Louis Mthembu

Director & Legal Counsel Sub-Saharan Africa at Kuehne +Nagel

City of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

About

Admitted corporate counsel with 20+ years of law firm and in-house corporate experience combined. I have a comprehensive background in • law department management• corporate governance • compliance • complex contract drafting&negotiation • mergers and acquisitions • risk management • litigation • outside counsel oversight • and other legal matters. Trusted strategic partner in driving execution of business goals and protecting company interests. Excel at interacting with senior management and the Board of Directors. Reputation for pragmatic problem solving abailities, intergrity, work ethic and accountability.

Experience

  • Regional General Counsel Middle East Africa at Kuehne +Nagel
    May 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 3 mos

  • Legal & Compliance Director Sub-Saharan Africa at Kuehne+Nagel
    Feb 2012 - Present · 14 yrs 6 mos

    My role extends to all countries in Africa where Kuehne + Nagel Group has offices, including inter alia South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Namibia, Mauritius, Angola, Ghana, Nigeria all of which fall under the Middle East Africa region (MEA) and reporting to the CEO (South Africa) and Regional Director (Middle East Africa) based in Dubai. My duties include inter alia: - corporate legal services: providing legal support in Sub-Saharan Africa. - retaining, managing and supervising external law firms. - coordination and close cooperation with the internal insurance broker - commercial contracts: drafting, reviewing and negotiating various agreements and contracts relating to KN businesses and commercial operations, in particular advising and drafting of international transportation agreements, supply chain agreements, integrated logistics services agreements; KPI’s joint venture agreements, credit agreements, various service level agreements, lease agreements. This also includes providing general advisory services on commercial contracts. - compliance -acting as a first-stop compliance contact. - handling anti-corruption and other local compliance matters in close co-operation and alignment with global compliance team. - coordination of Integrity Due Diligence with KN’s business partners - conducting Integrity Due Diligence with “ high risk” suppliers - coordination of investigations and „hotline“-topics in liaise with the Corporate Compliance and Legal organization.

  • Member Board Of Trustees at Kuehne + Nagel Inzuzo Trust (BBBEE Trust)
    Jun 2012 - Present · 14 yrs 2 mos

    In line with South African BBB-EE legislation KN South Africa established the BEE Trust (Inzuzo Trust) in November 2012. BBBEE is a racially selective program launched by the South African government to redress the inequalities of apartheid by giving certain previously disadvantaged groups economic privileges previously not available to them. The KN Inzuzo Trust currently holds 30% black women shareholding in KN South Africa with its principle focus being on activities to improve education and training of black South Africans through the provision of scholarships and bursaries – beneficiaries include mainly black South African students at tertiary institutions.

  • Non-Executive Director at Kuehne + Nagel Ltd (Nigeria)
    Jan 2016 - Nov 2019 · 3 yrs 11 mos

  • Legal Director (Board Member) at Bidvest Panalpina (formerly Safcor Panalpina)
    Jan 2004 - Jan 2011 · 7 yrs 1 mo

    - Served as principal legal liaison to the company, as well as managing the company’s overall legal workload by helping to draft and review commercial contracts; - Responsible for a wide and growing variety of general corporate legal and risk management matters, plus overseeing relationships with outside counsel. - Managed ongoing litigation and insurance matters - Implement and manage various company policies and procedures across multiple national offices and locations – handle compliance - Conduct research and analysis of specific legal questions and prepare memoranda and opinions setting forth research results, recommendations and conclusions - Provide appropriate legal training to operations staff - Identify and assess legal and business risks to the organization; help identify business and reputational risks. - Chairperson of the company's Risk Committee. - Responsible for overseeing sustainability, BBBEE scorecard and preferential procurement.