Preeminent African law firm Bowmans today announced that it has appointed energy and infrastructure M&A specialist Nerina Erasmus as a partner in its Johannesburg M&A Practice.

Erasmus returns to South Africa after practising corporate law in London for the past seven years, most recently at Watson Farley & Williams LLP where she worked on transactions across the lifecycle of energy projects.

Bowmans chairman and senior partner Ezra Davids says, ‘We are delighted to welcome Nerina, who joins us at an exciting and opportune time. The African energy and infrastructure sectors are anticipated to be significant growth areas for our clients in the years to come, and Nerina’s depth of strategic sector experience will enhance that of our highly regarded team.’

A South African-admitted attorney who is also a solicitor of England and Wales, Erasmus has 13 years of post-qualification experience that spans the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa. Her experience in the energy sector ranges from setting up renewable energy platforms and joint ventures to advising on the disposal of ready-to-build and operational assets and portfolios.

She previously worked with another international law firm in London, Clifford Chance LLP. During her three years there she gained extensive experience in M&A and restructuring within the UK and European markets, including in the automotive, banking, oil and gas and pharmaceutical industries.

Her African experience, gained while practising in the UK and at law firms in South Africa, has included advising on a gas acquisition in Kenya, a financial services transaction in Uganda, the restructuring of an agricultural enterprise in Zimbabwe and a toll road assets disposal in South Africa.

Erasmus has a BAccLLB from Stellenbosch University and an LLM in Corporate Law (cum laude) from the University of Pretoria.

Head of Corporate at Bowmans, Tholinhlanhla Gcabashe, says, ‘Over the past few months we have been steadily increasing our M&A capacity to assist clients across the continent with the expected uptick in the M&A market.’