Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) is delighted to announce that Dubai Senior Associate Amoetsoe Mkwena has been included in the African Energy Chamber’s (“AEC”) 25 Under 40 Energy Women Rising Stars list for 2024.
Each year, the AEC’s 25 Under 40 Energy Women Rising Stars list celebrates outstanding individuals whose innovation, perseverance and passion are transforming the landscape of African energy, recognising the reshaping of a traditionally male-dominated field as well as the vital role played towards ending energy poverty by 2030.
Amoetsoe specialises in energy and infrastructure work with a notable focus on African projects. Her expertise extends to power, renewables, natural resources, oil and gas, mining and commodities and transport infrastructure where she advises on the full lifecycle of international project development and financing.
Perhaps most notable has been her involvement in advising the Republic of Guinea on the development of the US$15bn Simandou integrated iron ore, rail and port project, the world’s largest mining and infrastructure project to date. Through advising the Guinean government on numerous aspects of the project – including the signing of various term sheets that allow for the multiple parties involved to establish joint ventures enabling them to co-develop the project’s crucial railway and port infrastructure.
Beyond Simandou, the impact of Amoetsoe’s work reaches across Africa where she has worked on projects in Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Rwanda, Nigeria, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, and Egypt. Some of her notable projects include:
- advising developers on a biomass-to-power project in Rwanda;
- advising sponsors on an LNG Gas to Power Project in the Republic of Guinea;
- advising a development bank on the project development and financing of a wind farm in Ras Ghareb, Egypt;
- advising sponsors on an LNG Gas to Power Project in Sierra Leone;
- advising a solar developer based in the UAE on the development and project financing of a solar PV IPP; and
- advising on the development, construction and financing of a hydro power project in Sierra Leone.
London Corporate and M&A Partner Jan Mellmann and Dubai Projects Partner Alhassane Barry, co-leads on the Simandou project, commented: “Having the privilege of working with Amoetsoe on a regular basis, we can vouch that her legal expertise, interpersonal skills and commitment to innovation in the African energy sector are second to none. We have no doubt that she will become a name to be reckoned with in the African legal sector going forward. Our sincerest congratulations to Amoetsoe for this well-deserved recognition”.
Amoetsoe said: “I am honoured to be featured in the AEC’s annual 25 Under 40 Energy Women Rising Stars list. I hope that I can continue to play a role in helping the African continent to reach its energy goals and help increase universal access to energy through my work and am inspired by the other incredible women featured on the list”.
