Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Atiq Anjarwalla, Anjarwalla Collins & Haidermota

Date: 04 Dec 2024

Vicente Luckina Bunn

This week’s 60-second piece is dedicated to Atiq Anjarwalla, Senior Partner at Anjarwalla Collins & Haidermota.

Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.

My Kenya firm established the ALN association of law firms over 25 years ago (www.africalegalnetwork.com). We presently have 13 African member law firms as part of ALN. I was also requested to set up our Dubai, UAE office 15years ago. As such I live between Nairobi, Kenya and Dubai, UAE. I am Senior Partner of both our Kenya and Dubai firms – thankfully I am no longer in a managing partner role, so the stress of day-to-day management is off my shoulders!  As part our commitment to ALN, I am also responsible for assisting some of our ALN member firms on legal and administrative matters. In terms of my legal commitments, I head up our Private Client department, and as such my role is varied, exacting, high intensity but lots of fun! No day is the same having to deal with client work, my Senior Partner duties, and lots of international travel. It has been an exciting journey with my amazing colleagues in challenging frontier jurisdictions which means that cutting edge cross border advice is required to be given to clients from varied backgrounds and cultures with many challenges around language, legal and tax systems as a result of Africa’s colonial heritage.    

I am particularly enjoying my leadership and mentorship roles. Africa has a deep talent pool of highly motivated, smart young lawyers who are hungry to learn and excel. This is truly inspiring, and I feel privileged to be able to assist with the career development of our legal talent pool. Being Senior Partner means I try and be the “glue” of our firms, maintaining our culture, dealing with inter office or staff issues.      

 I am also on my firm’s partnership board shaping our strategy, and long terms goals. I am fortunate that our partnership is entrepreneurial which means we are always look out for new growth areas and markets, investing in latest technology and systems.

What does a typical day look like for you?

It is hard to pin down a typical day.

My day will often depend on whether I am travelling especially as travel within Africa can be complicated. If I am in the office, it is usually a mixture of client meetings, business development initiatives, training, dealing with office issues and, importantly, discussing complicated and challenging private client matters with my legal colleagues.  

I enjoy my legal work although my wonderful colleagues will usually handle the bulk of the drafting and document production. I am often requested to assist with complex drafting and technical legal challenges. As a result of the international nature of our clients we are often working with counsel and tax experts in other jurisdictions, and I enjoy this aspect of learning.          

Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions/requests you have received.

We have been advising a large  successful Africa based group on their estate and succession planning requirements. This matter was challenging due to the jurisdictions in which the businesses are located, together with the fact that there were over 20  shareholders spanning 3 generations. Trying to build consensus and bring alignment on key financial, business and ownership issues was hard work and emotionally draining. However, we got over the line. The matter was satisfying with high levels of trust built up with the shareholders. Needless to say, dealing with legal challenges arising in civil law and common law jurisdictions together with tax and related risks meant we had to be on our toes.       

What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?

Dealing with estate and succession planning matters in many different countries also brings along challenges of culture, religion, and generational issues. Many Muslim clients wish for estates to devolve based on Sharia’h principles and try to marry these wishes within secular legal systems can be difficult. Certain family members may not wish to follow Sharia’h principles – this divergence in religious views  can create significant disharmony. Cultural and generational differences are also very common and vary enormously. For example, the outlook younger shareholders on issues surrounding ESG, climate, work and leisure balance and remuneration will often clash with the older generation. This is a fascinating conundrum.

In relation to all these challenges it is vital to be and to be seen to be a “honest broker” trying to bridge the gap and create cohesion. Playing such a role also requires an advisor to be astute to the challenges, , communicate  firmly and having the ability to read difficult situation quickly.    

What is your proudest professional achievement?

For me it is definitely seeing so many young lawyers in my firm who were my trainees now being my partners and in many cases equity partners. The fact that I played a positive role in their career development makes me very proud. In addition, seeing Africa lawyers and firms punching their weight on international deals and being toe to toe with lawyers from the established jurisdictions makes me super proud.

What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?

Empathy and the ability to listen, reflect and guide. It also means setting the standard when it comes to quality, dedication and integrity. It is being a business and cultural leader and mentor.    

Who do you most admire and why?

My parents, my wife and siblings. I thank God for my parents who were my role models. My wife for her patience, support which has never wavered. She has kept me grounded.     

Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?

For work, DRC and Malta. For leisure, Hunza valley in Pakistan and being an avid fisherman, the Zambezi River to fish for tiger fish.  

If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?

With the benefit of hindsight, I would enjoy a mentorship and teaching role. 

How do you relax after a long day?

I enjoy entertaining at my home, listening to music, reading and the gym!