Sphesihle Nxumalo
Biography
Sphesihle Nxumalo is a senior associate in Baker McKenzie's Antitrust & Competition Practice Group in Johannesburg.
His experience spans the entire spectrum of antitrust and competition law across all African jurisdictions.
Sphesihle advises and represents blue chip multinational companies on high value and complex merger transactions, as well as on antitrust litigation relating to abuse of dominance, cartel conduct and vertical restraints.
He has a wealth of experience and routinely advises and acts for clients in diverse industries including private equity, telecommunications, media, technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, financial services, automotive, industrials, petroleum, mining and construction.
He was part of the multi-firm, multi-jurisdictional team that won the Global Competition Review 2020 Award for Merger Control Matter of the Year for Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
Representative Legal Matters
Merger Control / Mergers & Acquisitions
- Advised a private equity firm in its various multimillion dollars acquisitions.
- Advised a leading multinational healthcare company in its acquisition of a multinational consumer healthcare business, with a deal value USD 12.7 billion.
- Advised a multinational conglomerate power tools and life sciences equipment company in its acquisition of the power grids business of a multinational corporation, with a deal value of USD 11 billion.
- Advised a leading multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company in its disposal of its animal healthcare business, with a deal value of USD 7.6 billion.
- Advised a Swiss multinational specialty chemical company in its acquisition of a leading multinational construction chemicals and solutions company, with a deal value of CHF 5.5 billion.
- Advised a leading multinational services, trading and distribution company in its acquisition of a leading hygiene services provider in the United Kingdom and Spain, with a deal value of GBP 480 million.
- Advised a multinational construction and mining company in its multi-million rand disposals of various non-core businesses.
Antitrust Litigation / Compliance
- Advised and represented various banking, automotive and shipping corporations in relation to allegations of cartel conduct.
- Advised and represented several financial institutions on various antitrust/competition law issues, including abuse of dominance and vertical restrictions.
- Advised and represented a South African medical scheme in relation to the Health Market Inquiry.
- Conducted a compliance audit and a due diligence investigation on various multinational corporations.
Professional Honors
- Recognised as a Top 200 Young South African by Mail & Guardian (2022)
- Highly Commended for Private Practice Most Promising Newcomer by African Legal Awards (2021)
- Recognised as Africa’s Top Legal Millennial by The People’s Accolade Law Magazine (2021)
- Recognised as a Top 100 Most Influential Young South African by Avance Media (2019)
- Recognised as a Top 100 Young Mandela of the Future in South Africa by News24 (2018)
- Recognised as a Future Leader by The Future Leader Forum (2018)
Professional Associations and Memberships
- International Bar Association - Member
- Law Society of South Africa - Member
- Association of Competition Law Practitioners of South Africa - Member
Admissions
- South Africa (2018)
Education
- University of London (Post Graduate Diploma Competition Law (Merit)) (2021)
- University of London (Post Graduate Certificate Competition Law (Distinction)) (2020)
- University of the Witwatersrand (LLB, Dean's List) (2015)
Languages
- English
- Sotho, Southern
- Swati
- Xhosa
- Zulu