Name: Fasil Gebremariam Wolde
Position: Executive Officer, Corporate Legal and Insurance Affairs
Company: Sugar Corporation, Ethiopia
Sector (financial, govt, energy etc): Agro-industry
Worked in the current position for: 10 years
Years in-house: Fifteen years
An overview of my role is: I am currently the Executive Officer, Corporate Legal and Insurance affairs, in which I am responsible for advising on all legal and insurance matters of the Corporation. The Corporation is a huge agro-industry company that has exposed me to a range of legal issues like construction, maritime in importing goods, expropriation, loans contract from local and international banks, labour and taxation and arbitration cases etc. On the other side, there are a lot of litigation cases which means I sometimes have to attend court, especially for some of the serious cases at appellate jurisdiction. In addition to this as a member of the company management, I am also responsible for any decision in the company.
The best thing about my current job is: Having served in an in-house role previously and also as a judge has given me some of the skills required for my current role although those were not as complex as this one. The complexity of the legal work and the vast nature of the company have given me the opportunity to enhance my legal skills. The day-to-day experience has taught me the balance of working not only as a General Counsel but also as a business partner.
The most challenging thing about my current job is: As a lawyer in the sugar industry whether you are willing or not you have to touch on all the legal issues. In other industries, you may specialize in some sector-based legal issues and you may not have exposure to see all legal issues like banks, insurance maritime etc. Here in the sugar industry, it is like small countries having a high number of employees and relatives living there in doing their life. Our corporation has one legal personality under which almost more than ten sugar factories and projects. Based on this fact, any claimant may establish a suit against the Corp due to the fact that in our civil procedure in many cases there is room for the place of establishing the suit is based on the preference of the plaintiff.
My most pivotal career move: I started my legal career in court as a judge and then as a lawyer in a microfinance company which gave me the opportunity to know more about the role of a corporate in-house counsel. From there, the decision to remain in-house was made and I was fortunate to then join the Sugar Corp where I have been for the last decade.
What advice would you give your younger self? My suggestion for young lawyers is always to focus on updating themselves and that their role does not have to include working as litigators. There are different positions that can be undertaken by lawyers such as contract administrator or management officer, commercial agent etc. There are also different areas of specialization in the legal field, in particular, young lawyers should enhance the technological skills that so many senior lawyers lack which are critical in the new digital environment
The key influencers that have shaped my journey? Ato Wasihun Abate, who was Legal Director of the Ministry of Finance in Ethiopia. He is my model to enhance my legal knowledge, especially in the finance law field.
My favourite pro bono or volunteer activity is: I provide pro bono support for individuals in need of legal advice. In addition, I am engaged in support of the poor who seek economic support at the church that I attend.
If I were not practising law, I would probably be: I would be a journalist or business trader.
What (singular) achievement are you most proud of: Mostly contributing to the growth of the Corporation and the sugar industry. That includes the start of construction of our head office, finalization of sugar factories and contributing to the Ethiopian Sugar Act.