Group Legal Director | PalmPay | China
Chinwe Alli is a seasoned legal executive and global technology law expert, dual-qualified as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales and as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She currently serves as Group Legal Director at PalmPay, a leading digital financial services platform operating across Africa and Asia, where she leads a multinational legal team focused on commercial strategy, intellectual property (IP), data privacy, and cross-border compliance. Her expertise spans technology law, IP protection, and the evolving regulatory landscape around AI and emerging digital innovations.
Chinwe is also the Founder and Principal of Velle Law, a corporate legal practice supporting clients in safeguarding intellectual property in Africa and the UK, while acting as a strategic bridge for businesses seeking market entry and cross-border growth across both regions. Velle Law provides advisory on IP protection, commercial structuring, and regulatory compliance—particularly for tech startups, creative entrepreneurs, and international investors.
At PalmPay, she advises on the development of AI-enabled products, helping to align them with legal and regulatory frameworks. This includes structuring contracts that clearly define rights and responsibilities around proprietary algorithms, software, and digital assets, ensuring legal clarity in a fast-moving innovation space.
Previously, at Jumia Group, Chinwe supported global IP enforcement, AML/CFT compliance, and digital commerce regulation. She was instrumental in strengthening Jumia’s relationships with 12 African embassies and China–Africa trade associations, and organized legal education sessions for the African community in China to promote awareness of e-commerce law and digital rights.
She holds a Master’s Degree in International Law from Peking University—graduating with distinction and at the top of her class—and an LL.B from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, where she ranked in the top 10 of her cohort. She is fluent in English, with working proficiency in Mandarin Chinese and intermediate French, enabling her to navigate complex legal systems across jurisdictions and cultures.
She is a classical violinist and vocalist and also directs a multicultural choir in Hangzhou. Her musicality brings a unique, creative dimension to her legal thinking—blending logic, artistry, and cross-disciplinary insight.
Chinwe is honoured to be part of this important conversation on AI and IP ownership, and looks forward to sharing her perspective on how legal frameworks must evolve to meet the realities of machine-generated innovation.
