Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform, announced on Thursday 2 December, the appointment of Zurina Saban as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Her appointment takes effect from December 1, 2021. As a member of Africa50’s senior leadership team, Zurina. Saban will be the principal advisor of the firm for all legal and corporate secretariat matters.
Headed by the Cameroonian Alain Ebobissé, Africa50 was established to help bridge Africa’s infrastructure funding gap by facilitating project development, mobilizing public and private sector finance, and investing in infrastructure on the continent. Africa50 focuses on medium- to large-scale projects that have development impact and offer an appropriate risk-adjusted return to investors. Bringing project development and financing together in one platform, Africa50 seeks to provide support at every stage of the project cycle.
Expert in project financing
A native of South Africa, Zurina holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Cape Town. She was admitted as an attorney to the High Court of Cape Town and as a solicitor under the laws of England and Wales. She is an expert in cross-border infrastructure project finance and equity transactions, particularly oil and gas; also experienced in power, property, telecommunications, agribusiness, health, education and financial markets.
Before joinng Africa50, Ms. Saban was the General Counsel of Absa Corporate and Investment Bank in South Africa, where she served on the Executive Committee and other strategic committees of the Bank. She led a large team of multi-sectoral professionals responsible for all legal services related to investment, regulatory and corporate activities.
International experience
Prior to Absa, Ms. Saban held several leadership positions at the International Finance Corporation, where she served in numerous roles including as Counsel in Washington D.C, and as Principal Counsel for Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia based in Cairo and Istanbul, and then as Assistant General Counsel for Africa, leading a team of lawyers across markets in South Africa, Senegal, and Kenya and managing legal risk on all new and portfolio business in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ms. Saban started her legal career at White & Case in South Africa and in the UK, focusing on project finance transactions in emerging markets.
“I am thrilled and honored by the opportunity to join Africa50 and lead its Legal Department,” said Ms. Saban. “I look forward to working with the teams, the Board and shareholders, to support Africa50’s ambitious infrastructure development mandate”.
