Our Guest speaker was Lerisha Naidu - Managing Partner | Baker McKenzie Johannesburg​​

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Lerisha (Lee) Naidu is the managing partner and head of Baker McKenzie's Antitrust & Competition Practice Group in Johannesburg. Lee was appointed Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie Johannesburg in July 2022, officially its youngest office Managing Partner in the global firm’s 74-office network and in September 2023, won the African Legal Awards Partner of the Year award for Southern Africa for her legal excellence, innovation and leadership.

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She practices across the spectrum of antitrust law, taking on mandates for key clients in Africa. She advises and represents international and domestic clients in mergers and acquisitions, prohibited practices (including cartel-related matters), and compliance and risk mitigation. She has appeared before the Competition Tribunal of South Africa in merger proceedings, and has also worked on matters relating to clients involved in Tribunal proceedings. Lee was part of the team that (i) advised Blantyre Capital and local private debt manager, Greenpoint Capital, in their acquisition of Ster-Kinekor’s assets during its business rescue, (ii) advised the buyer consortium on the exit by Rockwood Private Equity of EnviroServ to SUEZ SA, Royal Bafokeng Holdings and African Infrastructure Investment Managers, one of 2022's largest SA private equity exits and (iii) led the competition process in the transaction involving GMB Liquidity Corporate Proprietary Limited (a private investment company), which sought to acquire sole control of JSE-listed Grand Parade Investments Limited, through the acquisition of a majority of the issued shares.

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In addition, Lee provides pro bono assistance to non-profit organisations such as Lawyers Against Abuse, Bomakoti Bewundlu Praying and the Johannesburg Pride Foundation. She has delivered numerous presentations on empowering young leaders and championing inclusion and diversity. Lee led the team representing the South African Human Rights’ Commission in Caster Semenya v Switzerland before the European Court of Human Rights.