Name: Osose Aziba
Position: Commercial Counsel (Anglophone Markets)
Company: BAT (British American Tobacco)
Sector (financial, govt, energy etc): Consumer Goods
Worked in the current position for: 3+ years
Sector: Legal in the FMCG sector
Years in-house: 12+ years as a lawyer out of which 8+ years have been in-house
An overview of my role is: I provide legal counselling, risk assessment and support to the Commercial, Marketing, Regulatory and External Affairs teams in BAT’s Anglophone Markets in the West & Central Africa Area.
The best thing about my current job is: I get to work with multi-talented and diverse people. I also have a better understanding of applicable laws and regulations in the Anglophone Markets I cover.
The most challenging thing about my current job is: Working with diverse internal and external stakeholders means I cannot have a one-size-fits-all approach in carrying out my tasks or resolving issues, but I actually see this as a good challenge though.
My most pivotal career move: Making the switch from being an in-house counsel in the financial services and investment management sector to becoming an in-house counsel in a regulated consumer goods sector
The best lesson I have learned as a lawyer: Healthy collaboration and not competition is key to success and also never stop consciously learning or unlearning things.
What advice would you give your younger self? Life is too short to be anything but happy!
Who are the key influencers that have shaped you along the way? My daddy, mommy, siblings, a former boss, my spiritual directors and my current female mentor.
My favourite pro bono or volunteer activity is: Pro bono – legal services to inmates at the Ikoyi prisons. Volunteer activity – working with teenagers and young adults (particularly females)
The worst job I ever held was: None I can think of
Most valuable life lesson that I still apply today is: Your community is your wealth, so treat everyone with respect and apply yourself in a manner that builds your community positively.
I achieve work-life balance by: I do not like to see this as choosing or balancing one over the other so I am deliberate about achieving work-life harmony and integration instead. I am currently perfecting the art of compartmentalising, prioritising and paying more attention to the things that are necessary for me to have a happy and fulfilled life and career.
If I were not practising law, I would probably be: Teaching
I’m currently reading: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (I have lost count of the number of times I have read this book or excerpts from the book)
My current music playlist includes: Gosh! Where do I start … ????…I am currently listening to songs from the 70s, 80s and 90s