Yvonne is a lawyer with over 5 years of transactional experience at Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP, a tier 1 firm in the Kenyan legal market. She has a strong foundation in managing M&A and private equity transactions, alongside providing regulatory, competition, and employment law advice to companies across diverse sectors.
Some of the prominent transactions which Yvonne has led in recent years are:
- Acted as local counsel for Helios Investment Partners, the largest emerging markets-focused private equity firm, in its USD 50 million acquisition of a majority stake in IXAfrica Data Centre Limited, the leading data centre in East Africa. This involved conducting a local law review on the transaction documents, preparing and filing the regulatory applications with the relevant authorities, and effectively coordinating with the counterparty’s counsel to satisfy all conditions precedent.
- Advised LOLC Mauritius Holdings Limited, an investment vehicle of the LOLC Group, a Sri Lankan diversified conglomerate with investments in financial and non-financial entities across the world, in
connection with its USD 1.6 billion investment in financial institutions based in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. This involved drafting and negotiating the transaction documents, preparing and filing the regulatory applications with the relevant regulatory authorities, and successfully coordinating with local counsel in Tanzania and Rwanda to complete the transactions.
- Assisted Muthu Africa Holdings Limited, an investment vehicle of the MGM Muthu Hotel Group which is one of Europe’s leading leisure groups with resorts around the world in connection with its acquisition of the hotels and hot air balloon operations of the Sun Africa Hotels Group, one of the fastest emerging hotel chains in Kenya. This involved drafting and negotiating the transaction documents, and preparing and filing the regulatory applications with the relevant regulatory authorities.
- Represented a leading on-demand delivery service platform in investigations by the Communications
Authority of Kenya and the Competition Authority of Kenya regarding the legality of their operations. This involved preparing comprehensive initial submissions on behalf of the client, addressing regulatory concerns and defending the client’s business model.
- Advised the Jumia Group (formerly Africa Internet Group), the largest e-commerce company in Africa, in connection with investigations by the COMESA Competition Commission concerning possible misleading and unconscionable conduct.
- Advised Planned Parenthood Federation of America on employment and internal disciplinary policies for their Kenyan operations, ensuring compliance with Kenyan employment laws.
- Acted for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Kenya, in reviewing its internal employment policies, procedures, and employment contracts.
Yvonne also has in-house experience at SWVL, a mobile technology start-up offering ride-pooling services in Kenya, which makes her adept at navigating fast-paced legal challenges. Her combined experience enhances her ability to deliver strategic legal solutions, especially in dynamic and innovative environments.
Education
MSc in Law and Finance, the University of Oxford, England
LLB, Bachelor of Laws, Strathmore University
Professional Membership
Law Society of Kenya
East African Law Society
