Esther de Jager is one of the Group Legal Counsels for Nando’s, a leading international restaurant group with a footprint spanning Southern Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, North America and multiple franchise markets across the globe. Nando’s operates more than 1,200 restaurants worldwide, employs over 35,000 people, and is recognised for its strong brand identity, innovative culture, and purpose‑driven commitment to people and communities.

Esther advises on complex commercial arrangements, cross‑border franchising structures, intellectual property, brand collaborations, governance, and regulatory compliance, supporting teams across multiple jurisdictions.

She has played a key role in strengthening group governance, implementing global policy frameworks, and driving consistency across multiple legal entities. Esther is passionate about equipping a lean in‑house team with smart, practical legal support tools and actively champions the adoption of legal technology to streamline workflows and enhance service delivery.

Esther is committed to fairness, integrity, and building human‑centred legal processes. She is passionate about developing young legal talent and mentoring junior lawyers.