Belinda Ongong’a

Belinda Ongong’a is a Senior Associate in the Corporate Department at Anjarwalla & Khanna. She specialises in corporate commercial law, M&A, private equity, corporate restructuring, and general corporate and regulatory advisory. She has advised clients on FinTech, Financial Services and Technology Media and Telecommunications (TMT). Additionally, she has experience and a keen interest in project finance, energy, and infrastructure.

Belinda is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a Commissioner for Oaths and Notary Public.

Law Society of Kenya

2015      Postgraduate Diploma in Law, Kenya School of Law

2013      LL.B, Bachelor of Laws, Kenyatta University

• Sep 2024 – Date Senior Associate, Anjarwalla & Khanna, Nairobi
• Apr 2024 -Aug 2024 Senior Associate, Spencer West LLP, Nairobi
• Mar 2023 – Feb 2024 Senior Associate, ENS Africa (NBMA Advocates LLP), Nairobi
• Jan 2020 – Feb 2023 Associate, ENS Africa (NBMA Advocates LLP), Nairobi
• Sep 2018 – Sep 2019 Foreign Associate, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, New York
• Dec 2016 – Nov 2019 Associate, Bowmans (Coulson Harney LLP), Nairobi
• Jan 2015 – Dec 2016 Pupil, Bowmans (Coulson Harney LLP), Nairobi
• Apr 2012 – Sep 2012 Intern, National Environmental Management Authority, Homa Bay

• Belinda was recognised as a dealmaker in 2019 by MergerLinks for her role in Novartis’s USD 5.3 billion acquisition of Xiidra, an eye drug from Takeda, and again in 2020 for the acquisition of Stemcor by Cedar from Apollo Global Management (Accessible here).
• Recommended by Legal 500 (2024)

• Co-author of the Fintech- Kenya Chapter- International Bar Association Banking & Finance Law Committee Report titled “Fintech: how is the world shaping the financial innovation industry?” (2024)
• Co-author of the Fintech- Kenya Chapter- International Bar Association Banking Law Committee Report titled “Fintech: how is the world shaping the financial innovation industry?” 2023.
• Contributor to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/ World Bank’s Report, titled Doing Business 2019: Training for Reform.
• Contributor to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/ The World Bank Report, titled Doing Business 2017: Equal Opportunity for All.

M&A

• Advising Novartis, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, in connection with the USD 5.3 billion acquisition of a dry eye drug, Xiidra, from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, the third largest pharmaceutical company in Asia and one of the top 20 largest phar,aceutical companies in the world by revenue.
• Advising Cedar, a Chinese commodities group, in connection with its acquisition of Stemcor, one of the world’s biggest steel traders, from Apollo Global Management, an American asset management firm.
• Acting for a leading international financial institution in connection with its potential investment in a payments and money remittance service provider in Africa.
• Advising a major financial services group by conducting due diligence and legal review into the operations of a leading microfinance institution in respect of the group’s acquisition of a 25% minority stake.
• Advising a major telecommunications investment company in connection with their purchase of a target operating in the bandwidth and cloud services sector in Kenya, Uganda,Tanzania, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Ethiopia.
• Advising a global paint manufacturer in connection with the acquisition of a leading paint manufacturer operating in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zanzibar, and Burundi.
• Advising a pharmaceutical company in connection with the KES 2 billion asset acquisition of a manufacturer of eye, ear, and nose drops and infusion.
• Advising a leading Kenyan-based company offering payment services and credit business in connection with its acquisition by a leading international business engaged in payments and banking platforms in Nigeria and the United States.
• Advising a Hong Kong-based e-commerce platform in connection with their setting up of operations in Kenya.
• Advising a leading online broker specializing in forex, stocks, crypto, and commodities trading in connection with its compliance with local regulations in Kenya.
• Advising on the sale of a 70% stake in a leading French telecommuting operator to Telkom Kenya. This was a significant USD 280 million deal.
• Advising a leading pan-African payments company in connection with its acquisition of a payment services and processing provider with subsidiaries in East Africa and the USA in a USD 7.5 million deal.

Projects & Infrastructure

• Advising a leading international energy producer and service provider in connection with various renewable energy projects in partnership with government entities and corporate clients in Kenya, including providing regulatory advice.
• Advising a prominent Japanese electronics and electrical equipment manufacturing company in connection with potential legal risks stemming from non-compliance with testing standards for electrical transformers.
• Advising a leading manufacturer of gensets and electrical appliances in connection with compliance standards in Kenya, as well as on the import and export laws applicable to gensets and solar equipment.
• Advising and preparing a compliance manual for a leading African investment company undertaking energy, real estate and conservation projects, including advising on the installation of a 450 kW solar plant in Kenya.