Deon Wilken is a banking and finance law specialist. With several years of banking and finance law experience, Deon has assisted numerous financiers and borrowers in debt raising transactions in the project, export and acquisition finance fields. Deon's areas of expertise are Financial Markets & Securities Law and Banking Law.

Deon began his career at Adams & Adams as a candidate attorney in 1998. In 1999, Deon moved to Cliffe Dekker Fuller Moore. He was made an associate in 2000. Deon was promoted to senior associate in 2001. In 2003, Deon was made a director at Cliffe Dekker Inc.

BA (LAW) LLB LLM (Commercial and Tax), University of Stellenbosch
Date of Admission: 2000

• Advised Lender regarding the acquisition financing of an equity stake by a BEE shareholder in the Mototolo Platinum Group Metals joint venture project between Xstrata and Anglo American - R1,36 billion.

• Advised Lonmin regarding the raising of syndicated financing facilities in respect of the acquisition of the equity and business of Messina Platinum Mine - USD 300 million.

• Advised Lonmin Plc as vendor financier to the consortium of purchasers of Incwala Platinum, a BEE diversified minerals company - USD650 million.

• Advised Lonmin regarding the financing of the DealMakers 'Deal of the Year', announced March 2005. The highly complex transaction between Lonmin and Impala Platinum resulted in the formation of the R3,9bn empowerment mining house, Incwala Resources.

• Advised Lender regarding a $US50 million facility for ECIC underwritten infrastructure projects in Angola.

• Advised Lender regarding the financing of sugar mill project in Swaziland - R200 million.

• Chambers Global Guide: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2007 says "Up-and-comer Deon Wilken "impresses with his 'full commitment to the matter and the client'. One client noted he is 'bright, able and technically strong'."

• IFLR1000 - Guide to the world's leading Financial Law firms: 2006 edition, names Deon Wilken as a Leading Lawyer in Capital Markets and Banking and Project Finance.