Larry Cooke

Legal Counsel - Africa for Binance

Larry Cooke [the ‘e’ is silent], is the Legal Counsel for Binance across Africa. Since joining Binance, in August 2023, Larry has been instrumental in guiding the company through the evolving regulatory landscape across Africa. With his extensive legal expertise, he ensures that Binance’s operations align with regional and global compliance standards, focusing on fostering responsible innovation in the cryptocurrency space.

Prior to joining Binance, Larry served as Lead Legal Counsel at the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) from 2021 to 2023. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing legal matters related to SARB’s subsidiaries, including the South African Mint Company and Prestige Bullion. Larry also provided legal counsel for SARB’s FinTech, SADC (Southern African Development Community), FinSurv (Financial Surveillance), and Corporate Services divisions. He demonstrated strong leadership as Chairman of SARB’s Under-35s group, where he championed initiatives aimed at nurturing young talent within the organization.

Before his tenure at SARB, Larry spent over six years at Absa Group, holding various senior legal roles. As Senior Legal Counsel, he provided commercial legal advice on procurement, technology, and operations. He also played a key role in driving cultural transformation at Absa as the Culture Lead, where he led enterprise-wide initiatives to align organizational culture with strategic objectives. Earlier in his career, Larry was a Legal Counsel at Absa and a Candidate Attorney at Webber Wentzel, where he gained valuable experience in employment, banking, finance, and regulatory practices.

Larry holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in Company Law, a Postgraduate Diploma in Commercial and Business Law. His legal acumen and leadership experience make him a key asset to Binance as he navigates the complexities of regulatory compliance and blockchain innovation across Africa.

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