Deepa Vallabh
Partner | Johannesburg
Contact
T: + 27 11 669 9277
Overview
Deepa has over 23 years’ experience in corporate and commercial practice.
She specialises in a number of legal areas, including mergers and acquisitions (both domestic and cross-border), corporate reorganisations and restructurings with a particular focus on cross-border M&A into Africa.
Deepa has experience in a variety of sectors including insurance, regulatory/compliance, telecommunications, media and communications, agriculture, manufacturing, consumer products, mining and resources, investments, private equity, exchange control and pharmaceuticals.
Experience
Jurisdictions worked in: South Africa
Languages fluent in: English, Afrikaans, Hindi and Gujarati
Deepa has advised:
*experience prior to joining Bowmans.
- Sinohydro Bureau 11 Co. Ltd. with the conduct of a limited legal due diligence investigation into the mining operations of Transvaal Gold Mines Estates Limited and Theta Gold SA (Pty) Ltd holding structure and preparing a due diligence investigation report setting out our findings from the limited legal due diligence.*
- Multichoice Africa on due diligence review of all group-wide contracts to identify LIBOR references and clauses and to prepare and negotiate addendums to amend and replace such references with SOFR. *
- Distell Development Trust (a black economic empowered entity) who, through Distell Beverages (Pty) Ltd, holds shares in Distell Group Holdings Ltd in respect of the implementation of the scheme of arrangement concluded between Distell Group Holdings Ltd (and other subsidiaries) and Heineken B.V.*
- Vumatel and Community Investment Ventures Holdings as lead legal adviser in respect of their acquisition of up to 49.87% % shareholding in Herotel. *
- CSG Holdings Ltd in relation to a general offer from ARC Fund, through its general partner UBI General Partner (Pty) Ltd, to purchase all of the shares held in CSG Holdings Ltd that it does not already own from the shareholders of CSG and following the implementation of the offer a delisting of CSG.*
- Vox Ventures, being a wholly owned subsidiary of PPF, a leading investment firm in Europe with its roots in the Czech Republic. *
- New GX in relation to the disposal of a portion of its shares in Dartcom SA to the Trustees for the time being of the Kleoss Capital GP Trust, in its capacity as General Partner of the Kleoss Dartcom Investment Partnership. *
- Old Mutual (South Africa) Holdings (Pty) Ltd in its disposal of its shares in various Latin American Companies to Lily Bermuda Capital Limited, to a value of approximately USD 307.5 billion. This transaction closed in the first quarter of 2019. This was an essential step for Old Mutual in this managed separation process to delist from the London Stock Exchange and refocus their efforts into Africa. *
- MultiChoice Africa Holdings B.V. in relation to the restructuring of operations across 42 jurisdictions in Africa. The restructure was essential to prime the business for its South African listing and unbundling of Naspers on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. *
Awards
- Chambers Global ranked Deepa in Band 4 for her work in Corporate/Mergers and Acquisitions in South Africa (2024-2026).
- Recognised by Legal 500, 2024 for M&A Private Practice Powerlist: Africa and ranked as a leading individual from 2022 to 2024.
- Shortlisted for 2024 IFLR Women Dealmakers Hall of Fame.
‘Deepa Vallabh combines deep technical expertise in M&A with a practical, solutions-driven mindset that makes her an invaluable partner to both clients and colleagues.’ – Chambers Global, 2026
AREA OF EXPERTISE
Qualifications
Education
- LLM (Tax), University of the Witwatersrand.
- LLB, University of the Witwatersrand.
- BSc, University of the Witwatersrand.
Professional Memberships
- Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.
Overview
Deepa has over 23 years’ experience in corporate and commercial practice.
She specialises in a number of legal areas, including mergers and acquisitions (both domestic and cross-border), corporate reorganisations and restructurings with a particular focus on cross-border M&A into Africa.
Deepa has experience in a variety of sectors including insurance, regulatory/compliance, telecommunications, media and communications, agriculture, manufacturing, consumer products, mining and resources, investments, private equity, exchange control and pharmaceuticals.
Experience
Jurisdictions worked in: South Africa
Languages fluent in: English, Afrikaans, Hindi and Gujarati
Deepa has advised:
*experience prior to joining Bowmans.
- Sinohydro Bureau 11 Co. Ltd. with the conduct of a limited legal due diligence investigation into the mining operations of Transvaal Gold Mines Estates Limited and Theta Gold SA (Pty) Ltd holding structure and preparing a due diligence investigation report setting out our findings from the limited legal due diligence.*
- Multichoice Africa on due diligence review of all group-wide contracts to identify LIBOR references and clauses and to prepare and negotiate addendums to amend and replace such references with SOFR. *
- Distell Development Trust (a black economic empowered entity) who, through Distell Beverages (Pty) Ltd, holds shares in Distell Group Holdings Ltd in respect of the implementation of the scheme of arrangement concluded between Distell Group Holdings Ltd (and other subsidiaries) and Heineken B.V.*
- Vumatel and Community Investment Ventures Holdings as lead legal adviser in respect of their acquisition of up to 49.87% % shareholding in Herotel. *
- CSG Holdings Ltd in relation to a general offer from ARC Fund, through its general partner UBI General Partner (Pty) Ltd, to purchase all of the shares held in CSG Holdings Ltd that it does not already own from the shareholders of CSG and following the implementation of the offer a delisting of CSG.*
- Vox Ventures, being a wholly owned subsidiary of PPF, a leading investment firm in Europe with its roots in the Czech Republic. *
- New GX in relation to the disposal of a portion of its shares in Dartcom SA to the Trustees for the time being of the Kleoss Capital GP Trust, in its capacity as General Partner of the Kleoss Dartcom Investment Partnership. *
- Old Mutual (South Africa) Holdings (Pty) Ltd in its disposal of its shares in various Latin American Companies to Lily Bermuda Capital Limited, to a value of approximately USD 307.5 billion. This transaction closed in the first quarter of 2019. This was an essential step for Old Mutual in this managed separation process to delist from the London Stock Exchange and refocus their efforts into Africa. *
- MultiChoice Africa Holdings B.V. in relation to the restructuring of operations across 42 jurisdictions in Africa. The restructure was essential to prime the business for its South African listing and unbundling of Naspers on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. *
Awards
- Chambers Global ranked Deepa in Band 4 for her work in Corporate/Mergers and Acquisitions in South Africa (2024-2026).
- Recognised by Legal 500, 2024 for M&A Private Practice Powerlist: Africa and ranked as a leading individual from 2022 to 2024.
- Shortlisted for 2024 IFLR Women Dealmakers Hall of Fame.
‘Deepa Vallabh combines deep technical expertise in M&A with a practical, solutions-driven mindset that makes her an invaluable partner to both clients and colleagues.’ – Chambers Global, 2026
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