Joel Kimale

Joel Kimale is an Advocate of the High Court of Tanzania focused on banking and finance as well as general corporate practice, where he assists investors in navigating complex legal and business challenges.

He has extensive experience working with major regional and international corporations, as well as domestic and international banks, advising on a broad range of transactional and regulatory matters. His work spans the banking and finance, corporate, and energy sectors, where he regularly provides strategic legal solutions to support clients’ business objectives.

• Tanganyika Law Society
• East African Law Society

2024: Masters in Corporate & Commercial Laws, University of Dar es Salaam

2020: Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, the Law School of Tanzania

2019: LL.B, Bachelor of Laws, Tumaini University (MAKUMIRA)

Sep 2025 – Date Associate, Anjarwalla & Khanna Tanzania, Dar es Salaam

2024 – 2025 In-House Counsel, United Bank for Africa

2022 – 2024 Associate, Kilindu Giattas & Partners

2020 – 2022 Legal Trainee, Jonas and Associates Law

Banking & Finance

• Acting for Stanbic Bank Tanzania Limited in connection with various transactions related to banking and project finance, including conducting due diligence investigations on the prospecting borrowers, issuing legal opinions to the lender relating to matters of concern to them and notifying them of changes in laws relating to the banking industry, among others.
• Acting as a local counsel for a consortium of multi-jurisdictional banks in connection with a USD 340,000 debt financing transaction in respect of a revolving credit facility agreement advanced to a manufacturing company and its related entities, including undertaking due diligence on the borrower, reviewing an English law governed loan agreement to assess its compatibility with the local law requisites, advising on offshore accounts element, assisting in collating and processing Debt Registration Number (“DRN”), registration of the security documents and issuing a legal opinion on the enforceability of the facility.
• Acting as local counsel for Rand Merchant Bank, a division of FirstRand Bank, in connection with a USD 175 million a debt financing transaction in favour of a manufacturing company, including conducting due diligence, reviewing an English law governed loan agreement to assess its compatibility with the local law requisites, assisting in collating and processing DRN, registration of the security documents and issuing a legal opinion on the enforceability of the same.
• Acting as a local counsel for International Finance Corporation in connection with a USD 10 million debt financing transaction advanced to a manufacturing company in Tanzania, including conducting due diligence, assisting in collating and processing debt relief notice, reviewing an English governed loan agreement to assess its compatibility with the local law requisites, registration of the security documents and issuing a legal opinion on the enforceability of the same.
• Acting as a local counsel to IUNGO Capital B.V, a Netherland based financial institution, in connection with a debt financing in the sum of USD 600,000 being advanced to Evolution Motors Pty Limited, including conducting due diligence, drafting a loan agreement, assisting in collating and processing a debt relief notice, following up on the discharge and release of titles by NMB Bank Plc, registering the security documents and issuing a legal opinion on the enforceability of the same.
• Acting as a local counsel to Adolf Lundin Charitable Foundation and AHL Ventures in connection with a debt financing in the sum of USD 3,000,000 advanced to Watu Credit (Tanzania) Limited. This transaction involved drafting a debenture creating a charge on the borrower’s account receivables, a deed of assignment assigning the borrowers collection accounts to the lender, assisting in collating DRN and registration of security interests.
• Acting as a local counsel to Eco Fund Sincav in respect of a senior unsecured debt financing in the sum of USD 15,000,000 being advanced to a Stanbic Bank Tanzania Limited, including reviewing an English law governed loan agreement to assess its compatibility with the local law requisites and issuing a legal opinion on the enforceability of the same.
• Acting as a local counsel to IUNGO Capital B.V, in connection with a debt financing in the sum of USD 350,000 being advanced to Fern Marketing Limited.
• Acting for Grid X Africa in connection with its financial leasing operations in Tanzania, including advising on the legal and compliance aspects of financial leasing of electricity generating generators and solar panels as well as regulatory advice on the Energy sector and private provision of captive power in Tanzania.

Corporate Commercial

• Acting for Royal Canin S.A, a manufacturer and seller of pet food products in connection with matters related to existing import restrictions and labelling requirements for animal feed products in Tanzania, including advising on application procedures, labeling and packing requirements for pet food, restrictions and potential sanctions.
• Acting for Africa Go Green Fund in connection with the legal and regulatory overview relating to the listing requirements for electronic communication licence holders in Tanzania.
• Advising Ancestry International, an American genealogy company, in connection with the legal and regulatory framework for the collection and exportation of human DNA samples collected from human saliva.
• Advising Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, a leading German research organization, in connection with the manufacturing of biopharmaceutical active ingredients (APIs) and investigational medicinal products (IMPs) in relation to its intended clinical trials in Tanzania.
• Acting for Knauf Group, a multinational company based in Germany, in connection with a data breach of one of its subsidiaries, including advising on the legal and regulatory requisites for data protection as well as notifying the data breach incident to the Tanzania Computer Emergency Response Team.
• Acting for Spinnaker Capital Limited, working along Shoosmith LLP, in connection with conducting a due diligence investigation as well as issuing general legal advice regarding Respira International Limited’s carbon trading projects in Tanzania.
• Advising Voltalia, a French company that builds and operates power plants regarding the potential development of renewable energy projects with either government entities or corporate C&I (commercial and industrial) clients in Tanzania, as well as the current and proposed legal and regulatory regime applicable to undertaking such projects as a developer and generator of power in the country.
• Advising Marula Mining Plc, a London stock exchange listed and African focused mining and exploration company, in connection with its acquisition of several mineral rights for the exploration of Graphite and Copper in several districts in Tanzania.
• Advising Apex Resources, a company offering specialised technical services in the mining sector, in connection with a proposed equity investment and exclusive technical services agreement with an owner of several mining licenses in North Eastern Tanzania.

Corporate M&A and Competition

• Acting as the local counsel for a prospective buyer in connection with the proposed acquisition of a minority stake in Watu Group of companies, the parent company of Watu Credit (Tanzania) Limited.
• Acting as the local counsel to International Finance Corporation in connection with the proposed acquisition of a minority stake in a FinTech company in Tanzania.
• Acting for Watu na Umeme Limited in connection with the sale of its shares to Windgen Power USA Limited in Powergen Renewable Energy Limited, including conducting due diligence investigations and post-acquisition matters.
• Acting as lead legal adviser in connection with the acquisition of a majority stake in Curve Wood Holdings Limited by Howard Consulting Limited, including conducting due diligence to assess the validity of licences issued to the seller, charges and encumbrances if any and the underlying material contracts that may have a reverse effect to the transaction.
• Acting as the lead legal adviser in connection with the acquisition of a majority stake in Afri Tea and Coffee Blenders (1963) Limited by Kito General Trading Company Limited.
• Acting as local counsel in connection with the acquisition of a majority interest in Block and Bocha Company Limited and Blue Mountain Coffee Farms Limited by Tchibo (Austria) Holding GMBH of Austria.