About DeriviDoc
DeriviDoc was established in 2007 as an independent specialist serving the South African and broader African derivatives market. That core mandate remains unchanged. What has evolved is the structure around the business.
DeriviDoc now sits within a small, family-owned group of complementary entities operating across documentation, advisory and training:
FIT Legal (UK) – our sister company serving UK and European clients, with a parallel focus on derivatives documentation, negotiation and legal support.
DerivativesLab – a digital education and training platform that underpins and extends the technical capability of both businesses.
This alignment creates a shared pool of expertise across jurisdictions while preserving DeriviDoc’s established local presence and client relationships. For longstanding clients, the offering, people and focus remain consistent. The difference is increased depth: access to broader specialist knowledge, structured training capability, and closer collaboration with an international counterpart.
DeriviDoc remains a dedicated African-market practice – now strengthened by its position within a wider, integrated ecosystem.
Edyta Knizewska
CEO
Edyta Knizewska is a dual-qualified derivatives lawyer (England & Ireland) and CEO of DeriviDoc. She leads the firm’s advisory and education businesses, helping legal and financial professionals navigate complex trading documentation with confidence.
Before joining DeriviDoc, Edyta built her career at Credit Suisse, Man Group plc and later founded FIT Legal, advising asset managers and financial institutions on derivatives documentation, fund launches and trading agreements.
Today she combines more than a decade of practical market experience with a passion for making complex documentation clear, practical and commercially relevant.
Neal Lodhia
Chief Operating officer
Neal Lodhia is Chief Operating Officer of DeriviDoc and co-founder of FIT Legal. He specialises in trading documentation, regulatory change and operational delivery for asset managers and financial institutions.
Before co-founding FIT Legal, Neal spent ten years at Man Group plc, leading major regulatory and transformation initiatives, before joining S&P Global Market Intelligence as a Buy-Side Specialist.
He holds law degrees from SOAS University of London and BPP Law School, bringing deep legal and operational expertise to DeriviDoc’s advisory practice.
Melissa van der Merwe
Founder
Melissa van der Merwe founded DeriviDoc in 2007, establishing it as one of Africa’s leading specialist consultancies in OTC derivatives documentation and training.
A derivatives lawyer with almost three decades of industry experience, she previously spent eight years in the legal team at JPMorgan Chase in London negotiating ISDA®, GMRA and GMSLA agreements.
Melissa now serves as an external adviser to DeriviDoc while continuing her career within a global investment bank in London.
Ciska Thurman
Operations & Communications Manager
Ciska Thurman is Operations & Communications Manager at DeriviDoc, overseeing operational delivery, client communications and the development of the firm’s educational programmes.
Having worked with DeriviDoc since 2011, she combines experience across education, publishing, operations and learning design, including roles at Oxford University Press Southern Africa and within the global edtech sector.
Her focus is ensuring that DeriviDoc’s legal expertise is delivered with clarity, consistency and an outstanding learner experience.