The inclusion of secretary to the board of directors and legal adviser at FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Olubukola Olateru, in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist for Nigeria 2024 has excited Kaizen Academy Nigeria Limited.
The organisation said the recognition showed WAMCO’s contributions to Nigeria’s legal landscape. The academy also said the recognition underscores the remarkable legal expertise and leadership exhibited by it.
A statement from the chief operating officer of Kaizen Academy Nigeria Limited, Mrs Lilian Madueke, stated, “At Kaizen Academy Nigeria Limited, we take immense pride in the excellence of our personnel. This achievement further highlights our commitment to delivering best-in-class expertise and services.”
The chief operating officer added, “This accolade is official recognition that we have four of the most influential in-house counsel in the Nigerian private sector on our Board. It is a reflection of our unwavering dedication to maintaining the highest standards of legal expertise and leadership.”
The Legal 500 GC Powerlist is a prestigious global publication that recognises the leading in-house counsel across 150 jurisdictions worldwide, spanning five continents.
Inclusion in this list signifies not only individual excellence but also a collective acknowledgment of the legal prowess within the organisation.
Also managing director of Kaizen, Mrs Favour Uddomesien, said, “We are thrilled to witness the inclusion of Aramide Nwokediuko, Adeola Olumeyan, Olubukola Olateru, and Ayokunle Ayoko (AOA) in the prestigious Legal 500 GC Powerlist for Nigeria 2024.
“Their inclusion is a testament to the unparalleled quality and depth of our board, staff, and consulting team. It reflects our organisation’s commitment to delivering top-notch expertise and services.
“This acknowledgment is a result of their steadfast dedication, unwavering commitment, and significant contributions to the legal landscape in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, a statement by WAMCO added that Olateru, one of those included, is a highly accomplished professional with multiple expertise in the legal and corporate governance fields.
According to the statement, she currently holds the position of secretary to the Board of Directors and legal adviser at FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, a role she assumed on 1st August 2017.
It stressed that in this capacity, she oversees various crucial aspects of the company’s operations, including company secretariat, legal advisory, property management, risk management, intellectual property, corporate governance framework and code of business conduct in Nigeria.
The statement reads: “Olubukunola joined FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc in May 2015 as the Legal Counsel, where she quickly established herself as a dynamic business lawyer. Her extensive professional experience encompasses company secretarial duties, corporate governance and compliance, corporate law practice, legal advisory services, and negotiating international business transactions. Prior to her current role, she served as the Legal Counsel at Food Concepts Plc and as the company secretary at Free Range Farms Plc, a subsidiary of Food Concepts Plc. She has also worked as a Legal Associate at Guinness Nigeria Plc and gained valuable experience in private practice with Babalakin & Co. Legal Practitioners.
“Olubukunola’s impressive qualifications include being a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, ICSAN, a trained Arbitrator, and an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration (UK). She is also a member of the Association of Company Secretaries and Legal Advisers in Manufacturing (ACSLA).
“With a consistent application of objectivity, sound judgment, and exceptional negotiation skills, Olubukunola Olateru has a proven track record of successfully closing transactions and overcoming business challenges. Her tenacity and ability to initiate, implement, and bring projects to a successful close have earned her widespread recognition from both superiors and colleagues. In acknowledgement of her outstanding achievements, she was honoured as one of the Top 40 under 40 lawyers in Nigeria in 2019 and more recently recognized and awarded as a Corporate Gem.
