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Photo, Verushca Pillay

Verushca Pillay

Partner
Baker & McKenzie

Biography

Verushca Pillay is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Corporate M&A Practice Group in Johannesburg.

She has extensive experience in advising, drafting and negotiating transaction agreements in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity and general corporate and commercial matters.

Verushca also has experience in all aspects of broad-based black economic empowerment (BEE) which is a government policy to increase the participation of disadvantaged South Africans in the local economy. Compliance with BEE is vital for the vast majority of businesses operating in the region. Her advice on BEE legislation includes the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Codes of Good Practice, Sector Codes, and the Mining Charter.

Verushca works across a number of sectors including education, gaming and renewable energy.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advised Denham Capital and BioTherm Energy on the disposal of its Round 4 REIPPPP investments and its African renewable energy platform to Actis. *
  • Advised on BEE-related matters and the establishment of a new Vodacom employee share scheme in relation to Vodacom Group Limited's 2018 USD 1.2 billion Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment deal, in terms of which the shareholders in Vodacom's 2008 BEE deal reinvested their equity in Vodacom (Proprietary) Limited into Vodacom Group Limited for a further 10-year BEE deal. *
  • Advised BEE Holdco and BEE Lead Investors Holdco, the BEE partners of Richards Bay Minerals (majority owned by Rio Tinto) on the acquisition of a 26% stake in Richards Bay Minerals, and the subsequent restructuring thereof (in 2009, 2015 and 2022). *
  • Advised Séché South Africa and its subsidiary, Interwaste, on various BEE transactions. *
  • Advised Séché Holdings SA on its acquisition of the Spill Tech group.*
  • Advised ADvTECH Group Limited on the acquisition of Monash South Africa. *
  • Advised PAPE Fund Managers, a boutique private equity fund manager, on the acquisition of a controlling interest in Scamont Holdings. *
  • Advised Denham Capital and BioTherm Energy on the disposal of its Round 1 REIPPPP investments to Sun Edison/Terraform Global. *
  • Advised Goldrush Group on the restructuring and consolidation of its various gaming assets under a single holding company. *
  • Advised The Coca-Cola Company on the creation of an African bottling company with SABMiller and Gutsche Family Investments with an estimated value of USD 3 billion, and on the subsequent exit of SABMiller as controlling shareholder of the newly formed bottling company. *

* Experience obtained prior to joining Baker McKenzie


Professional Honors

  • Legal 500 EMEA 2018 recommended Verushca in Commercial, Corporate/M&A
  • IFLR1000 2019, 2020, and 2022 recommended Verushca as a notable leading lawyer in M&A

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Legal Practice Council

Admissions

  • South Africa (2002)

Education

  • University of the Witwatersrand (LLM Tax) (2007)
  • University of Johannesburg (LLM Corporate Law) (2004)
  • University of KwaZulu-Natal (LLB) (2000)
  • University of KwaZulu-Natal (BA Honours) (1998)
  • University of KwaZulu-Natal (BA) (1997)

Languages

  • English