REGULATORY - Key Persons
Akosua Apea Osafo is a Partner at JLD & MB and works primarily within the Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Mergers and Acquisitions, Oil and Gas and Tax practice areas. She was part of the team advising the Government of Ghana on its Eurobond issues in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. She also took a leading role advising a leading international oil and gas company on tax matters in relation to its petroleum agreement negotiations with the Government and implications of the Petroleum Revenue Management laws on its business.
She is dual-qualified at the Ghana Bar and as a solicitor of England and Wales with extensive international transactional and legal experience gained in the UK, Japan, Ghana and across the Russian, Central Asian and Asian emerging economies. She approaches her transactions with deep industry insight drawn from her in-house corporate counsel role at ING Bank N.V and associate training at leading global firm, Clifford Chance LLP. Akosua is recognised as a rising star, Banking & Capital Markets (IFLR1000).
Akosua Apea Osafo holds a LLB (Hons) Business and Finance Law degree from the Brunel University, Uxbridge, England. She is a member of the Law Society of England and Wales and is also called to the Ghana Bar.
Lily Acquaye has expertise in various areas of law, including Oil & Gas, Banking and Finance and Capital Markets. She led the JLD & MB team which advised the Government of Ghana in the 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020 Eurobond issues.
She has led several key multinational transactions across various practice areas and is recognised as a Highly Regarded Lawyer - Banking, Capital Markets, M&A (IFLR1000).
Lily holds an LLB from the University of Botswana; a BL from the Ghana School of Law and an LLM in Corporate Law from the New York University School of Law. She has been called to the Ghana Bar and the New York State Bar and is a member of the International Bar Association.
Merene Benyah's extensive experience covers all facets of corporate and commercial practice and she has been intimately involved in leading ground-breaking transactions in Oil & Gas, Mining, cross border Mergers & Acquisitions and Capital Markets. She has years of experience advising international companies working and investing in Ghana.
Merene set up the first in-house legal department of Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited in 1995 and, following the merger with AngloGold Limited of South Africa, was appointed as Group General Counsel. She is a leading legal authority in Oil & Gas, Capital Markets, Mergers and Acquisitions and Aviation, and she has received multiple recognitions over her career, including recognition as a Highly Regarded Lawyer in Oil and Gas, Banking and Capital Markets, Energy and Infrastructure, M&A, Project Development (IFLR1000).
She has served on a number of Boards including Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority; Ghana Air Transport Licensing Authority; Ghana Airways Limited; AngloGold Ashanti Ghana Ltd; First National Savings and Loans and the Merton Group. She was also a member of the Council of the Ghana Stock Exchange. She has an extensive network and is extremely highly regarded.
Merene holds an LLB from the London School of Economics and Political Science (London University), a BL from the Ghana School of Law and an MBA from CEIBS. She is a member of the Bar of England and Wales, the Ghana Bar and the International Bar Association.
Victor Anku - Tsede is a leading lawyer with over 20 years' experience. On behalf of the Firm he has been associated with a number of high profile corporate transactions in Ghana involving international acquisitions, cross-border mergers and stock exchange listings for major international companies and financial institutions. Victor has assisted clients in navigating the legal and regulatory regime associated with doing business in Ghana.
Victor Anku - Tsede holds an LLB from the University of Ghana, BL from the Ghana School of Law and an LLM in International Business Law from Staffordshire University in the United Kingdom. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Ashesi University College in Ghana, where he lectures in Business Law.
Zoe Phillips Takyi-Appiah, is a Partner at JLD & MB and has a wealth of experience and expertise in several practice areas including Banking & Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Minerals and Mining, Energy & Natural Resources and Payment Systems. Zoe has advised several major Ghanaian and international companies and investors on their commercial activities and investments in Ghana, including multi-million-dollar financing transactions, debt and corporate restructuring, regulatory and licensing matters, M &A and labour issues. She also leads the Firm's Minerals and Mining Practice and Telecommunications and Technology Practice.
Zoe is the recipient of several accolades, including her ranking as a Highly Regarded Lawyer in Banking, Project Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions and ranking as Leading Female Lawyer by the International Financial Law Review (IFLR 1000). She has been praised by clients for being meticulous, reliable and knowledgeable.
Zoe holds an LLB from the University of Essex and an LLM in International Business Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is called to the Bar of England and Wales and the Ghana Bar. She is also a member of the International Bar Association.