At Bowmans, the banking and finance practice has a solid track record in advising on high-profile, complex restructurings, and sustainability-linked funding transactions. The team is noted for its strength in representing borrowers, however the group is equally adept at advising lenders such as investment banks in high-value matters. Shamilah Grimwood-Norley co-heads the department with Ulrike Naumann, who has extensive experience in mezzanine finance, secured and syndicated lending, and debt restructuring. Jan Kruger specialises in handling preference share funding arrangements. Jason Wilkinson and Michael Swartland are also singled out for their contributions to the team.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The people and service are excellent.'
‘Knowledge, skill, speed, commitment is what sets them apart.'
'They have really committed people.'
Key clients
- Absa Bank Limited
- African Rainbow Capital
- African Rainbow Minerals Limited
- Alexander Forbes Group Holdings Limited
- Alexander Forbes Life Limited
- ARM Coal Limited
- Ashburton Fund Managers Proprietary Limited
- Bank of China
- Capitec Bank Limited
- Clindeb
- Coca Cola Beverages South Africa Propriety Limited
- Development Bank of Southern Africa
- Fairfax Africa Investments Proprietary Limited
- FirstRand Bank Limited
- Future growth Asset Management Proprietary Limited
- HSBC Bank plc
- Imperial Logistics Limited, Imperial Capital Limited, Imperial South Africa Holdings Proprietary Limited, Imperial South Africa Group Proprietary Limited, Imperial Mobility International B.V., and Imperial Mobility Finance B.V.
- Investec Bank Limited
- JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A. (London Branch)
- Nedbank Limited
- Netcare Limited
- Ninety-One Limited
- Old Mutual Alternative Investments Proprietary Limited, Old Mutual Hybrid Equity Fund, Old Mutual Specialised Finance
- Orion Mine Finance, Orion Resources Partners
- Prescient Investment Management Proprietary Limited
- RMB International (Mauritius) Limited
- Sanlam Investment Management Proprietary Limited
- Sanlam Life Insurance Limited
- Standard Chartered Bank
- The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, Stanbic Bank IBTC PLC, Stanbic Bank Kenya Limited
- Stanlib Management Proprietary Limited
- Tongaat Hulett Limited
- Trafigura PTE Limited
Work highlights
- Advising the National Treasury on the provision of a sustainable solution to the R440 billion debt burden of Eskom.
- Advised Rand Merchant Bank, The Standard Bank of South Africa and other lenders on the impact of the Heineken scheme of arrangement on Distell Limited’s R6.2 billion funding package.
- Advising a syndicate of financiers on the refinancing of Sun International Limited’s R6 billion debt.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Shamilah Grimwood-Norley, Ulrike Naumann