Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) has underscored its dedication to Africa with the launch of two new alliances on the continent.

The firm’s new alliances in Algeria with local firm Cabinet Hadj-Hamou et Djouadi and the Trust Law Chambers (TLC) in Rwanda bring the total number of DWS-affiliated offices in Africa to 10.

Head of DWS’s Africa practice Howard Barrie said: “The new alliances will strengthen our presence in Africa. The main focus in these offices will be in energy. We’ve worked closely with both of these local firms for a long time, so creating these alliances formalises our relationships.”

TLC and Cabinet Hadj-Hamou are two-partner firms with banking and finance and energy capabilities. DWS will provide secondees to each firm, depending on the manpower needed for specific projects.

The firm’s Africa network includes alliances in Botswana, Ghana, Mauritius, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, as well as standalone offices in Cairo and a liaison office in Johannesburg.

The launches follow the re-election of DWS chief executive Howard Morris, who will serve a second three-year term from February next year.

It was a mixed week for Morris, however, after head of Islamic finance Farmida Bi quit for Norton Rose. Bi, who spent five years at DWS, will aim to kick-start the rebuilding of Norton Rose’s securitisation and debt capital markets practice in the Middle East.