Gisela Manhiça Sitoe is a lawyer and the Manager of the Commercial, Regulatory & Public Institutions Practice Groups. In those capacities, she provides legal advice on commercial and corporate law matters as well as administrative law questions. Her practice currently includes mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence on companies and real property; negotiating and drafting all types of commercial contracts; registration and licensing of legal entities; and, from time to time, competition merger notification filings and other anti-trust matters.
Professional Qualifications
- participation as speaker at the Blue Carbon Workshops held by Blue forest in May 2023 and July 2023, addressing land tenure in blue carbon projects in Mozambique.
- participating as speaker at the Third National Lawyers’ Conference held by the Mozambican Bar Association in November 2022, sharing experiences of legal assistance in international projects.
- participation as speaker in the Mozambique – Norway Energy Week 2018 and in 2020, Solar Energy Workshop, addressing the legal requirements for incorporation of a company in Mozambique.
- one month secondment in the London and Leeds offices of DLA Piper UK during April and May 2018.
- legal consultancy on anti-trust matters as well as merger notification with the Competition Regulatory Authority;
- legal consultancy to commercial companies in respect to solutions for negative equity situations.
- legal assistance to companies in the real estate sector, including consultancy on the adequate structure (including forms of capitalization) and their application.
- legal consultancy in the corporate area, namely, incorporation and amendments of companies, registration, licensing, drafting of diverse minutes and resolutions.
- legal assistance in mergers and acquisitions.
- legal assistance for licensing and registration of foreign commercial representations.
- legal assistance in legal reform.
- acting as company secretary for various commercial companies which included participating in Board of Director's meetings and preparing and drafting minutes thereof.
- legal assistance with regards to advice on land matters, including applying for DUATs, assisting in transactions involving the transfer of DUATs and drafting cession of exploration contract.
- commercial due diligences in Mozambican companies which include aspects such as the review of incorporation documents, mandatory registrations, operational licensing, corporate bodies, shareholding in other companies and intellectual property.
- legal assistance with drafting, negotiating and reviewing commercial contracts, such as transportation, distribution contracts, lease agreement, agency agreements, provisions of services agreements, shareholders’ agreement and purchase and sale agreements.
- legal assistance in the drafting and review of financing contracts (including diverse guarantees.
- legal assistance with the registration of foreign exchange transactions with the Central Bank of Mozambique.
- legal assistance with drafting of legal opinions regarding financial transactions which refer to the good standing of the borrower and the enforceability of the agreements entered into.
- legal assistance with a full due diligence and the initial public offer of shares by a large energy company.
Prior Experience
- SAL & Caldeira Advogados, Lda. - Manager in the Commercial, Regulatory & Public Institutions Practice Groups, 2016 to date.
- SAL & Caldeira Advogados, Lda. - Senior Legal Consultant in the Commercial, Regulatory & Public Institutions Practice Groups, 2013 to 2015.
- SAL & Caldeira Advogados, Lda. - Legal Consultant in the Commercial, Regulatory & Public Institutions Practice Groups, 2012.
- SAL & Caldeira Advogados, Lda. - Junior Legal Consultant in the Commercial, Regulatory & Public Institutions Practice Group, 2011.
Education
- Bachelor of Law, University of Pretoria, South Africa (2008 to 2010).
Memberships
- Member of the Mozambique Bar Association.
- Registered with the Industrial Property Institute of Mozambique as an Official Industrial Property Agent.
- Member and Teacher at Ministério Evangelho em Acção (MEA).
Recognition
- Ranked on ILFR 1000 Rising Star: Corporate and M&A 2024.
- Included in the Legal 500 M&A Powerlist – Africa. The M&A Powerlist: Africa 2024.