Stéphane BRABANT

Stéphane Brabant is the Senior Partner of Trinity International AARPI (Trinity Paris). Prior to joining Trinity Paris in 2021, Stéphane was a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills and held global key roles, including co-Chair of the Africa practice, Chair of Global Mining, Co-head of Business and Human Rights group and Head of the Crisis Management group for Africa.

Stéphane has over 30 years of experience as a projects and transactional lawyer, primarily in the mining and energy sectors in Africa, with a particular focus on the structuring of complex investments between multinationals and States, crisis prevention and management and dispute resolution (including arbitration).

Stéphane has also built a strong practice advising businesses on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies and how they can align their activities with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He was one of the experts advising John Ruggie (former UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises) on the human rights capacity building obligations and responsibilities of States and multinationals. He has also built a strong understanding of Blockchain and its value in enabling traceability in supply chains.

Legal guides consistently rank Stéphane in the top tier. He is the only lawyer singled out by Chambers Global for its highest “Senior Statesman” ranking for Africa-wide Projects & Energy and received a “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the Chambers Africa Awards 2021 in recognition of his contribution to the legal profession and to the practice of law across the African continent. He is also ranked by Chambers Global in band 1 for Global-wide Business & Human Rights.

Stéphane is a member of the Advisory Board of the Business & Human Rights Project of the American Bar Association’s Center for Human Rights; as well as a member of the Social Impacts, Project Affected Communities and Indigenous Peoples organisations of the Chamber of the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Council. He is also a former co-Chair of the International Bar Association’s CSR work group.