Open to opportunities

Evanson Mugwe

@evansonmugwe

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Senior legal counsel specializing in asset recovery, cross-border regulation, and digital assets.

Kenya

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What I'm looking for

I’m seeking to leverage my expertise in a senior legal or advisory role within a dynamic, globally oriented organisation—focused on asset recovery, cross-jurisdictional coordination, AML/KYC & Sanctions compliance, and legal support for digital assets.

I’m a driven legal counsel with over 2 decades of experience across corporate, banking, and insurance sectors. I specialize in asset recovery, cross-border legal coordination, and financial regulations including AML/KYC & Sanctions.

At Stanbic Bank Kenya Limited, I reduced contract processing delays by 23% by drafting and reviewing investment and treasury documents aligned with ISDA and GMRA standards. I also increased successful closure of corporate and investment lending transactions by 17% through structuring, high-stakes negotiation, and review of facility and securities documentation.

I’ve consistently mitigated risk by aligning legal documentation with AML/KYC & Sanctions requirements set by the Central Bank of Kenya and regional capital markets regulators, helping minimise operational risks by 11%. I prepare legal opinions for cross-jurisdictional implications, maintain contract registers for tracking and monitoring (including digital asset service contracts), and coordinate external counsel to ensure consistency in litigation and asset recovery matters.

In my recent work during a career break, I handled independent legal and regulatory assignments focused on blockchain technology and emerging stablecoins, drafting and reviewing documents and preparing advisory briefs. I’m seeking to leverage this senior legal and advisory expertise in a dynamic, globally oriented organization, with a strong interest in the future of digital assets.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Legal Counsel

Stanbic Bank Kenya Limited

Feb 2014 - Apr 2024 (10 years 2 months)

Reduced contract processing delays by 23% by drafting and reviewing investment and treasury documents aligned to ISDA/GMRA standards. Increased successful closure of corporate and investment lending transactions by 17% through facility agreement structuring and high-stakes negotiation, while minimizing operational risks by 11% through AML/KYC and sanctions alignment.

Contract Drafting AML KYC Compliance Sanctions ISDA GMRA Investment Documentation Due Diligence Asset Recovery

Legal Officer

Equity Bank Limited

May 2012 - Jan 2014 (1 year 8 months)

Accelerated contract turnaround time by 19% through drafting, review, and high-stakes negotiation of commercial and banking agreements. Improved contract traceability by 13%, reduced regulatory non-compliance incidents by 9% via AML/KYC and sanctions adherence, and prepared legal opinions for the bank’s regional activities.

Contract Review AML KYC Compliance Sanctions Regulatory Compliance Cross Border Contracting Case Management Securities & Regulatory Advisory Risk Assessment Stakeholder Management

Assistant Legal Officer

Jubilee Insurance Company Kenya Limited

Sep 2010 - Apr 2012 (1 year 7 months)

Streamlined contract management across five jurisdictions, improving turnaround efficiency by 14%, and reduced case handling delays by 10% by coordinating external counsel performance monitoring. Strengthened intellectual property protection by overseeing logo registration across multiple countries, reducing processing delays by 12%.

Contract Administration Regulatory Advisory Stakeholder Management Case Management Risk Mitigation Compliance Support

Legal Counsel

Continental Adjusters Kenya Limited

Mar 2009 - Aug 2010 (1 year 5 months)

Improved efficiency of service contract review processes by 21% through structured drafting and legal vetting. Enhanced risk identification in contractual engagements by 15% and reduced turnaround time for legal advisory responses by 11% by streamlining review and opinion issuance workflows.

Contract Drafting Legal Advisory Risk Assessment Compliance Review Workflow Optimization Legal Research

State Counsel

State Law Office - Directorate of Public Prosecutions

Apr 2006 - Nov 2007 (1 year 7 months)

Improved case preparation efficiency by 22% through structured review of evidence and legal documentation in asset recovery and capital offence trials. Enhanced appellate response accuracy by preparing legal submissions and MLAT requests, while reducing legal research turnaround time by 13% through consolidated legal opinions on cross-jurisdictional implications.

Criminal Prosecution Support Asset Recovery MLAT Requests Legal Research Case Preparation