Yahaya Maikori

Atlanta, GA ***** 678-***-**** ad160b@r.postjobfree.com Yahaya Maikori LinkedIn

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

Global Gaming Enterprise International Business Leadership Entrepreneurial Innovation

Senior-level legal and compliance advisor and international entrepreneurial leader equipped with a gaming, sports, technology, media, and e-commerce career focusing on African investments. Provide vision to help stakeholders understand project goals and to support the development of key measures from ideation through execution with special attention to legal aspects as well as revenue generation. Collaborative team member skilled at fostering, sustaining, and managing strategic business relationships. Leverage project, program, and portfolio management skills, owning complex and highly visible projects end-to-end and building new businesses in new markets that have international reach.

Areas of Expertise

Corporate Law

Legal Advisement

Intellectual Property

Legal Writing and Research

Entertainment

Regulatory Compliance

Commercial Litigation

Marketing Communications

Global Strategy Execution

Trademarks and Licensing

Business Intelligence

Lobbying/Public Relations

Media and Gaming Law

Technology law

Full Cycle Project Management

Editing and Publications

Government Liaison

Multilingual (English, Jaba, Hausa)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Founded a leading global gaming company that encompasses four jurisdictions in Nigeria for revenue assurance

Served as a business consultant for one of the biggest event companies in Europe; assisted the company in building its African events franchise.

Co-founded one of the most lucrative casinos in Nigeria.

Co-founded one of the largest independent record labels in Africa.

Winner of the 2011 African entrepreneurship account for substantial work and expertise in the music business

Named as Who is Who Legal in gaming and sports 2021 by Chambers and Co.

Legal Adviser for Africa – igaming Business publication

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Sport Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria 11/2020 – Present

Vice Chair

Supervise the Leverage leadership acumen to oversee and guide business operations within the firm, focusing on operational excellence. Identify talent for board composition. Provide executive oversight of strategic engagements with multilateral institutions and sub-national governments.

Worked alongside the Federal Ministry of Youth and sports development to develop the first National sports policy in Africa.

Secured grants for sports advocacy and teamed with consultants to establish the sports infrastructure development fund as well as develop various products for clients and stakeholders.

Law Allianz Lagos, Nigeria 02/2009 – Present

Senior Partner

Leverage leadership acumen to oversee and guide business operations within the firm, focusing on operational excellence.

Spearhead the restructuring of the legal and regulatory framework of the Nigeria Lottery Regulatory Commission; drafted regulations and designed a roadmap for the development of the legal and regulatory framework for NLRC and the regulatory organizations for 4 other states

Delivered senior-level advisory consulting to the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission regarding the ongoing migration from analog to digital broadcasting; reviewed the NBC act and served as liaison with the Digi-team and National Assembly.

As a member of Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission committee draft regulations on digital/virtual assets

Drafted rules and regulations pursuant to meeting the deadline for the digital switchover.

Advised on some of the largest brands in gaming, including draft kings, Betkings, Bet365, betway, and many others.

Advised the largest soccer league in Nigeria

Global Gaming Company Limited Nigeria 05/2010 – 11/2020

Founder

Built Africa’s most diversified gaming company to date. Oversaw casino, sports betting, lottery, poker, and general legal and regulatory gaming consultancy.

The company served as an exclusive partner for “I Gaming Academy”, Clarion Events (owners of ICE, WRB, ICE Africa, and EIG) for Africa.

Supervised the engagement and onboard of 4 sub nationals for revenue assurance in the gaming sector

Chocolate City Music (Warner Music) Nigeria 2005 – 2011

Chairman

Provided executive oversight of fundraising and investments. Managed talent acquisition and retention, including the management of artists. Fostered and sustained strong business relationships, ensuring the growth of strategic partnerships and alliances.

Drove sponsorship and expansion into full media.

Oversaw all business functions within the Board of Directors.

First Alliance Pensions & Benefits Limited (Currently Arm Pension Managers) 2005 – 2008

Company Secretary/Legal Advisor

Assisted in securing license and providing advisement to the Board of Directors. Facilitated meetings, managed regulatory reporting and compliance, and set up company books, ensuring proper recordkeeping. Spearheaded due diligence, vetted agreements and conducted negotiations successfully.

Aso Saving & Loans PLC Abuja, Nigeria 1999 – 2001

Senior Legal Advisor

Reviewed documents, contracts, and changes to the legal landscape to determine how said changes affect policies within the organization. Assessed liabilities and risks and recommended courses of action to drive data-driven decision-making. Conducted and recorded board meetings and drove regulatory compliance in all aspects of business operations.

Liaised with regulatory bodies on behalf of the company.

Drafted, vetted, and skillfully negotiated loan and mortgage agreements.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Senior Executive Program – Africa (SEPA), Harvard Business School, Boston, MA

Call to Bar (BL), Nigerian Law School, Lagos, Nigeria

Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Osun State

Nigeria Bar Admissions

Law Society of England & Wales Bar Admissions

New York Bar Admissions, Pending

GDPR, Data Protection and Privacy, Udemy, Online

Debt Management, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

Certified Auctioneer, Institute of Certified Auctioneers

PUBLICATIONS

Step by Step Guide to Establishing an Online Partnership in the Gaming Industry

Market Develop in Asia and Africa: Black and White or Increasingly Grey

Gaming Outlook: Licensing and Operating a Gaming Company in Nigeria – What you need to know

“Challenges and Opportunities of Entering Africa’s Gaming Markets”

Exporting Nigeria Music – A Legal Perspective

International Creative Lawyering and Future Growth

What You Need to Know in 2012 – The Legal Update for Entertainment and Technology

Strategic Management of Intellectual Property for SMEs” [2010] –

WIPO/Korean Intellectual Property Organization – Seoul, South Korea

“Licensing and Financing in the Film Industry [2011] Kenyan Film Festival, Nairobi, Kenya

“What you need to know about entertainment/Technology law in Nigeria” [2012] - MIDEM Cannes, France

International Creative Lawyering & Future growth”2013” – SXSW Austin, Texas

Protecting The Interests of Artists in International Record Deals - Section on Business Law – NBA conference [2013] – Lagos, Nigeria.

‘The Nigerian creative economy, its history to date, and current trends

Blockchain and cryptocurrency in Nigeria: legally speaking

Policy and regulatory challenges posed by convergence in the broadcasting industry

Nigeria entertainment Industry: looking forward and moving ahead

Regulating esports: can we balance public and private interests?

Game development - Africa’s new frontier

CHAMBERS Global Practice Guide - GAMING law

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS

Chairman (Kaduna State Government), Kaduna State Esports Association, 2021 – Present

Vice-Chair, Sport Nigeria, 2021 – Present

Chairman (Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports), Nigeria Esports Caretaker Committee, 2020 – Present

Member (Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports) Sports Industry Working Group, 2020 – Present

Trustee, Ife Law Alumni Association – Obafemi Awolowo University, 2020 – Present

Chairman (Nigeria Economic Summit Group), Sports Industry Thematic Group, 2019 – Present

Committee Member, Blockchain & Virtual Financial Assets Framework – Securities and Exchange Commission, 2019 – Present

Trustee, Blockchain User Group Nigeria, 2016 – Present

Trustee, Tunneling Association of Nigeria, Present

Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (Sports Committee), 2020 – 2022)

Council Member, Nigeria Bar Association (Section on Business Law) 2020 – 2022

Member, Ice Africa Advisory Board – Clarion Gaming, 2019

Member, Law Society of England & Wales

Member, International Bar Association (leisure, Entertainment & IP section)

Member, Institute of Capital Market Registrars

Member, International Association of Entertainment Lawyers

Member, International Masters of Gaming law

Member, Institute of Directors (Nigeria)

Member, Digiteam (National Broadcasting Commission) Nigeria

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