Africa

Rothschild provides a full range of financial advisory services from our office in Johannesburg, as well as servicing Africa’s French speaking regions from Paris.

Clients benefit from our local market experience and access to Rothschild’s intellectual capital and global network of contacts and industry sector specialists.

We have advised on some of Africa’s largest and most complex transactions. In South Africa, our recent notable assignments include Walmart’s acquisition of a controlling stake in Massmart, Barclays’ acquisition of a majority interest in Absa Group, Associated Food’s acquisition of 51% of Illovo Sugar and the subsequent rights offer by Illovo, as well as debt advice to Transnet Limited and Eskom. In the wider region, our notable assignments include the €550 million asset swap between Credit Agricole and Attijariwafa Bank, and the sale of 40% of Meditel to France Telecom group for €640 million.

Our South African team, led by Martin Kingston, has significant experience in and understanding of local markets and their regulators. The team has played an active role in the development of Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) policy and in facilitating dialogue between clients and the various stakeholders. We were the first advisory house in South Africa to implement an empowerment transaction, and our involvement in BBBEE transactions includes those of Anglo American, Anglo Platinum, Anglo Coal, Xstrata and Palabora Mining Company.

Rothschild’s South African business began as a joint venture with Kagiso in 1996, and enjoyed a successful 15 year partnership with the group which concluded in 2011. In 2012, Rothschild’s South African business will establish a Foundation which will directly own 25.1% of the company, and will be responsible for supporting Historically Disadvantaged South Africans in appropriate Masters programmes relevant to the financial services sector.