Iyasu Teketel Head of Corporate & Compliance DABLO Law Firm

Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

+251 938 888 884

vCard |

Email me

ON THIS PAGE

Overview
Key Matters
Qualifications

Iyasu Teketel

Head of Consultancy & Compliance

Overview

Iyasu Teketel is the Head of the Corporate and Compliance Department at DABLO Law Firm and a Legal 500 recommended lawyer. He holds an LL.M. in Public International Law from Addis Ababa University and an LL.B. He has more than a decade of professional experience spanning private legal practice, banking and financial services, academia, legal research, litigation, and regulatory compliance.

Iyasu advises domestic and international clients on corporate and commercial law, banking and finance, mergers and acquisitions, foreign investment, fintech and payment systems, public-private partnerships, employment, tax, data protection, and regulatory compliance. His work includes advising financial institutions, technology companies, investors, real estate developers, international organisations, and multinational businesses on market entry, licensing, transaction structuring, due diligence, corporate governance, and complex cross-border matters.

Before joining DABLO Law Firm, Iyasu served as a Senior Attorney at Nib International Bank, where he handled significant litigation, contractual, tax, and regulatory matters. Earlier, he served as a Lecturer of Law and Dean of the School of Law at Dilla University, contributing to legal education, research, institutional leadership, and community-based legal aid initiatives.

His notable achievements include leading multidisciplinary legal teams on major banking, investment, infrastructure, fintech, and corporate transactions; representing clients in high-value disputes; advising on Ethiopia’s evolving financial regulatory framework; and contributing to professional training and legal scholarship.

Key Matters

Securities Registration Advisory (Awash Bank S.C.)

Served on DABLO’s team acting as independent legal advisor to Awash Bank in connection with ECMA’s approval of the registration statement covering 54,066,089 existing ordinary shares. Contributed to legal due diligence, prospectus review, issuer disclosure and governance assessment, regulatory engagement, and preparation of the independent legal advisor’s opinion required under Ethiopia’s capital-market framework.

Securities Registration Advisory (Zemen Bank S.C.)

Served on DABLO’s team acting as independent legal advisor in connection with ECMA’s approval of the registration of 15,000,000 existing shares of Zemen Bank. Contributed to legal due diligence, regulatory compliance review, preparation of the independent legal advisor’s opinion, and related securities-registration work.

Bank Shareholding Acquisition Due Diligence (Foreign Investor)

Led a comprehensive legal due diligence review for the proposed acquisition of a significant shareholding in an Ethiopian commercial bank, covering corporate, banking regulatory, AML/CFT, employment, tax, finance, and governance matters. Managed the multidisciplinary legal team, allocated and reviewed workstreams, coordinated document review, and took primary responsibility for the quality of the red-flag and full-scope reports.

Cross-Border Financing Transaction Advisory (East African Commercial Bank)

Advised a regional commercial bank on the Ethiopian legal and regulatory aspects of a cross-border financing transaction, including foreign-exchange, security, enforceability, tax, and regulatory considerations. Led the local-law analysis and preparation of the Ethiopian legal advice required for the transaction.

Cross-Border Payment Services Regulatory Advisory (International Credit-Card Issuer)

Prepared Ethiopian legal and regulatory advice concerning the cross-border provision of credit-card and related payment services. Analysed licensing, banking, payment-system, foreign-exchange, consumer-protection, data-protection, outsourcing, and cross-border service requirements.

Card & Payment Regulatory Review (International Financial-Services Companies)

Advised international financial-services companies on the Ethiopian regulatory requirements applicable to proposed cross-border card and payment-related services. Assessed licensing, payment-system, foreign-exchange, consumer-protection, data-processing, marketing, and regulatory-approval considerations.

Distribution Agreement Review (Global Energy-Drink Company)

Advised a global consumer-products company on the enforceability and Ethiopian-law implications of a proposed distribution arrangement. Reviewed appointment, exclusivity, performance, termination, competition, intellectual-property, dispute-resolution, and commercial-enforcement provisions.

Incorporation & Investment Regulatory Advice (Foreign Company)

Advised a foreign company on establishing an Ethiopian business presence, including company incorporation, investment structuring, licensing, capital registration, and Ethiopian Investment Commission requirements. Led the engagement, defined the regulatory workstreams, and coordinated the corporate establishment process.

Banking-Sector Market Entry Advisory (Foreign Financial Institution)

Advised on the legal pathways available to foreign banks and investors following the liberalisation of Ethiopia’s banking sector. Analysed permissible entry structures, shareholding restrictions, licensing, minimum capital, governance, regulatory approvals, foreign-exchange treatment, and ongoing compliance obligations.