Zurina Saban

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Zurina Saban

Zurina Saban is a successful international lawyer with over 20 years of experience in development finance and institutional matters. 

She joined Africa50 as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Before joining Africa50, Ms. Saban was the General Counsel of Absa Corporate and Investment Bank in South Africa, where she served on the Executive Committee and other strategic committees of the company. She led a large team of multi-sectoral professionals responsible for all legal services related to investment, regulatory and corporate activities.

Prior to Absa, Ms. Saban held several leadership positions at the International Finance Corporation, where she served in numerous roles including as Counsel in Washington D.C, and as Principal Counsel for the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia based in Cairo and Istanbul, and then as Assistant General Counsel for Africa, leading a team of lawyers and managing legal risk on all new and portfolio business in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ms. Saban started her legal career at White & Case in South Africa and the UK, focusing on project finance transactions in emerging markets.

Zurina is a South African and British national and holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Cape Town. She was admitted as an attorney to the High Court of Cape Town and as a solicitor under the laws of England and Wales.