Abdulmalik Sugow

Abdulmalik is an Associate in ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna’s corporate department. His practice focuses on a broad range of legal and regulatory issues spanning data protection, cybersecurity, telecommunications, media, and financial technology.

Abulmalik has acted for clients on several complex, fast-paced cross-border transactions that involved coordinating multiple cross-functional teams.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws from Strathmore University, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law and is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.

Beyond his practice, Abdulmalik is an established legal researcher who has been published several times in peer-reviewed academic journals and in mainstream and independent media. His research interests include intermediary liability, data protection, and, more broadly, the nexus of technology and society. He has previously consulted on the World Bank’s Somalia Core Economic Institutions and Opportunities Program and the Kofi Annan Foundation.

• Law Society of Kenya

2022: Postgraduate Diploma in Law, Kenya School of Law

2020: LL.B, Bachelor of Laws, Strathmore University Law School

2023 – Date: Associate, Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP

2021 – 2022: Trainee Lawyer, Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP

2020 – 2021: Research Assistant, Strathmore University Centre for IP and IT Law

Data Protection

• Advising a development finance institution in connection with the applicability of the Kenyan Data Protection Act, 2019 to its operations in Kenya, including advising on its obligation to register with the data protection authority in Kenya.
• Training the board of directors of a listed company in the agricultural sector in connection with a wide range of topics, including the role of the board in ensuring effective compliance with key data protection obligations such as registration, and data protection impact assessments.
• Training the senior management of an international bank in connection with practical compliance steps required of them under data protection law in Kenya specifically highlighting their handling of employee personal data.
• Advising the world’s leading social media platform in connection with the applicability of the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 to anonymized personal data and the lawful bases for using privacy enhancing technologies.
• Advising a global energy drink manufacturer in connection with its obligation to register with the local data protection authority.
• Providing strategic legal advice to a leading e-commerce service provider in connection with a Schrems II transfer impact assessment it conducted in respect of Kenya.
• Advising a leading technology service provider in connection with a comparative analysis of the extraterritorial effect of the Kenyan Data Protection Act, 2019 as against the EU GDPR.
• Advising an ILF in relation to their client who suffered a ransomware attack in connection with the notification requirements of a data controller under the Data Protection Act, 2019 (DPA).

General Corporate

• Training the board of directors of I&M Holdings, an entity listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, in connection with the directors’ fiduciary duties, managing conflict of interest, director’s liabilites, tools for directors to shield themselves and the board’s role in strategic change under the Companies Act, 2015.
• Advising the Centre for Reproductive Rights in connection with tax, legal and regulatory advice relating to the restructuring of their operations in Kenya.
• Advising various international clients in connection with their setting up of businesses in Kenya and assisting them in procuring the relevant regulatory approvals and licences.
• Advising a leading global floriculture company in connection with its entry into and establishment in Kenya.
• Acting for GardaWorld, a Canadian headquartered global company and one of the world’s largest security companies, in connection with the acquisition of 100% of the issued share capital of CR Honos Parent by Doctor No Parent, including preparing the applications for merger approvals from the Competition Authority of Kenya, the Fair Competition Commission (Tanzania) and the COMESA Competition Commission.
• Acting for Shanta Gold, a gold mining company listed on the London Stock Exchange and an East Africa-focused gold producer, developer and explorer, in connection with acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Acacia Kenya Exploration (Kenya), a company with mining operations in the western region of Kenya and the Kenyan subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation, one of the world’s leading gold mining businesses with mining operations and projects in 15 countries.