Barclays picks CC and Dentons for African panel

Clifford Chance and Denton Wilde Sapte have won places on Barclays’ first international panel for its African operations.

Mark Edwards, general counsel for Barclays Africa, said the two UK firms, along with US firms Shearman & Sterling and Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft, had been selected because of their existing relationships with Barclays in London and Africa.

Edwards said: “The purpose of this panel is to give Barclays the ability to draw on firms with proven experience and capability of managing international cross-border sterling or dollar denominated transactions.”

The introduction of a panel follows the relocation of its African legal operation from headquarters in London to South Africa in 2002-03.
Meanwhile Barclays is looking for a new general counsel for its Africa group, as Edwards moves on to become head of legal for Barclaycard, based in Northampton. Edwards, who will take on the role from 4 October, is replacing Rachel Harris who went on secondment to Northamptonshire County Council for 12 months from May this year.