Antoinette A. Absaloms

Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Certified Public Secretary (CPS).  Over twenty (20) years’ experience working in private practice and the multinational business environment informing decisions and managing risk for clients and businesses in areas of Governance, Intellectual Property Management, Commercial Contracts, Consumer Protection; Mergers/Acquisitions, Retirement Benefit Fund Management, Human Resource Management, Regulatory Compliance and Company Secretarial Services.

After completing her Bachelor of Laws at the University of Nairobi, Antoinette started her career in private practice with the firm of Salim Dhanji & Company Advocates where she built solid experience in commercial litigation practice.    From there, she launched into the world of In-House Counsel with Unilever East and Southern Africa Limited and subsequently Coca-Cola Central East and West Africa Limited.

Her clients describe Antoinette as a pragmatic and business-oriented lawyer; a self-confident leader who exudes composure and consistency; a collaborative, yet independent minded business partner who is not shy to stand up for what is right; thoughtful and methodical in approach, bringing a calm reassurance, even in stressful situations; values integrity and adheres to high standards of performance.

Antoinette has been nominated to the General Counsel Powerlist (2015, 2018, 2018) by The Legal 500® Publication, as one of Africa’s most influential and innovative In-House Lawyers for her work in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector with some of the world’s leading brands (Unilever and Coca-Cola), where she provided legal leadership to ensure effective risk management and growth.  Some of her areas of specialisation included organisational set up, controls and compliance; marketing, product integrity, compliance and safety, consumer promotions, human resources, retirement benefits; information management and data privacy.

She took a planned career break from employment in March 2020 to take time to review the canvas of her career, to pursue her passions including travel and photography, to strengthen her relationships and recalibrate to build the energy and freshness of thought to take her forward to the next phase of her career journey.

Antoinette founded Arete Business Advisory Services in March 2021 to transfer her skills and experience to support small and medium enterprises in Kenya and beyond and A A Absaloms and Associates Advocates, a boutique law firm based in Nairobi that supports the work of the Advisory firm.

She is a member of the Law Society of Kenya, Commissioner for Oaths and Notary Public. She is a Practicing member of the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya (ICS) and a Certified Governance Auditor.  She is also Certified by the Retirement Benefits Authority as a Trustee. She is a member of the Leader’s Circle at FFWD, East Africa’s Premier Leadership program for leaders of ‘Business Unusual’ and serves her community through membership of Rotary International and Friends of Karura Community Forest Association.