CDH expands in key sectors
02 Feb 2016
Johannesburg – 29 January 2016 – Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) has hired three new directors to join its corporate and commercial practice following eight partner appointments late last year as it moves to grow its practice in key sectors.
CDH, which has a proud history in South Africa that dates back to 1853, is gearing up for renewed growth and an exciting future following an update to its corporate branding last year.
In welcoming the new directors – all of whom are returning to the firm – CEO Brent Williams says CDH’s new branding reflects a focused strategic approach, most notably in the integration of services and sectoral offerings, the addition of value-added services and a focus on innovation, partner collaboration and client-tailored solutions.
“We are thrilled to have these former staff members back as they all come highly recommended, with deep legal expertise in the M&A and banking and finance fields,” he says.
While economic conditions remain tough, CDH’s Mergers and Acquisition (M&A) team achieved first place by deal value for South African firms and 12th place internationally in the latest Mergermarket M&A Africa & Middle East 2015 Global League Tables, by increasing its deal value to $18.8 billion from $9.2 billion in 2014. This is despite a relatively weak performance for deal activity in the region.
“Our new hires are in line with our strategy to grow our service offering in the sectors in which our clients do business in South Africa and the rest of the continent,” says Mr Williams.
Sibongile Solombela returns to the firm as a director in the Corporate and Commercial practice after starting his career in law at CDH in 2005. More recently he served as a Senior Legal Manager at Lonmin plc. He specialises in M&A’s, corporate finance and securities law and completed his BCom (Economics and Law) and LLB at Rhodes University and his MBA at GIBS.
Jenni Darling re-joins the firm after spending a solid tenure at Tabacks Attorneys and Corporate Law Advisors. She began her career at CDH in 2010. Jenni holds a BAcc and LLB from Stellenbosch University and comes highly recommended in the banking and finance and tax fields. In addition to banking and finance, Jenni also has experience in the Private Equity field.
Ludwig Smith, meanwhile, is a seasoned legal expert in banking and finance and tax and returns to the firm after spending a solid tenure at Tabacks Attorneys and Corporate Law Advisors. Ludwig practiced banking and finance law for almost three decades before he began his tenure at Tabacks Attorneys and Corporate Law Advisors. He qualified as an attorney in 1982 and holds a BComm, LLB and HDip degree from the University of Witwatersrand. In addition he has experience in the private equity and insurance fields.
Over and above these three key leadership appointments, Jerain Naidoo, Gareth Munnick, Nicole Amoretti and Yashika Govind also join CDH in the Corporate and Commercial, Finance and Banking, Dispute Resolution and Tax practice areas as associates.
The firm is now well placed to lead the race for business following a string of awards in the past year that reflect its entrenched role as a go-to firm for businesses in need of solutions that make a difference.
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