Ashurst hires Clifford Chance partner Ouns Lemseffer to launch Africa presence
The leading global law firm Ashurst has hired Clifford Chance partner Ouns Lemseffer to spearhead the launch of its first office in Africa, located in Casablanca, Morocco.
Ouns Lemseffer has joined as Head of Morocco and will serve as the Managing Partner of the firm’s new office, Ashurst’s 32nd globally. She spent 15 years at Clifford Chance, where she became a partner in 2021. Lemseffer specializes in project finance, structured finance, restructuring, and financial market operations across Francophone Africa. She is also active in M&A and private equity, particularly in the energy and infrastructure sectors in North and West Africa.
Commenting on the move, Paul Jenkins, Ashurst’s Global CEO, said,
“As Africa experiences rapid population growth and sustained economic development, the continent is emerging as a key hub for businesses and investors with significant opportunities across infrastructure, energy, financial services, technology, and real estate. Expanding our offering and building on the proven track record of our established Africa practice positions us to deliver greater value to our clients.”
Ashurst’s Africa practice has a legacy of more than 120 years, with around 150 lawyers globally, advising local and international clients on M&A, project development, project finance, dispute resolution, and regulatory matters.
At Clifford Chance, Lemseffer co-led the team that advised the joint lead managers on OCP’s $2 billion notes offering and recently led the team advising Vantage Capital and Eurazeo on an €81 million mezzanine investment in Camusat, a telecoms company operating across 15 African countries.
David Charlier, Co-Head of Projects and Energy Transition EMEA at Ashurst, highlighted the importance of Lemseffer’s arrival, said,
“Ouns brings a deep understanding of the Francophone and sub-Saharan Africa markets which complements our existing capabilities and will be invaluable as we set up a presence in Casablanca and capitalise further on the opportunities ahead.”
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