Safaricom’s Board of Directors Chairman Adil Arshed Khawaja has been in the headlines over his relationship with President William Ruto and the Adani Group Holdings’ bid to take over Kenya’s critical national assets, including the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
He currently serves as a Partner at Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews (HHM), the oldest law firm in Kenya.
The firm was established in 1902 and has a reputation as an innovative, experienced, responsive, and highly skilled establishment.
Dentons is the advocate for Adani Holdings and will defend the Group in the case filed by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).
While pointing out the potential benefits for Kenya in the proposals, Adil has admitted to his close involvement in the Adani Group takeover plans.
Links to Ruto
Speaking to the Nation, Adil also confirmed his close ties with President Ruto, terming him a longtime friend.
“President William Ruto is my close friend for more than 30 years. Our friendship goes way back between our families. But I am not the President’s personal lawyer,” he is quoted by the Nation.
Additionally, President Ruto’s son, Nick Ruto, also works at Dentons HHM. He explained that Nick’s employment at the law firm had nothing to do with his ties to his dad.
Adil Arshed Khawanja Legal Experience
Adil is a highly distinguished Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with over 30 years of work experience in the legal profession, ranging from dispute resolution to commercial and real estate.
He is recognized as a leading name in the Kenyan legal profession and has been globally acknowledged in various practice groups as one of the most sought-after lawyers in Kenya.
Adil holds board positions in various companies across different markets. He currently serves on several boards, including Rhino Ark Charitable Trust, Al Futtaim Automotive – CMC Motors Group Limited, and Atua Enkop Africa Limited.
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He sat on the LSK Committee seconded to the Judiciary, which was responsible for the renovation of the new Commercial Courts at Milimani from 2007 to 2011.
He served as an LSK elections Scrutineer from 2007 to 2010 and was a member of the National Environment Council under the National Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act between 2005 and 2009.
Adil was an honorary KWS warden from 2004 to 2013. He is a member of LSK, the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), and the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries.
KBC Bank & KPLC
He previously served as a director of KCB Bank Group from 2012 and was elected the first chairman of KCB Bank Kenya Limited from 2016 until 2020 when his tenure ended.
He has also served as a director on the board of Kenya Power & Lighting Company.
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Wildlife Conservation
Outside his professional capacity, Adil is active in wildlife and environmental conservation. He has been a member of the Nairobi Arboretum Conservancy Community Forest Association since 2019.
Adil served as a trustee of Care for the Wild and an advisor for Friends of Conservation, a non-profit wildlife conservation organization, from 2006 to 2011.
He was a former Chairman of the Human Capital and Finance Committee and was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Kenya Wildlife Service between 2011 and 2014.
His contributions to the sector recently caught the attention of President Ruto, who awarded him the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS).
His love for the law and environmental conservation led him to be appointed by the Government of Kenya as a member of the Taskforce to inquire into Forest Resource.
An avid enthusiast of four-wheel driving, he has combined his love for thrill with conservation and has participated in the Rhino Charge for nearly 20 years, being among the top fundraisers for the Rhino Ark, where he has been a Trustee since 2018.
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