Education
- University of Leicester – Master of Business Administration (MBA) – 2009
- Graduated with a first class degree
- Makerere University – Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) (Hons) – 2004
- Law Development Center – Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice – 2005
Admissions
- Notary Public
- Commissioner for oaths
- Advocate in the Republic of Uganda
Countries In Which Practiced
- Uganda
- United Kingdom
Memberships
- Association of MBAs
- East Africa Law Society
- Uganda Law Society
Publications
“The Role of Social Networks in Legal Practice.” Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a Master of Business Administration degree.
Languages
- English
- Luganda
Arthur is an Associate Partner in Katende, Ssempebwa & Company Advocates and has almost 20 years’ experience in Labor & Employment, Banking & Finance, Technology, Media & Telecommunications Law and Mergers & Acquisitions.
He pursued a Master of Business Administration from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom in 2009 with the intention of mastering the symbiotic relationship between business and law so as to better advise clients. He graduated with a First Class degree.
He has a wealth of transactional experience and has handled numerous advisory projects in the Corporate and Commercial law arena and is recognised as a Rising Transactions star in the regional market.
Arthur’s Banking and Finance expertise covers Loans, Corporate Banking, Retail and Personal Banking, Investment Banking and Project Finance. He has experience in structured finance, acquisition & leverage finance, restructuring, external commercial borrowings, asset securitisation and various regulatory issues pertaining to banking. .
He successfully advises both employers and employees and has a reputation for settling employer/employee disputes without recourse to Court. He reviews Human Resource policies to ensure compliance with Employment Law.
Arthur has in-depth knowledge and expertise in all areas of M&A practice, for instance mergers, share acquisitions, takeovers, business / asset transfers, joint ventures, privatizations and conducting due diligences. He assists both Local and International Clients in negotiating and drafting transaction documents and coordinating closings.
Arthur also advises Telecommunications clients on the licenses, legal and regulatory issues relating to the Telecom industry. He has represented several clients in adjudicatory proceedings before the Uganda Communications Commission.
He serves as a Company Secretary to several large multinational companies in Uganda in the telecom and agricultural sectors.
In 2014, he was awarded a Commonwealth Fellowship to work at Hogan Lovells LLP in the United Kingdom.
Sample Professional Accolades
IFLR1000 Guide to the World's Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms and Lawyers
Chambers and Partners Global Guide to the World’s Leading Lawyers
- Arthur is recognized as a leading lawyer in the 2013 Edition for his transactional work.
- In the 2011 Edition, Arthur Katende was recognized as one of the advisors of Total on its acquisition of an oil exploration license.
Arthur was endorsed as a Rising Star in the 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019 Editions.
Sample Transactions
Banking & Finance
M&A
Telecom
Employment
- Advised Afrimax Uganda Limited (Vodafone Uganda) on its loan from Nedbank.
- Advised Equity Bank Kenya on its acquisition of Uganda Microfinance Corporation and obtaining a banking license for the same in Uganda.
- Advised China Development Bank on the release of its loan facility to Warid Telecom Limited.
- Advised ICICI Bank UK PLC on its USD 20million loan facility to Borelli Tea Holdings.
- Advised a number of International Investment Banks on issues relating to the derivatives market in East Africa including Goldman Sachs International, BNP Paribas, Barclays Bank PLC, Credit Suisse International, Standard Chartered Bank PLC and Opportunity Bank.
- Advised Getbucks on its proposed acquisition of Opportunity Bank in Uganda.
- Advised Innovare Finance PLC on the provision on a USD 4 million facility to Vehicle Asset and Leasing Limited including undertaking a due diligence on the borrowers operations in Uganda.
- Advised Sun Funder on all its loans to various solar companies in Uganda.
- Legal advisor to NC Bank on all its routine legal and loan matters.
- Part of the team that conducted a due diligence exercise on Nile Bank Limited on its proposed IPO prior to its eventual acquisition by Barclays Bank of Uganda Limited.
- Advised Trade and Development Bank (TDB) formerly Eastern and Southern Africa Development Bank (PTA Bank), on numerous large loan transactions including one to Kampala Cement Company.
- Advised BRAC International a micro finance on its proposed licencing to become a bank and its sale of business as a going concern.
- Advised DFCU on its Listing on the Uganda Stock Exchange.
- Advised Cordiant Capital Inc in respect of senior and subordinated credit facilities of up to USD 25,000,000 to Bandwidth and Cloud Services Group Holdings.
- Advised Trade and Development Bank (TDB) in respect of a US$ 7 million facility to Abacus Parental Drugs Limited to finance the importation of pharmaceutical products for the refinancing of two loans from two separate financial institutions and completion of construction works on an a luxury real estate development.
- Advised ABN Amro Bank N.V on a USD 9 million facility to Ibero Uganda Limited.
- Advising Stanlib on its proposed facility to Chestnut Uganda Limited for the building of Arena Mall.
- Advised Engie Energie Services and Engie Afrique SAS on the acquisition of 100% shareholding in Fenix International Uganda Limited.
- Advised Kenyan based Equity Bank on its acquisition of Uganda Micro Finance Limited and its conversion and obtainng of a license to become Equity Bank Uganda Limited. This involved carrying out a legal due diligence on Uganda Micro Finance Limited, drafting and advising on the share purchase agreement and all other transactional documents.
- Advised McLeod Russell on its multi-million dollar purchase of tea plantations owned by James Finlays Limited. This involved carrying out a legal due diligence on James Finlays Limited and drafting and advising on the share purchase agreement and the general transaction structure and documentation.
- Advised Warid Telecom Limited on its merger with Bharti Airtel Limited. This involved providing legal advisory services to Warid and advising on all aspects of the transaction including redundancy of employees.
- Advised Brookside Dairy Limited, a Kenyan corporation, on its acquisition of the shares of Sameer Agriculture and Livestock Limited.
- Advised African Online Limited on its merger with AFSAT telecommunications Limited.
- Advised Telkom SA on its acquisition of Africa online Uganda.
- Advised One Network on its acquisition of NR Cyber and its telecommunication license and operations in Uganda.
- Advised Capital Works Investment Fund on their investment and share acquisition in Quality Chemicals Industries Limited, East African Leading drug manufacturer.
- Advised American Towers Corporation on all aspects of its multi-million dollar acquisition of the tower business of MTN Uganda. This involved carrying out a due diligence on the towers of MTN including the land ownership, advising on environmental matters, employment matters, pension matters, licencing to mention but a few.
- Routinely advised Afrimax Uganda Limited (Vodafone Uganda) on various aspects of their business.
- Routinely advises Airtel Uganda Limited on various aspects of their business.
- Advised Warid Telecom on all aspects of the sale of its tower business to Eaton Towers in a transaction valued at millions of dollars. This involved preparing the requisite documentation for the sale and ensuring all pending approvals were obtained, and advising on the transaction documents.
- Advised Telkom SA on the merger of its subsidiaries Africa Online Uganda and AFSAT communications Uganda Limited. This involved the drafting of Asset Purchase Agreement, and re-organization of the companies, applying for transfer of licences of one company to another to mention but a few.
- Advised VTEL on its proposed acquisition of a majority stake in Uganda Telecom Ltd valued at Millions of dollars. This involved carrying out a legal due diligence on Uganda Telecom Limited and providing Transactional advice on Property Law, Environment and Employment law.
- Advised One Network on its acquisition of NR Cyber and its telecommunication license and operations in Uganda. This involved carrying out a legal due diligence on NR Cyber, advising on transfer of telecommunications licence and general transactional advice.
- Advised K2 Telecom on various aspects of their business.
- Advised 4G Telecom Limited on its proposed entry into the Ugandan Market.
- Advised Louis Dreyfus on settlement resulting from the termination of a senior employee.
- Advised ATC Uganda on its termination of a senior employee.
- Advised Google International on settlement resulting from termination of a senior employee.
- Advised Planned Parenthood on the legal disciplinary process and dismissal of a senior employee.
- Successfully advised Geneva Global on termination of a consultant who filed suit claiming to have been an employee.
- Advised Muhavura Extractions Limited on the process of dismissal of a senior employee.
- Advised House of Eden regarding a sexual harassment claim by one of their employees.
- Represented, reviewed and prepared employee handbooks and manuals for numerous clients including but not limited to K2 Telecom, Qatar Airlines, Uganda Red Cross and International Hospital Kampala.
- Advised American Towers Corporation regarding redundancies and Pensions on the purchase of the MTN tower business.
- Advised Bharti Airtel Limited on the redundancy of employees on the merger with Warid Telecom Limited
- Advises numerous employees regarding unfair terminations and dismissals.
- Advises different companies regarding Workers Compensation and Health & Safety in the workplace.
- Advises various clients regarding the employer–employee relationship covering a variety of areas including sick leave, maternity leave, wages, disciplinary hearings, terminations, dismissals, discrimination, sexual harassment, redundancy, whistle blowing and work hours.