
Angela Simpson
Biography
Angela Simpson is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Corporate M&A Practice Group in Johannesburg.
Angela has extensive experience in public and private corporate transactions and mergers and acquisitions, with a focus on the private equity and venture capital industry.
She was one of four finalists nominated for DealMakers 2010 "Dealmaker of the Year" award for her role in Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation's ZAR 24 billion acquisition of Dimension Data Holdings plc. Her expertise has consistently been recognised by Chambers Global, Legal 500, IFLR1000 (where she has been listed as a leading lawyer in the IFLR1000 Women Leaders Guide since 2018) and Best Lawyers.
Practice Focus
Angela works across sub-Saharan Africa, spanning numerous sectors including financial services, logistics, food and agriculture, mining, fast moving consumer goods, telecommunications, technology and renewable energy.
Angela's experience extends to all aspects of local and cross-border acquisitions, investments and disposals by public and private entities including structuring, related regulatory issues (such as the Takeover Regulation Panel Code, Exchange Control, Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment), consortium and shareholders arrangements, funding, management participation and incentivisation, restructuring and reorganisations and other general commercial work.
Representative Legal Matters
Before joining Baker McKenzie, Angela handled the following:
- Advised CSSAF Holdings I, a private equity investment vehicle managed by The Carlyle Group, IAPFEF JJ Limited, a private equity investment vehicle managed by Ethos Private Equity, Lift Acquisitions, ITL Trustees Limited and the founders of the J&J Group, in the disposal to Imperial Logistics Limited, of their entire interest in the J&J Group, comprising 100% of the issued share capital of Lift Logistics Holdco, a company incorporated in Mauritius, and 70% of the total issued share capital of Greendoor Group for ZAR 4.4 billion (USD 300 million).
- Advised Actis on the South African aspects of its disposal, together with Mainstream Renewable Power, of Lekela Power to Infinity Group and Africa Finance Corporation for USD 1.5 billion.
- Advised Solarise Africa, a Pan African energy leasing company, in relation to a Series B investment by Proparco, EAV and EDFI ElectriFI.
- Advised RCL Foods Limited on the acquisition of Sunshine Bakery from AFGRI Group Holdings and the founders for an undisclosed value.
- Advised Thebe Investment Corporation on its ZAR 2 billion debt and capital restructuring.
- Advised Abraaj Group in its leveraged buyout of Liberty Star Consumer Holdings (Pty) Ltd and its subsidiaries.
- Advised Abraaj Investment Management Ltd in respect of the acquisition of 51% of the shares in Newshelf 1273 (Pty) Ltd, a wholly Joint Medical Holdings (Pty) Ltd, an owner and operator of hospitals in South Africa, valued at ZAR 1.8 billion.
- Advised Actis in the establishment, and investment of, USD 100 million in Credit Services Holdings, a pan-African credit ratings agency, together with the acquisition of Compuscan Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
- Advised African Infrastructure Investment Managers on the successful sale of investments in three privately-concessioned toll roads in Southern Africa, the largest private equity realisation for toll road infrastructure in Africa to date.
- Advised Black River Food Fund 2 LP (Black River) in relation to the acquisition of the entire issued ordinary share capital and subsequent delisting of Country Bird Holdings Ltd (CBH), a leading producer and supplier of chicken on the African continent, by means of a scheme of arrangement and a follow on investment by Black River in CBH.
Professional Honors
- Named by Best Lawyers 2015-2023 as a leading individual
- Named by Legal 500 2015-2022 as a legal expert (Commercial, Corporate and M&A)
- Named by IFLR1000's Women Leaders Guide 2018-2022 as a leading lawyer
- Named by IFLR1000 2016-2022 as a leading lawyer
- Named by Chambers Global 2016-2022 as a ranked lawyer
- Nominated as a finalist for DealMakers 2010 "Dealmaker of the Year" award for her role in Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation's ZAR 24 billion acquisition of Dimension Data Holdings plc
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Law Society of South Africa
Admissions
- South Africa (2000)
Education
- University of the Witwatersrand (LLB) (1997)
- University of the Witwatersrand (BCom) (1994)
Languages
- English