Sesan Akinsanya

Sesan Akinsanya is a multi-disciplinary commercial professional whose expertise extends well beyond the practice of law. In addition to being a lawyer, he is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute (formerly the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply.

His membership in these distinguished professional bodies provides him with a broad commercial perspective and a deeper understanding of the complex challenges faced by businesses. This multidisciplinary background enables him to approach legal and commercial issues from the client's viewpoint, delivering practical, business-oriented solutions rather than purely legal advice. He is passionate about helping businesses overcome challenges, manage risks, seize opportunities, and achieve their strategic objectives.

Sesan is a dual-qualified lawyer, licensed to practise law in both Nigeria and Canada. Since being called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985, he has accumulated over four decades of legal and commercial experience. His career has been almost equally divided between private legal practice and in-house counsel roles, giving him a unique appreciation of the needs, expectations, and pressures faced by corporate clients.

As part of his in-house career, he spent 19 years with Shell Petroleum Development Company, where he served in various legal and commercial positions. Prior to joining Shell, Sesan was Company Secretary/Registrar of Vono Products PLC (which later merged with Vitafoam PLC) and Company Secretary/Manager, Legal and Corporate Services of National Risk Fund PLC. This wide experience provided him with extensive exposure to the energy sector, major commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, corporate governance, dispute resolution, and stakeholder management.

Drawing on his diverse professional qualifications and extensive practical experience, Sesan is committed to providing innovative, commercially sound, and results-driven solutions to clients across a broad range of industries.