Arst Avocats has sealed a strategic partnership with FBC Consulting, a firm specializing in the energy field in Gabon and West Africa

Jean-Flavien Fame, can you introduce yourself?

I hold degrees from French and American universities in Business Law (Master's in Business Law – University of Toulouse I), Contract Law (DEA in Contract Law – University of Paris XI-Sceaux) and Energy and Environmental Law (LLM in Energy & Environmental Law – University of Connecticut; School of Law).

I have over twenty years of experience in the energy sector (oil and gas) and projects.

Before establishing myself as a Legal Counsel in Gabon in 2017, I worked at Royal Dutch Shell (the world's second largest oil company) in Gabon and Nigeria, as a Tax & Legal Advisor, Asset Development Advisor, Contract Manager, Audit & Compliance Manager and Supply Chain Manager.

In addition to this long experience in the oil and gas sector, I also worked in a law firm in Gabon, as a Legal Consultant Manager.

I am a member of the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN ), headquartered in Houston, USA.

What is FBC Consulting's core business?

FBC Consulting is a legal consulting firm specializing in contract and energy law. Although recently established in Gabon, the firm is already quite well-known to authorities and many economic operators.

Over the past five years and prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, FBC Consulting had the opportunity to support Gabonese authorities and international organizations in carrying out important projects in Gabon.

In this regard, the drafting of the current hydrocarbons code, the project to sell the assets of Shell Gabon and Total Gabon, and the World Bank-funded study on natural gas development in Gabon and the reduction of flaring deserve mention.

Can you tell us the reasons for this partnership with a law firm in France, in this case Arst Avocats?

At FBC Consulting, we wanted to give our firm a more international dimension, notably by creating synergies with a firm that is itself internationally focused (Arst Avocats is a member of an international network of lawyers), and by diversifying our areas of expertise. These are the main reasons and ambitions that led us to forge this partnership with Arst Avocats, a law firm that intends, as part of its development, to expand into North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

At FBC Consulting, we wanted to give our firm a more international dimension, notably by creating synergies with a firm that is itself internationally focused

What are the challenges to be addressed today in Gabon and more generally in sub-Saharan Africa through such a partnership?

The main challenge facing the world today is undoubtedly the decarbonization of the economy; in other words, the transition from an economy based on the use of fossil fuels to a green economy; a clean economy in which the majority of the energy used comes from renewable sources. All of this aims to combat climate change and, more broadly, to preserve the environment, this common good that we have inherited from Mother Nature and that we have a duty to pass on in good condition to future generations.

Africa, and Gabon in particular, has embraced this cause and needs adequate support throughout this long energy transition process. Our ambition is to position ourselves as a leading firm and, ultimately, play a significant role in this support, both because it is our profession and because it aligns with our values ​​and aspirations as human beings.

What are the next steps or concrete outcomes of this partnership?

We have many ideas and opportunities are already arising, some of our respective contacts having clearly understood the benefit of collaborating with a firm that is well established locally and can rely on highly complementary skills at the European or even global level through its own partnerships.

We are considering organizing an event addressing the legal issues surrounding potential energy projects in Gabon and possibly other sub-Saharan African countries. We hope to be able to bring such a project to fruition soon.