Puleng Chabeli
Legal Manager: Environmental And Social Risk Assessment
Johannesburg
Work Preference
Summary
I am a Legal Manager in the banking sector with expertise in Environmental and Social (E&S) Risk Assessment, regulatory compliance, and risk management. For the past four years, I have proactively worked to identify and mitigate E&S risks, associated with our clients' business activities, across various industries ensuring compliance with national legislation and related regulations with a lens of global sustainability standards. With a BSc degree and LLB from Rhodes University, I bring a unique blend of legal and environmental expertise. I leverage this educational background to align business objectives with compliance and ESG goals.
My E&S career journey began from environmental intern to senior environmental and legal services consultant, with a short tenure as Compliance Manager, giving me a strong foundation in both consultancy and corporate governance.
My experience includes, but is not limited to, environmental and social risk assessments within credit lending, environmental impact assessments and reporting, integrated water and waste management plans, environmental audits, legal compliance audits and ISO 14001:2015 audits.
I began my career at the now Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment contributing to the conversations on the national climate change policy as well as undertaking legal and technical reviews of international environmental agreements through research and legal opinions.
Overview
4
4
Languages
1
1
Certification
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Legal Manager: Environmental and Social Risk Assessment
First National Bank
07.2024 - Current
- Managing a team to output ES risk assessments that feed into the credit lending decision
- Undertake environmental and social due diligence assessments to evaluate client compliance, and provide advisory support E&S compliance and maturity in line with regulatory requirements
- Write legal opinions and guidance on E&S risks and environmental regulatory requirements/impacts for existing and proposed financial products
- Review and enhance internal policies, frameworks and processes of the environmental and social due diligence review process
- Project manage portfolio optimisation initiatives to improve efficiencies and operational effectiveness
Legal Advisor: Environmental and Social Risk Assessment Specialist and Team Lead
First National Bank
06.2022 - 06.2024
- Undertook environmental and social due diligence assessments on Bank clients within numerous industries (i.e., commercial property finance, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, fuel retailing)
- Led and managed the ESRA Team and drove efficiencies and built competencies
- Reviewed internal policies, frameworks and processes to optimize the environmental and social due diligence process
- Provided guidance on E&S compliance using my practical environmental and social expertise
- Engaged Bank clients to provide clarity on E&S requirements and applicability within their industries
Environmental and Legal Consultant and Acting Manager for Compliance
Digby Wells Environmental
02.2020 - 04.2022
- Drafted and reviewed proposals for EIA and compliance audit projects
- Project managed environmental audits, legal compliance audits and ISO audits and EIA projects
- Conducted legal reviews, provided comprehensive legal opinions and performed legal gap analysis to ensure regulatory compliance to enable client decision making
- Compiled legal chapters for ESIA reports for non-SA (African) projects and compiled EIA reports for SA projects
- Outputted an IFC Performance Standards Audit for a copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (site visit included)
- Outputted a SADC legislative study on PCB management in relation to the Stockholm Convention (Seychelles and Namibia as site visit countries)
- Reviewed contracts, agreements, and legal documents to ensure alignment with regulatory standards, company commitments and management of impacted stakeholders
Assistant Environmental and Legal Consultant
Digby Wells Environmental
05.2018 - 01.2020
- Drafted proposals for EIA and Audit projects
- Provided legal opinions and compiled legal chapters for non-SA EIA reports and EIA Reports for SA Projects
- Project managed environmental audits, legal compliance audits and ISO audits & Project coordinated EIA projects
- Compiled and reviewed environmental audit reports
- Managed NDAs, MOUs, and affiliate contracts
Environmental and Legal Intern
Digby Wells Environmental
02.2018 - 04.2018
- Conducted environmental regulatory research to interpret applicable legislation and provide informed guidance on emerging legislative developments
- Remained abreast with changes in environmental legislation to ensure accurate legal interpretation and informed advisory support
- Drafted of proposals, legal opinions, environmental audit reports,
- Reviewed contracts
International Climate Change Relations and Negotiations Intern
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
04.2017 - 01.2018
- Delivered legal input on national climate change policies and legislation, including Paris Agreement, to guide compliance and strategic alignment
- Compiled legal opinions on environmental bilateral and multinational agreements, ensuring compliance with international and domestic regulatory frameworks to support policy coherence
- Conducted research on climate change policies under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to inform policy development
- Supported senior leadership in preparing for COP engagements, enhancing negotiation strategies and stakeholder engagement
- Participated in in-country climate change workshops and meetings with public and private sector stakeholders
Education
Business Risk Management Certificate -
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, SA01.2021
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) - undefined
Rhodes University
Grahamstown, SA01.2016
Bachelor of Science (BSc) - undefined
Rhodes University
Grahamstown, SA01.2014
Skills
Regulatory compliance
Risk mitigation
Document drafting
Quality control
Research and data collection
Project management
Compliance
Verbal and written communication
Problem-solving
Teamwork and collaboration
Compliance
Document drafting
Affiliations
Compliance Institute Southern Africa - Membership ID.: 3339742
Certification
Certificate of Competence – EMS Internal ISO14001:2015 Lead Auditor
Timeline
Legal Manager: Environmental and Social Risk Assessment
First National Bank
07.2024 - Current
Legal Advisor: Environmental and Social Risk Assessment Specialist and Team Lead
First National Bank
06.2022 - 06.2024
Environmental and Legal Consultant and Acting Manager for Compliance
Digby Wells Environmental
02.2020 - 04.2022
Assistant Environmental and Legal Consultant
Digby Wells Environmental
05.2018 - 01.2020
Environmental and Legal Intern
Digby Wells Environmental
02.2018 - 04.2018
International Climate Change Relations and Negotiations Intern
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
04.2017 - 01.2018
Bachelor of Science (BSc) - undefined
Rhodes University
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) - undefined
Rhodes University
Business Risk Management Certificate -
University of Cape Town
SHORT COURSES
- Analysing Banking Risk, FirstRand – December 2025
- Process Efficiency Awareness Programme – White Belt, FirstRand, November 2024
- Environmental & Social Risk Analysis (ESRA) Training, INCAE Business School – September 2022
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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REFERENCES
Marianne van Wyk
Legal Head at First National Bank
Cellphone: +27 83 318 1116
Email: marianne.vanwyk@fnb.co.za
Lucy Stevens
Director: Mining, Environment and Legal Services at Digby Wells Environmental
Cellphone: +27 82 332 1717
Email: lucy.koeslag@digbywells.com
Mia Smith
Principal Consultant: Sustainable Finance at SLR Consulting
Cellphone: +27 66 269 4345
Email: mia.smith1@gmail.com
Yoliswa Zozo
Sustainability Project Coordinator at Sanlam
Cellphone: +27 76 257 4678
Email: yoliswazozo@gmail.com
Quote
The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.
Chinese proverb
Languages
English
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)