Phetheni Nkuna to oversee continued integration of Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s African ops as new COO

Phetheni Nkuna will bring a rare and powerful combination of leadership and operational insight to her new role as the new Chief Operating Officer of leading firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH), says Brent Williams, the Chief Executive Officer of CDH.

“She has a deep and authentic understanding of what it means to practise law, combined with strong business, financial, and operational acumen,” says Williams, noting Nkuna has already demonstrated her ability to think strategically, lead decisively, and drive meaningful progress across the firm as Director of Executive Management. “I am confident she will continue to play a critical part in advancing CDH’s strategic priorities across our offices in South Africa, Kenya and Namibia.”

As an award-winning law firm on the African continent, Nkuna’s appointment, effective 1 April 2026, reinforces CDH’s strategic objective to drive innovation, transformation, and operational excellence amid a rapidly evolving legal landscape.

The new COO, who joined CDH as a Director in the Employment Law practice in late 2020, has served as the firm’s Director of Executive Management since June 2023, overseeing several operational portfolios and working closely with CEO Williams to advance the firm’s strategic agenda. The firm says Nkuna’s appointment to executive management in 2023 marked an important step in broadening her contribution beyond legal practice, at a comparatively early stage of her leadership journey.

“She embodies a forward-looking leadership mindset, one that not only drives performance and innovation, but is equally focused on laying the groundwork for the future by enabling emerging legal professionals to realise their potential,” says CDH, as Nkuna prepares to begin her new role as COO. “In doing so, she is helping to embed a culture where talent is equipped, supported, and empowered to succeed.”

Since stepping into the Director of Executive Management position, Nkuna has also “become an increasingly central architect of the firm’s strategic direction”, says CDH, playing to the unique strengths that define the firm. “She has played a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s operational strategy, advancing its people-first agenda, and driving client and business development priorities. In parallel, she has contributed significantly to client engagement and market intelligence, with a particular focus on innovation and the evolving legal landscape across Africa and globally.”

Nkuna’s appointment as COO comes as CDH seeks to strengthen its leadership capacity and advance key strategic priorities, including operational efficiency and sustainable growth across its African footprint. As one of South Africa’s largest firms, CDH has over 350 lawyers nationwide, offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, Stellenbosch, Ongwediva, Windhoek, and serves clients throughout Africa.

CDH focuses on several key sectors which are active and thriving in Africa, including mining and minerals, telecommunications, energy, oil and gas, banking and finance, projects and infrastructure, hospitality and leisure, and dispute resolution.

A law graduate of the University of Limpopo, Nkuna also holds an LLM in Labour Law from the University of Pretoria, and a Postgraduate Diploma in General Management and an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science.

Much like Nkuna’s own measured and forward-looking approach, CDH’s expansion across Africa reflects a broader strategic synergy, one that is systematic, thoughtful, and grounded in meaningful, long-term impact, says the leading law firm. “Her progression mirrors the firm’s big-picture vision: carefully calibrated, people-centred, and aligned with evolving market realities, ensuring that growth is not only sustainable, but also deliberately positioned for the future and deeply integrated across jurisdictions and practice areas.”