Deal Drivers: Africa

Hasnen Varawalla Co-head of Banking Absa Group

Hasnen Varawalla is a Managing Director at Absa Investment Baking based in London advising clients on corporate finance, capital markets and M&A.

He has over 20 years of investment banking experience spanning Africa, Asia and Emerging Europe having advised on over 100 capital markets and advisory assignments.

Prior to joining Absa he was the Head of New Markets Investment Banking at Renaissance Capital building their pan-emerging markets investment banking business. He also has been the Co-Chairman of the USD 630 mn Macquarie Renaissance Infrastructure Fund. He began his investment banking career at Credit Suisse in London in 1995, leaving in 2006 as a Managing Director.

Notable transactions that he has advised on include:

• Sale of Tata Power’s stake in Cennergi to Exxaro
• $1.8bn Eurobond and Term Loan for IHS
• Sale of 9mobile to Teleology
• IPO of Airtel Africa on the London and Lagos Stock Exchanges
• IPO of Vodacom Tanzania on the Dar es Salam Stock Exchange
• Several IPOs on the London Stock Exchange including those for: Debenhams, Kazakhmys, KCell, QinetiQ, RHM, Telecom Egypt, VTB
• Advisory transactions in Africa including: Sale of Continental Outdoor to JC Decaux, Sale of ARM Cement, Sale of Mainstreet Bank in Nigeria

He started his career as part of the Tata Administrative Service. He has B. Tech. from The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, PGDM from The Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta and an MBA from The International Institute for Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Morné van der Merwe Head of Corporate/ M&A Baker McKenzie

Morné van der Merwe is Managing Partner and Head of Baker McKenzie's Corporate and M&A Practice Group in Johannesburg.

Morné has advised on some of the most demanding corporate and M&A mandates across industry sectors such as financial services, mining and metals, energy, TMT, industrials, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals.

Morné advises prominent Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed clients, as well as large multinational clients expanding their businesses in Africa. He routinely assists clients in matters involving mergers & acquisitions (public and private), securities law, mining transactions, black economic empowerment transactions, capital markets, corporate finance and structuring, leveraged and management buy-outs and private equity transactions.

Tosin Awoyinka Vice President, Investment Team Helios Investment Partners

Mr Awoyinka has 11 years of relevant professional experience. He joined Helios in August 2018 from TPG/Greensphere Capital in London where he was a Vice President in the Sustainable Infrastructure Investments team. Prior to TPG/Greensphere, Mr Awoyinka was an Associate focused on Infrastructure and Transportation M&A at Evercore in London. He started his career as an Analyst at Citi’s Infrastructure and Transportation group in London, and also worked with Citi’s M&A group in Los Angeles. He holds an MA in Economics and Management from Hertford College, University of Oxford. Mr Awoyinka is a Nigerian and British national.

Tad Zindi Sales Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Datasite

Tad Zindi is the Sales Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Datasite. He is experienced with helping local and international clients across the region simplify their due diligence processes through leveraging the latest and best-in-class technology. He has worked on various cross-border transactions for both financial institutions and investors, with a strong focus on the South African, Nigerian and Kenyan markets. Tad regularly presents at client seminars on the impact of technology in M&A processes. He began his career in FMCG with PepsiCo and Unilever before transitioning into technology for the African market.

Peter Cromberge South Africa Bureau Chief Mergermarket

Peter Cromberge is currently the bureau chief of Mergermarket in South Africa. He joined Mergermarket in 2006 and is responsible for coordinating coverage for southern Africa, while also assisting in covering east and central African markets. Before joining Mergermarket, Peter worked as a journalist covering the South African mining and industrial sectors. He has appeared on SummitTV and has been interviewed by the Sunday Times, Business Day and Business Report. Peter holds post-graduate degrees in Journalism and English literature from Rhodes University. In 2009, he completed an overland trip through Africa.