing political fallout, public scrutiny, or a governance breakdown, our guest will reflect on the real-world weight of leadership when the rules don’t have all the answers. From the pressure to act under uncertainty to preserving trust and integrity when others won’t, this session offers a grounded, human perspective on decision-making, resilience, and the lasting impact of moments that test both character and judgement.
  • 15.00pm - 15.40pm | "Against the Clock: Rapid-Fire GRC Insights from Africa’s Legal Experts"
    This high-tempo session features legal and regulatory specialists from across North, South, East, and West Africa, each offering concise, actionable insights on the shifting governance, risk, and compliance landscape in their jurisdictions. Country representatives will go head-to-head against the clock, responding to a rapid series of focused questions- from regulatory shake-ups and policy gaps to investment signals and legal infrastructure challenges. Designed to surface ground-level realities and emerging trends, this panel gives GCs a practical, region-by-region snapshot of what matters most when navigating legal risk and opportunity across Africa.
  • 15.40pm - 15.50pm | Closing Remarks
    With Scott Cowan, CEO, Africa Legal Advocate Gushwell Brooks, Presenter, Commentator and Host (MC)
  • 15.50pm - 18.00pm | Cocktail and Canapés Reception
    Time to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. Join us for bubbles, music, cocktails and canapés

In Partnership With

Kindly Supported By

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Venue Details And Directions

Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff Johannesburg

67 Jan Smuts Avenue, P.O. Box 2700, Saxonwold 2132, Johannesburg, South Africa​

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Insights 

Explore event news, insights, and research on governance, risk, and compliance brought to you by Africa Legal. Our experts and partners share trends, innovations, and strategies shaping effective GRC leadership across Africa.

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Join Us

Who Should Attend (Free Registration):

  • GCs and in-house legal teams

  • Leadership, risk, and compliance professionals

  • Government relations, policy, and regulatory specialists

  • Investors and financiers navigating African markets

  • NGOs, academics, and thought leaders

 

PLEASE NOTE - All registrations are subject to approval.  You will receive a response within 48 hours. 

Copyright 2025 by Africa Legal. All Rights Reserved

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