At van der Merwe

Director
Johannesburg
About

At is a banking and finance lawyer that brings more than 14 years of experience as both a legal advisor at a leading South African bank and in legal practice.  At has extensive experience providing legal and transaction specific commercial advice South African and international banks, other financial institutions and large corporations in respect of a broad range of financing transactions. These transactions range from syndicated debt restructuring of large corporate clients, general corporate financing provided to large corporate and SME clients across various sectors, acquisition financing, leveraged and property finance transactions, capital markets and high yield bond transactions and fund financing. 

In addition to transactional advisory services, At has experience assisting clients on a wide range of banking and financial services regulatory matters, including matters relating to exchange control regulation and various pieces of financial services and banking legislation.

Areas of FocusFinance

EXPERIENCE

During his time as legal advisor, At advised the bank on the following significant transactions:

  • Syndicated Sustainability Linked Term Loan, Revolving Loan and General Banking Facilities provided to Mediclinic by a syndicate of lenders, arranged by Rand Merchant Bank as Initial Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner.
  • Refinancing of Senior Term and Working Capital Facilities provided to Actom by a syndicate of lenders, inter alia, arranged by Rand Merchant Bank as Mandated Lead Arranger.
  • Restructuring and refinancing of Senior Term Facilities provided to Virgin Active South Africa.
  • Senior Term and Working Capital Facilities provided to a South African telecommunications company by Rand Merchant Bank.
  • Refinancing of Senior Preference Share, Senior Term Facilities and Working Capital Facilities provided to the Peermont group of companies by a syndicate of lenders, inter alia, arranged by Rand Merchant Bank as Mandated Lead Arranger.
  • Sustainability Linked Facilities provided to Shoprite by Rand Merchant Bank.
  • The refinancing of over ZAR9bn debt facilities to Ardagh Glass South Africa and its subsidiaries in Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria.
  • Preference share and quasi-equity funding provided to Masimong group of companies, including in the agricultural sector.

    Notable transactions whilst in legal practice includes:
  • A syndicate of international and South African term loan lenders in respect of the debt and capital restructuring of Edcon. 
  • International Finance Corporation on two separate loan facilities, in an amount of USD200m and USD100m respectively, to FirstRand Bank Limited. 
  • Rand Merchant Bank on a ZAR250m senior term facility provided to Choppies Supermarkets, guaranteed by Choppies Enterprises Limited (incorporated in Botswana). 
  • Investec Bank Limited on a USD10m revolving credit facility provided to a private equity fund based in Mauritius. 
  • Investec Bank Limited on revolving credit facilities of USD20m in total provided to private equity funds based in Mauritius and South Africa respectively. 
Languages
  • English
  • Afrikaans
Education
  • University of Johannesburg, LLB, 2007
  • University of Johannesburg, B.Com (law), 2005

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Phone

+27 (0)11 302 0837
(Work, Johannesburg)