Olayemi Anyanechi is the Managing Partner of Sefton Fross. She has 20 years’ indelible experience and is internationally renowned for her diligence, her expertise and deep-seated experience advising on corporate and project finance, derivatives, Islamic finance, mergers and acquisitions as well as energy and infrastructure law.
She is well-versed in domestic and international business arrangements, and in assisting domestic and international clients to negotiate, structure and document their transactions in all forms. Olayemi, brings to the table a combination of deep industry knowledge and expert perspectives from other industries on the challenges at stake, to offer clients fresh perspectives and breakthrough business insights.
Olayemi is recognised as a leading Corporate & Financial as well as Energy & Infrastructure Lawyer by IFLR1000, Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, and is internationally commended for her “exceptional service delivery” (Legal 500, 2015); as “one of the very few astute commercial lawyers who [asks] what [is the] economic objective the transaction seeks to accomplish” (IFLR1000, 2014), and as “very smart, and intellectually creative if you need to find a solution and sort things out” (IFLR1000, 2013).
She is an astute speaker and prolific writer who continues to blaze the trail globally.
She plays a very active role in the Nigerian law reform and is currently the Facilitator of the Finance Working Group of NASSBER with the responsibility for technical review of Bills for the Financial sector.
Career
2013 – Present Managing Partner, Sefton Fross
2006 – 2012 Senior Partner, Templars
2005 – 2006 General Counsel Sahara Energy Group
2003 – 2005 Senior Counsel, Olaniwun Ajayi LLP
1999 –2002 MBC International Bank Limited (Now part of First Bank of Nigeria)
Education
Ongoing M.Sc Finance – School of Oriental and African Studies, UK
2003 LL.M, Wolfson College, University of Cambridge,
1998 Admitted to the Nigerian Bar
1996 LL. B University of Ibadan (Best Graduating Student)
Professional Recognitions
Highly Regarded Lawyer, Financial & Corporate IFLR1000, 2018
Leading Individual, Banking, Finance and Capital Markets – Legal500, 2018
Leading Lawyer, Energy & Infrastructure Law, IFLR 1000, 2017
Leading Lawyer, Banking & Finance – Chambers and Partner 2018
Affiliations and Appointments
Chairman, Mergers, Acquisition & Corporate Reorganisation Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association – Section of Business Law
Facilitator, Finance Working Group, National Assembly Business Environment Roundtables
Member, Nigerian Bar Association
Member, International Bar Association
Advisory Board Member, Financial Regulation International
SEFTON FROSS is a leading full-service law firm in Lagos, Nigeria.
We have a deep understanding of the Nigerian market, based on our practical experience proffering advice to clients from start-up, contract negotiation, employment, project development, joint venture, operations, liaising with government authorities, financing and restructuring.
Our Banking, Finance and Capital Markets Practice renders the full scope of legal advisory services to lenders, borrowers and guarantors on simple and complex financing transactions across diverse industry sectors, including single lender loans, syndications, club deals, financings, re-financings and loan restructuring. We also advise issuers, arrangers and trustees on a range of debt related products, including Islamic finance. We have extensive experience advising on all aspects of deal structuring, preliminary and comprehensive advice, legal due diligence, legal and regulatory advice, negotiation and documentation, providing legal opinions and assistance with closing and post-closing matters.
Our Corporate & Commercial Practice provides clients pragmatic advise on day-to-day business issues as well as long-term strategic initiatives and assists them in identifying and managing risks directly or indirectly affecting their businesses. We advise on an extensive range of equity backed instruments including initial public offerings, rights issues, private placements, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, media & IT, intellectual property, foreign direct investment, regulatory compliance, corporate advisory, taxation, corporate governance and company secretarial. Our clients include private and public corporations, inclusive of financial services, insurance, oil and gas, telecommunications, media, information technology, construction and real estate, power, healthcare, manufacturing and consumer products.
Our Energy, Natural Resources & Projects Practice serves the needs of our clients across the entire energy and natural resources value chain. We assist clients on licensing, exploration, development, production, transportation and sale of petroleum products; as well as electric power development, distribution, metering and mining. We are also well versed in advising on the development, financing and construction of energy projects, acquisitions and dispositions, encompassing electric power plants, pipelines and gathering systems, energy storage facilities, refineries and petrochemical plants.
With a team of lawyers who speak directly to the issues impacting on the business of our clients, we are deeply grounded in our core values of:
Dedication, Responsiveness and Efficiency;
Excellence and Integrity of Output.
Competitive and Fair Billing Policy
Result Driven and Timely Work Delivery
Dialogue with and desire to understand our client
Awards and Recognitions
Leading Energy and Infrastructure Law Firm, IFLR1000, 2017 & 2016;
Energy Team of the Year, ESQ Legal Award, 2014;
Oil and Gas Team of the Year, ESQ Legal Awards, 2015;
Leading Corporate and Financial Law Firm IFLR1000, 2017 & 2016;
Leading Law Firm in Banking, Finance and Capital Markets, Legal 500, 2018, 2016 & 2015;
Leading Law Firm in Commercial, Corporate & M&A, Legal 500,2018, 2016 & 2015;
Leading Law Firm, chambers and Partners, 2016 & 2017;
Best Private Equity Firm, Nigeria, World Finance Legal Awards, 2015; and
Best Cross-Border Transaction Firm, Nigeria, World Finance Legal Awards, 2015.
