Financial institutions
As wealth increases in Africa, the need for sophisticated banking services is developing, and attracting international financial institutions. At the same time, African banks are expanding their footprint across the continent and beyond, particularly in South Africa, where the market for financial services is more advanced than in other African jurisdictions.
We have one of the world’s leading financial institutions practices with almost 1,000 lawyers across the world. The strength and depth of our experience across asset managers, banks, insurers and financial services and markets is reflected in our panel membership of more than 50 major global financial institutions. Our banking and finance, capital markets and project finance teams are recognised as top tier in South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa.
Our recent work
Das Assafaa
We have acted on a number of landmark deals in the African financial institutions sector, including laying the legal groundwork for the first ‘alternative’ financing products to emerge in Morocco, when we helped Attijariwafa Bank to set up Dar Assafaa, a wholly owned banking subsidiary in 2010.
A core team of lawyers from our Casablanca, Dubai and London offices organised its financing products and worked on its refinancing. Capitalised at US$5.7 million, primarily through capital owned by Attijariwafa, its first four products, equivalent to Murabaha contracts, included financing for real estate, vehicles and consumer products and services.
Awards and accolades
- Best commodity trade finance law firm, 2012/2011, Trade Finance Awards