Angela Agbe-Davies Young and Trailblazing

At 40, Angela Agbe-Davies, the daughter of the former Ekiti State Governor, Niyi Adebayo, has achieved remarkable corporate success. She is the Managing Director of the law firm Silvax Legal, and Inventa International Nigeria – the first-of-its-kind international trademark and patent agency in Nigeria. In an encounter with Vanessa Obioha, she talks about the importance of Intellectual Property and her unrelenting ambition to accomplish more in that space 

Before she turned 40, friends who had already reached that milestone predicted a whirlwind of emotions typically associated with such a significant birthday. This sentiment is often echoed by society, where 40 is perceived as the beginning of one’s life journey and prompts introspection. However, for Angela Agbe-Davies, daughter of former Ekiti State governor Niyi Adebayo, none of these anticipated feelings materialised when she reached that milestone on March 31, 2024.

“I really didn’t feel all those things,” she said, her cheerful voice bubbling with laughter on a recent afternoon in her serene Ikoyi residence.

Agbe-Davies possesses a youthful appearance that belies her age. Tall and elegant, she exuded a cheerful vibe that added to her youthful and amiable demeanour.

At 40, she has achieved remarkable corporate success. A trailblazer in her own right, the Nigerian-British lawyer established her full-service law firm, Silvax Legal, at the age of 29. Just two years later, she partnered with the renowned global Intellectual Property (IP) agency Inventa International to establish Inventa International Nigeria—the first-of-its-kind international trademark and patent agency in Nigeria. Agbe-Davies is a member of various prestigious IP and legal bodies, including the International Trademarks Association (INTA) and the Nigerian Bar Association. She has been recognised as one of the Top 20 IP legal practitioners in Nigeria by the World Trademarks Association. Currently, she is the only female and one of the youngest active board members at Greenwich Trustees Limited (GTL) Properties Limited, Chellarams Plc, Nobless Green Energy, Angel Hospitality Management, and the Dangote Foundation.

Reflecting on her career trajectory, Agbe-Davies attributed her success to a combination of hard work, luck and timing.

“There are some things that I’ve been quite blessed with that I never even saw coming,” she said, recalling when she decided to set up her own law firm.

“A lot of people felt that I was too young to go off on my own or sort of leave the traditional law firm environment but I just really felt called to do it,” she explained. “I had a lot of support from my family and my friends. And then a few years later, just through going to conferences, talking to people, and meeting people, I started a partnership with an international firm. It was the first one that had been done in Nigeria.

“And like I said, it was luck. It was being in the right place at the right time, talking to the right people, seeing that you have the same outlook, you want to achieve the same things, and then just really going for it, because sometimes things can be quite difficult. There’s a lot of, oh, you can’t do this, or you shouldn’t do this, or you’re too young, or you’re a woman, or don’t you want to have a family and all of those things. I just think that if you keep going, keep pounding on those doors, you can have a breakthrough.”

Agbe-Davies arguably had her life planned out right from the establishment of her law firm. Although unmarried at the time, she was determined to achieve a balance between her professional and personal life. Fortunately, luck has been on her side, and with the support of her exceptional team, she has managed to navigate her responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed.

While Agbe-Davies is aware of her privileged background and acknowledged her father’s influence on her career, she also recalled a mentor’s advice that her initial clients when she opened her law firm would likely be the ‘three Fs’: friends, family, and fools.

“You have a reputation that nobody knows about. So if somebody you don’t know hires you, they would literally be a fool to do so. Other than that, it will be your family or friends. To be honest, I don’t shy away from my dad being a well-known lawyer and politician. I think you should just use everything in your artillery and just go for it. Whatever you have, use it.”

With this understanding, she expressed gratitude for her life and career so far, recognising that millions of people are equally talented and aspire to better opportunities.

“There are people who are talented and hardworking and who could take all the mountains that I’ve been able to navigate. I’m grateful that the doors have opened for me and I have been given this opportunity and I’ve been able to run with them.”

Yet, Agbe-Davies has encountered her own share of setbacks. For instance, not everyone was open to committing their businesses to her, given that her firm is relatively small despite being a trailblazer in the field.

“Sometimes, people just prefer to use bigger and more established firms,” she said.

Agbe-Davies is passionate about her chosen aspect of law, intellectual property, which deals with the protection of creations of the mind, such as inventions, designs, brands, artwork, and music. During her mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), she made the decision to focus on IP, drawn to its dynamic nature and international scope, having graduated from law at Sussex University, U.K.

“I specialised quite quickly, which was something that you’re sort of advised not to do when you first qualify as a lawyer. You sort of try as many things as possible. And when I was doing my NYSC at Aluko and Oyebode, I went to different departments and tried out different things. But I liked IP the best. I liked how it’s very cutting-edge. It moves a bit faster than some other areas of law. It’s very international. There’s a lot of client interfaces and I like talking to people. That was something that  I really enjoyed

Despite the perception that IP is relatively new in Nigeria and not as prominent as industries like oil and gas, Agbe-Davies emphasised its importance and enjoyed educating others about its significance, particularly its various aspects which include copyright, trademarks, patents and designs.

“I would first take you through, then we’d have a conversation about your business and ideas and I would be able to pinpoint the exact areas where IP can assist,” she explained.

“What happens a lot as well is people are scared to talk about what it is that they’re doing because they’re scared of being copied,” she continued. “It’s quite nice having a conversation with someone like myself because I do take the confidentiality from the first meeting. I don’t wait to sign a retainer. The confidentiality starts as soon as we meet so that people can be comfortable explaining to me what it is that they do, where they think they would need assistance and then I’d be able to give ideas as well.”

For Agbe-Davies, IP should be taken seriously by Nigerians. Unlike in developed countries where IP is highly valued due to real-time issues, it is often overlooked in Nigeria, especially in an era of rapid technological advancement and artificial intelligence. She firmly believes that IP should be regarded with the same importance as tangible assets such as real estate and vehicles.

“I think it is really important that everybody protects their IP and sees it as being just as important as how you would protect your real property like your house or your car. Just because it’s not something tangible that you can hold, I don’t think that people should see it as being less important.”

Due to her passion for IP, she periodically participates in several different Institute of Directors and IP training courses.

Agbe-Davies is not alone in her family in her passion for IP. She revealed that her younger brother is also a lawyer specialising in this field. Beyond her dedication to the legal profession, she finds joy in various interests and hobbies. As a lover of theatre, she appreciates the arts and occasionally indulges in collecting artworks, despite not possessing any artistic talent herself. Her home is adorned with an array of captivating portraits. She also enjoys immersing herself in literature and indulging in watching courtroom dramas.

Irrespective of her numerous achievements at a relatively young age, Agbe-Davies’ unrelenting ambition drives her to continuously seek new challenges, expand her horizons, and make meaningful contributions to her profession and community.

“I’m not even at the top of my career because I don’t think I am. There’s still a lot that I want to achieve in the IP space. I want things to be bigger and better,” she said.