Aurelien Djengue

Practice Areas

Commercial Litigation

Arbitration

Mergers and acquisitions

Project Finance

Regulatory Compliance

Foreign Direct Investments

Career

Managing Partner, DJENGUE & Associés, Arbitrator, OHADA Common Court of Justice and Arbitration, International Center for Arbitration and Mediation (CIAM)

Professional Memberships

Cameroon Bar Association

International Association of Young Lawyers Cameroon (AIJA)

Personal

Aurelien is a Managing Partner and Head of the OHADA Corporate Law practice and Commercial litigation with over 16 years of experience in commercial arbitration, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, transfer of assets, restructuring, and insolvency matters. He has successfully negotiated several complex business acquisitions and advised multinational corporations and international organisations on regulatory compliance, corporate finance projects, and private equity transactions. He was trained in commercial arbitration at the University of Montpellier in France and has been a consultant to the World Bank Group since 2009. Aurelien’s clients include Razel-Bec, Cargill BV, Cimencam S.A, Cimpor Portugal Holdings, Mastercard, Viasat, Schneider, Aggreko, and Louis Dreyfus Company.

Languages Spoken

French

English

Work Highlights

- Member of the team of lawyers in charge of an arbitration procedure before the Swiss Chambers Arbitration Institution of Geneva from 2013 to 2015: Procedure for the restitution of shares constituting the entire capital of a foreign company for a total amount of 12 billion FCFA

- Member of the team of lawyers in charge of an arbitration procedure before the Swiss Chambers Arbitration Institution of Geneva from 2016 to 2017: Indemnity procedure relating to a unilateral breach of a share transfer for a total amount of 10 billion FCFA

- Advised the World Bank Group and the World Trade Organisation on policies relating to trade services in Cameroon within the framework of the AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) negotiations. The sectors covered by the study: Financial Services, Telecommunications, Distribution, Construction, Health, Tourism, Transport, Audiovisual, Post and Professional Services, representing 35.47% of Cameroon's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

- Advised the country’s leading cement producer in getting a EUR 72 million syndicated loan for the construction of a new cement and clinker production plant. We acted as the borrowers’ lead counsel and handled the negotiation of the loan documentation.

- Advised the two largest multinational telecommunications companies in Africa on a regional business concentration project in Central and West Africa for the provision of standard and technical interoperability services in mobile payment services and money transfers in Africa - Project value - USD 14.2 billion.

- Follow-up on behalf of the bank of a dispute before the High Court on the management of a Social Security Fund’s term deposit in the amount of 300,000,000 FCFA, following an asset transfer agreement.

- Advised the bank on administrative dispute against Ministry of Finance (MINFI) following a general audit of accounts for the financial years 2011, 2012, and 2013 for a total amount of 2,921,911. 223 CFA francs, of which 683,398,031 CFA francs in principal and 710,984,535 CFA francs in penalties for salary deductions (Crédit Foncier du Cameroun and National Employment Fund), personal income tax, corporate tax, premiums on life insurance, donations, contributions, Special Income Tax on OBERTHUR services and the value-added tax on the said services.

- Advised the bank on an administrative dispute against Ministry of Finance (MINFI), following a general audit of accounts for the financial years 2008, 2009, and 2010 on the Special Income Tax and the related Value Added Tax liquidated on the remuneration paid to Western Union in 2009 and 2010, Corporate Tax and Capital Income Tax on deductible expenses, Christmas tree, and end of year party expenses for an amount of 323. 876,375 CFA francs of which 201,015,769 CFA francs in principal and 122,860,607 CFA francs in penalties and late interest.

- - Analysis of the contract for the production and supply of the new biometric system awarded to a subsidiary of a German company for the production of electronic passports and visas for the Republic of Cameroon (represented by the Délégation Générale à la Sécurité Nationale and the Secrétariat Général de la Présidence de la République du Cameroun).

- Advised on a loan agreement with mortgage assignment, pledge of the business and personal and joint guarantee between a decentralized territorial authority of the city of Douala, a communication company and a banking pool composed of two Cameroonian banks for the setting up of a credit of 8,200,000,000 CFA francs.

- Advised an American multinational leader in the oral hygiene and cleaning products sector, in the restructuring of its subsidiaries in Central and West Africa, and the review of its distribution contracts in Central and West Africa. We also ensured the recovery of US$3.6 million on its behalf, following several trademark seizure proceedings initiated before the Tribunal de Grande Instance du Wouri (Douala).

- Advised an American multinational leader in the processing of cocoa beans in its industrial project in Cameroon. We carried out the analysis of the financing of the project, incorporated the company in Cameroon, and obtained various permits. This project will create 1200 direct jobs in Cameroon - Project value USD 2.5 billion.

- Advised the leading Danish shipping company in an environmental law dispute in Cameroon. We obtained a reduction of the fine from USD 2,177,802 to USD 19,000 from the Minister of the Environment.

- Advised the South Korean technology leader in the restructuring of its subsidiaries in West Africa, the compliance of its electronic devices marketing processes in Cameroon, and in obtaining the necessary authorisations to launch its Financial Technology platform in Central Africa.

- Advised the Turkish leader in building materials in the acquisition of all the shares of a cement plant in Cameroon - Project value - USD 1.2 billion.

- Advised in the context of an international trade transaction, an American company, a world leader in the supply of raw materials, on the recovery of a debt of USD 1,540,000 by documentary credit issued by a bank in Cameroon, on the instructions of its client after delivery of a large cargo of bulk clinker for cement production.

- Handled the legal dispute with client, a maritime carrier in the context of the transport of malt on behalf of a brewery company in Douala - insurance policy covering damage up to 14 billion CFA francs.

- Handled the legal dispute with our client, a maritime carrier in connection with the transport of rice from the Republic of Burma to Cameroon - insurance policy covering damage up to 11 billion CFA francs.

Awards

Experience

■ Since June 2024 : Arbitrator at the International Arbitration and Mediation Center (CIAM) of Lomé, Togo

■ Since May 2024 : Managing Partner at DJENGUE & Associés, Douala, Cameroon

■ 2019 : Chambers Global Practice Guide on Trademarks – Consultant.

■ 2019: The International Comparative Guide Legal Guide (ICLG) – Consultant on Mergers and Acquisitions.

■ Since January 2020 : Head of the Corporate Law Department at D. MOUKOURI & Partners Law Firm.

■ May 2009 – December 2019 : Attorney-at-Law at EKOBO Law Office, a corporate practice firm in Douala, Cameroon.

■ May 2006 – April 2009 : Associate at NGOULLA FOTSO Law Office in Douala, Cameroon.

Education

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Cameroon's civil and commercial courts

Ohada Common Court of Justice and Arbitration in Abidjan

Industry Sector Expertise

- Corporate

- Litigation & Dispute resolution

- Real estate

- Fintech

- Intellectual property

- Cement industry

- Infrastructure

- Project financing

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