Pre-eminent African law firm Bowmans’ role in numerous award-winning deals was highlighted at the DealMakers Awards ceremony held in Johannesburg last night (18 February 2025).

The firm placed first by deal value and by deal volume in the Unlisted M&A Transactions category. It also placed second by deal value and fourth by deal flow in the M&A Transactions category. This is the second consecutive year that Bowmans has topped the M&A category by value. In the General Corporate Finance category, Bowmans placed second by transaction value and second by transaction volume.

Bowmans’ chairman and senior partner, Ezra Davids, says ‘These results are an endorsement of our world-class lawyers' ability to advise on complex legal transactions and the great clients who have shown confidence in our ability.’

The firm was also acknowledged for its significant contributions to leading mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions and restructuring and insolvency matters, and also for having advised on the deal named Deal of the Year - Groupe Canal+’s acquisition of MultiChoice.

This acquisition is the largest media M&A deal in Africa. It has the potential to reshape the media and entertainment landscape across the continent and beyond, reaching both Anglophone and Francophone audiences. Through joint content production and commissioning, the merged group could fuel the commercial development of Africa’s sporting and cultural industries and, via the global footprint of Canal+, take authentic African stories to audiences around the world. The firm’s role in this ongoing transaction underscores its commitment to facilitating clients’ strategic initiatives that drive growth and innovation across the continent.

Davids concludes, ‘We are most appreciative of this recognition and proud of these accomplishments.’