Lydia Shadrach-Razzino

Lydia focuses on public and private M&A and private equity transactions (across various industries, including telecommunications, retail, consumer, financial services, healthcare and mining). Lydia also advises on empowerment transactions, corporate governance, equity capital market transactions and general corporate finance.

Her experience expands beyond South Africa, having advised on numerous cross-border transactions.

• Advised Capitalworks on the disposal of Much Asphalt (sell side managed sales process). This transaction was awarded Catalyst Private Equity Deal of the Year 2018 at the DealMakers Gala Awards in 2018.*
• Advised Grindrod Ltd regarding a spin-off of the shipping business of the Grindrod group and listed it on the Nasdaq (primary) and JSE (secondary) stock exchanges.*
• Advised Massmart on the disposal of its Cambridge, Rhino and Massfresh businesses.*
• Advised Norfund on equity investments.*
• Advised a consortium led by RMB and Investec on their acquisition of approximately 76.9% of the entire issued share capital of Kamoso Distribution Proprietary Limited, a Botswana-based retailer and consumer goods company.*
• Advised RMB and Investec in the disposal of a percentage of their interest in Kamoso, a Botswana-based retailer and consumer goods company, to the Botswana Development Corporation.*
• Advised RMB Corvest in the acquisition of the Adcorp Support Services from Adcorp Holdings.*
• Advised RMB Ventures in the acquisition of the Bluff Meat Supply Group, which was awarded Catalyst Private Equity Deal of the Year at the DealMakers Gala Awards in 2013.*
• Advised RMB Ventures on the disposal of Tessara (previously known as Grapetek), the global market leader in the supply of sulphur dioxide generating sheets.*
• Advised SAB Zenzele Holdings in the Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) BEE transaction (scheme of arrangement).*
• Advised TFG Limited (The Foschini Group) in its acquisition of the JET business from Edcon Limited.*
• Advised The Foschini Group Limited (listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange) in its ZAR 3.9 billion rights issue with both a local and international offering element.*
• Advised International Finance Corporation (IFC) on numerous equity investments.*
• Advised Vodacom Group Limited on an acquisition of a 34.94% indirect interest in Safaricom Limited from Vodafone International Holdings BV (Vodafone) by acquiring 87.5% of the issued share capital of Vodafone Kenya and a subscription by Vodafone for ordinary shares in Vodacom Group.*
• Advised Vodacom Group Limited on its acquisition of (i) 51% of the entire issued share capital of 10T Holdings Proprietary Limited by way of a sale (by the existing shareholders of 10T Holdings) and subscription, and (ii) 51% of the entire issued share capital of IoT.nxt BV by way of a subscription. Jurisdictions involved: Netherlands, US and South Africa.*
• Advised Vodacom Group Limited on its acquisition of a stake in Vodafone Egypt (ZAR 41 billion).*

* Experience obtained prior to joining Baker McKenzie

• Included in the Legal 500 Private Practice Powerlist 2024: M&A | Africa
• Winner, Client Choice Award for M&A Lawyer of the Year, 2022
• Ranked, Chambers Global, Corporate/M&A: Private Equity, South Africa, 2018-2022
• Ranked, Chambers Global, Corporate/M&A, South Africa, 2016-2017, 2019-2022     
• Named, Best Lawyers Corporate, South Africa, 2016-2023
• Recommended/Key Lawyer, Legal 500, Commercial, Corporate and M&A, South Africa, 2018-2019, 2021-2022
• Winner of the Ince Individual Dealmaker of the Year by DealMakers in 2021, the first female in history to win this award
• Shortlisted for the Ince Individual Dealmaker of the Year by DealMakers in 2020
• Winner, Corporate Finance Lawyer of the Year Award by the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP), 2014
• Finalist, Corporate Finance Lawyer of the Year Award by the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP), 2015

• Law Society of South Africa