Asghar Merali

Asghar Merali is an Associate in the Corporate and Commercial Department at Bowmans in Nairobi, specialising in mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, and regulatory compliance. He advises sponsors, multinational corporates, and founders on M&A, capital markets transactions, and complex corporate restructurings, combining transactional execution with regulatory and competition advisory across sectors including telecommunications, healthcare, logistics, financial services, and industrial real estate.

Asghar has advised the shareholders of Wananchi Group Holdings Limited on the sale of 100% of the company to Axian Telecom Limited; LeapFrog Investments on its full exit from Goodlife Pharmacy through the sale of its remaining shareholding to CFAO Healthcare; Celebi Cargo GmbH on its acquisition of the Kenyan cargo handling business of TransGlobal Cargo Centre; Coca‑Cola Beverages Africa on the consolidation of its bottling subsidiaries in Kenya; East African Breweries PLC on its tender offer for shares in Uganda Breweries Limited; and on the structuring and listing of ALP Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust, Kenya's first USD‑denominated industrial and logistics REIT to list on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. He also advises on merger control in Kenya and COMESA, and has led due diligence exercises across the telecommunications, food and beverage, healthcare, logistics, and renewable energy sectors.

Asghar also advises international and local companies on establishing operations in Kenya across diverse sectors, including financial services, fintech, and not‑for‑profit organisations, and provides incorporation, licensing, and compliance advice. He works with family‑owned businesses on governance and succession planning, including drafting family shareholders' agreements, wills, and board governance charters.

Asghar holds an LL.B from the University of Essex, a Diploma in Legal Practice (with distinction) from BPP University in the United Kingdom, and a Postgraduate Diploma from the Kenya School of Law. He is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and is fluent in English and Swahili.