Jared Kangwana

Full Profile

Jared advises financial institutions, investors, and local and multinational corporations on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestitures, restructurings, commercial, data protection, insurance, finance and regulatory, and employment matters. Jared has experience advising on matters across Kenya, Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Jared is recognised by the Business Daily “Top 40 under 40” as a leading commercial lawyer in Kenya which extends to his practice in banking and insurance.

Jared has advised on several large and complex matters, working with clients operating in the education, energy, financial services, healthcare, insurance, retail and consumer, and technology sectors.

Jared is an English trained Advocate and admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. His status enables him to understand matters governed under English Law, and act as local counsel within Kenya.

Experience

Corporate/M&A

• Advising private equity firm, Adenia Partners on its 100 per cent acquisition of Africa Biosystems Limited (ABL), a leading distributor of life sciences and clinical diagnostics equipment in East Africa. Clyde & Co acted as both international (English law) and local counsel (Kenya and Tanzania) to Adenia on various aspects of this multi-jurisdictional deal, including drafting and negotiating the key English law transaction documents and obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
• Advising Premier Solar Group, a leading commercial and industrial (C&I) solar company, on the sale of a 50 per cent stake in its East African operations to Starsight Energy, a West African C&I energy service provider. As part of the transaction, both parties will see the creation of Starsight Premier Energy Group, an East Africa-focused joint venture that will offer sustainable power and cooling and battery storage solutions to C&I clients across East Africa. Clyde & Co acted as sole legal adviser to Premier Solar Group on various aspects of the matter, including reviewing and negotiating the key English law transaction documents, providing strategic corporate advice on regulatory approvals and other relevant English and Kenyan law matters.
• Advising a private equity fund on their proposed acquisition of the entire issued share capital of two companies in the FMCG sector. Our client is a big producer of FMCG products in Kenya and has regional presence through exports.
• Advising Lateral Capital LLP on the acquisition of an undisclosed stake in a Kenyan financial credit provider.
• Advising Stichting DOB Equity on their proposed investment in Moringa Schools Limited.
• Advising a Kenyan insurance underwriter on a proposed acquisition by a pan African insurance underwriter.
• Advising Civicon Limited on their acquisition by TransCentury Limited, valued at KES 2 billion.
• Advising Equity Investment Bank, the investment arm of Equity Bank Limited, on the KES 250 million acquisition of Francis Thuo and Partners Limited.
• Advising Lori Systems on their Series A round of USD 5.5 million in the form of convertible debt. Lori Systems is a major player in the logistics sector, leveraging their product on technology platforms.
• Advising Lynk Professionals Limited with a syndicated Series A round of investment. Our role included reviewing and amending the Share Subscription Agreement, Shareholders Agreement, monitoring the meeting of conditions precedents and closing formalities.
• Advising shareholders of the Monarch Insurance Company on an USD 8 million disposal of a majority equity stake to a Moroccan conglomerate and pan African underwriter, Holmarcom.

Commercial

• Advising a global well-flow management company in relation to a breach of its contract of service with respect to certain wells in Kenya.
• Advising an energy finance platform on their feasibility study around receivable financing in Kenya.
• Advising Cigna on data protection laws in Kenya.
• Advising an international luxury car brand with respect to its Kenya specific distribution agreements.
• Advising a banking sector client on a proposed equity investment from a large telecoms provider in Kenya.

Insurance

• Advising Axis Capital (UK) in relation to their claims handling procedures in Kenya.
• Advising Proclaim (India) in relation to the loss adjusting business in Kenya.
• Advising a UK-based underwriter on claims management for claims emanating out of Kenya.
• Advising a pan African reinsurance broker on the restructuring of its Kenyan operations under the purview of regulatory restrictions.
• Advising a global reinsurance broker on de-registration of its licence in Kenya.
• Advising a global medical insurance provider on licencing as a medical insurance provider in Kenya.
• Advising a large global health insurance provider with regards to the placement under statutory management of its local insurance partner.
• Advising a large global insurance company on the restructuring of its operations across 14 African jurisdictions.
• Advising a Swiss-based company on the impact of Kenyan insurance regulations in respect to their Container Guarantee Solutions.
• Advising Wills Towers Watson on reinsurance and reinsurance brokerage requirements in Kenya.

Finance and regulatory

• Advising Bank of New York Mellon Asset Management International Limited relating to investment management activities proposed to be undertaken by an employee of AMI’s representative office.
• Advising on bank guarantees for various amounts to be issued by African Banking Corporation Limited in favour of banks in the various jurisdictions providing guarantees to MoDe Yellow Holdings Limited to secure their obligations arising out of an advance credit service with subsidiaries of Mobile Telephone Network (MTN).
• Advising East Africa Breweries Limited in connection with a proposed debt capital raising by way of commercial paper issue.
• Advising on the establishment of Maisha Microfinance Bank Limited, a deposit taking micro finance bank regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya.
• Advising a digital lender on an investment by Ceniarth LLC in the form of a convertible note.
• Advising Apollo Agriculture on their lending structure to small scale farmers in Kenya.
• Advising Fourth Generation Capital on their on-going lending activities to small scale traders in Kenya.

Employment

• Advising AIG (SA) on employment related matters in their Kenyan operations.
• Advising a global FMCG company on a recognition agreement between the client and the Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers.
• Advising a global cosmetics brand in relation to employment related issues in their Kenyan operations.
• Advising SistemaBio/Goodfarmland on employment related issues in, and fundraising activities of, their Kenyan entity.