Specialties
Commercial, Cross Border Mergers & Acquisitions, Finance (Corporate), Mergers and Acquisitions, Stock Exchange PracticeMergers and acquisitions (both cross-border and domestic); Securities regulation law, Equity capital markets, Corporate finance law, General corporate and commercial law; Drafting and settling of Contracts, Negotiations and Corporate GovernancePosition
Founding Partner
Languages
English, IsiZulu (conversational)
Contact
Phone:+27 (0)83 418 0797
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
George Sibanda
Founding PartnerBiographical
George Sibanda is a founding partner of the law firm and is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa. He is a member of the South African Law Society of the Northern Provinces and the Cape Law Society.
Until 31 May 2014 he was an equity partner in Webber Wentzel (a top tier South African law firm) and was part of the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group. He is also a former member of the Webber Wentzel's Management Board. He joined Webber Wentzel in 1999 as a candidate attorney. After completing articles, he joined the firm's Media and Technology Department in January 2001. George left Webber Wentzel in October 2002 to take up a position as legal adviser to Shell South Africa and re-joined the firm in 2004 as senior associate in the Corporate Services Department. He was promoted to partner on 1 March 2006.
Notable Transactions
George holds a B.Com and LLB degrees from Rhodes University and a Certificate in Advanced Corporate Law and Securities Law from the University of South Africa (UNISA). He is currently reading for his Masters in Business Administartion (MBA) Degree at Rhodes Business Scholl.
George has worked on numerous M&A, corporate, commercial and capital finance transactions. The more significant transactions include:
- Acting for Life Healthcare Group Holdings Limited in its ZAR7 billion initial public offer, the largest IPO ever on the JSE.
- Acting for Vodafone in the acquisition by the Vodafone Group of an additional 15% stake in Vodacom Group Limited for approximately ZAR22 billion and the subsequent listing of Vodacom on the securities exchange of the JSE (valued at approximately ZAR80 billion).
- Acting for the JSE in the demutualisation of the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (now the JSE).
- The acquisition by Vodafone Group plc of the entire issued share capital of VenFin Limited (valued at approximately ZAR21 billion).
- The secondary listing of Oando Plc (a Nigerian oil and petroleum company with its primary listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange) on the securities exchange of the JSE.
- Acting as South African Counsel to Oando Plc in its USD150 million rights offer.
- The unbundling by Anglo American plc of its Mondi division and the proposed listing of Mondi companies on the London Stock Exchange and the Securities Exchange of the JSE Limited (valued at approximately ZAR50 billion).
- Acting for Mondi Limited, Mondi plc and Mpact Limited (formerly Mondi Packaging South Africa Limited) in the unbundling (demerger) by Mondi Limited of Mpact Limited and the listing of Mpact Limited on the JSE.
- Acting for HSBC Holdings plc in its potential bid for a controlling stake in Nedbank Group Limited, listed on the securities exchange of JSE Limited.
- Acting for African Development Corporation (a pan-African private equity fund) who, together with a Mauritian based consortium acquired a 54% stake in Premier Finance Group, a banking and financial services group in Zimbabwe.
- Transaction adviser in the merger of the risk and employee benefits businesses of Thebe Investment Corporation (Proprietary) Limited and Pamodzi Broker Holdings Limited.
- The acquisition by Thebe Investment Corporation (Proprietary) Limited of 15% of the issued share capital in Combined Motor Holdings Limited.
- The refinancing of Metrofile Holdings Limited and the rights offer by Metrofile Holdings Limited to its shareholders.
- The introduction by Naspers of BEE shareholders in respect of MultiChoice and Media 24 and the public offer by each of Phuthuma Nathi Investments Limited and Welkom Yizani Investments Limited to afford eligible black persons and groups the opportunity to acquire an indirect stake in each of MultiChoice and Media 24 (valued at approximately ZAR3 billion).
- Acting for Anglo American plc in relation to the underwriting and support of a rights issue by its JSE-listed subsidiary, Anglo Platinum Limited, to the value of ZAR12,5 billion.