Finalists: Botha Ernst, AFRGI Group; Chuks Ibechukwu, International Finance Corporation; Franca Egwuekwe, Nigerian Stock Exchange; Michael Murray, Anglo American; Oyindamola Oyeduntan, Heirs Holdings (highly commended); Robyn van Heerden, AFRGI Group; Tammi McMahon-Panther, Procter & Gamble.

Guinness Nigeria's Faith Damilola Adesua took top prize in the Senior Corporate Counsel of the Year category, for her wide-ranging legal work and commercial support to a host of business functions, including finance, marketing and compliance.

Adesua is the go-to expert for key company policies such as anti-money-laundering, competition and antitrust, and anticorruption, as well as providing secretarial support to the company secretary, board and shareholders by ensuring compliance with regulatory filings and managing statutory meetings, such as the AGM. Adesua has notched a number of noteworthy achievements, such as providing strategic support in last year's NGN40bn rights issue and helping construct defense strategies to ensure a malicious petition to wind up Guinness Nigeria was thrown out by the court, preventing any disruption to the rights issue and averting any reputational damage to the company.

She has also successfully improved the company's bottom line: she managed budget strategies that delivered a 55% saving on legal spend this year versus last, and as litigation and arbitration portfolio coordinator she achieved a 16% reduction in litigation, winning all cases with zero adverse judgments.

"Faith is a dependable and outstanding business partner; she provides intelligent, business-oriented and proactive legal advice and support," praised a colleague.

To return to the full list of winners, click here.