David Pinnock

Summary Profile

David Pinnock is a director in the Corporate and Commercial practice. David specialises in mergers and acquisition work and has experience in a wide range of merger and acquisition transactions (both public and private equity), joint ventures and the establishment of new businesses in South Africa. David also has broad experience in general commercial work and in the drafting of a variety of different commercial contracts.

Career

David started his career as a Candidate Attorney at Cliffe Dekker & Todd in 1997. In 1999, David was promoted to the position of Associate at Cliffe Dekker Fuller Moore. David was promoted to the position of Senior Associate in 2000 and appointed as a Director in 2001. In September 2008 David became a Director of Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr.

Education/ Qualifications

BA LLB, University of the Witwatersrand
Date of admission: 1999

Experience

• Advised on structured and negotiated numerous mergers and acquisitions (including black economic empowerment transactions)

• Advised on and assisted in structuring various joint ventures

• Advised various non-resident clients on investment and operations in South Africa

• Advised various clients on South African exchange control regulation and practice, including negotiations with the South African Reserve Bank on behalf of clients

• Advised and assisted various South African clients on acquisitions and setting up operations in Africa, United States, Europe and Australia

• Advised on, and drafting of, financing facility agreements and related security documentation

• Advised on, and drafting of, agreements for various commercial transactions including outsourcing and franchising arrangements

• Advised Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited on its R1,2 bn issue of senior unsecured bonds, being the first issue of bonds by a South African gold mining company

• Advised Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited on its R52 bn attempted hostile take-over of Goldfields Limited

• Advised Clear Channel Limited and Independent Newspapers on the acquisition of the outdoor advertising business of Corpcom Limited, which included businesses and subsidiaries throughout Africa

• Advised CCMP Asia Limited on the acquisition of Waco Limited, a company with interests in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Namibia and Zimbabwe, in what was then South Africa's largest ever private equity transaction having a value of R5,4 bn

• Advised on, structured and negotiated numerous domestic and cross-border private equity transactions (including Black Economic Empowerment transactions), representing, inter alia, Investec Bank Limited, Absa Bank Limited and RMB Corvest

Accolades/ Achievements

• Chambers Global 2008: Corporate/ M&A rates David as Up & Coming and he is noted for his "professionalism and availability"