DLA Piper Africa Hosts Third M&A Academy in Lagos

Omoru writes from the UK

Under teacher’s diary

International experts, focusing on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), recently gathered at the Lagos M&A Academy to update West African professionals on contemporary trends in global M&A processes and practices.

The one-day event, organised by DLA Piper Africa, in conjunction with Olajide Oyewole LLP, DLA Piper Africa member firm in Nigeria, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The M&A Academy is the third that DLA Piper Africa has held in Africa and the first in West Africa. The event was attended by mid and senior level associates working in corporate finance, private equity, in-house legal teams and strategy departments of organisations. The academy provided an overview of the key stages of the M&A process, as well as covering areas such as preliminary agreements, warranties, indemnities and insurance and due diligence.

One of the key discussions centred on the different technical skills-set required for professionals in the Africa M&A market in comparison to global M&A. During the session it was noted that while the majority of the transactions in Africa relate to buyouts, there is significant investment M&A, specifically: share subscriptions, minority investments or acquisitions, joint ventures and combinations of share sale and subscription transactions. Delegates also discussed opportunities around risk sharing, early stage growth and the availability of financing.

The panel speakers for the M&A Academy provided a mix of local knowledge alongside leading international practitioners, including: Chris Baird, Corporate Partner at DLA Piper in United Kingdom, who focused on M&A processes and preliminary agreements, subscriptions and minority investments; Samuel Salako, Partner at Olajide Oyewole LLP, who shared knowledge on due diligence as it pertains to M&A; Peter Bradshaw, Location Head of Corporate for DLA Piper in South Africa, who focused his discussion on warranties, indemnities and insurance; and, Ashley Zefira, Corporate Senior Legal Consultant at DLA Piper in Dubai, who presented a paper on purchase price.

Olajide Oyewole LLP regularly advises on M&A transactions and the firm is uniquely placed- specifically on the African continent- to offer professional training and client training programmes for the enhancement of knowledge in this field.