Jurisdictions worked in: South Africa
Languages fluent in: English and Afrikaans

* Includes experience gained prior to joining Bowmans.

Cynthia has advised:

• Several large South African banks, including FirstRand Bank Ltd (acting through its Rand Merchant Bank division), The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited and Absa Bank Limited as senior lenders and development funders on various facilities to Respublica Student Living (Pty) Ltd (i) for the development, refurbishment and maintenance of various student accommodation across South Africa as well as the acquisition by the borrower of additional properties and (ii) the restructuring and refinancing of certain facilities. A number of the facilities have been structured as sustainable loans, including green and social loans.
• FirstRand Bank Ltd (acting through its Rand Merchant Bank division) as arranger, senior lender, bridge lender and preference shareholder on various secured facilities to Respublica Group (Pty) Limited and a subsidiary of Respublica Group for the acquisition of the MySpace property portfolio from the Abacus Group.
• A South African holding company in relation to convertible shareholder loan funding from certain international and domestic DFIs.
• Several large South African banks, including FirstRand Bank Ltd (acting through its Rand Merchant Bank division) and Nedbank Ltd (acting through its Nedbank Commercial Property division) as arrangers, senior lenders and development funders on various facilities in excess of ZAR 1 billion to Respublica Student Living (Pty) Ltd (i) for the development, refurbishment and maintenance of various student accommodation across South Africa as well as the acquisition by the borrower of properties from Redefine Properties Ltd, (ii) the implementation of a new financing and security structure and the consolidation of the standalone structures into the new structure, (iii) the restructuring of certain facilities, (iv) Redefine’s exit as shareholder of the borrower. A number of the loans were structured as sustainable loans, including green and social loans which were the first for the borrower group.*
• Mitsubishi Corporation in relation to the business rescue proceedings, certain escrow arrangements and the eventual liquidation of Hernic Ferrochrome (Pty) Ltd.*
• Respublica Student Living (Pty) Ltd on various vendor loan financing arrangements made available by Redefine Properties Ltd to develop student accommodation.*
• Ascendis Health Ltd and Ascendis group companies on the proposed business rescue of Ascendis Health Holdings SA (Pty) Ltd as part of the restructuring plan for its approximately ZAR 6 billion indebtedness.*
• A large international bank, as South African counsel, in relation to the USD denominated margin loan facility made available to Investec Bank Ltd and the associated margin lending security arrangements.*
• A large international bank as issuing bank and agent and a large international syndicate of lenders on the refinancing facility in an amount of EUR 750 million made available to Urenco Ltd and Urenco Finance N.V.*
• FirstRand Bank Ltd (acting through its Rand Merchant Bank division) on various financing transactions in relation to the facilities made available to Bridgehead Real Estate Fund (Pty) Ltd.*
• Origin Fruit Direct B.V., a member of the Mahindra Group, on the sale and transfer of an interest in the funding made available by Origin Global Holdings Ltd to The Trustees of Rooiduin Boerdery Trust, the shareholder of a producer of grapes, namely Adelante Farms No. 1 (Pty) Ltd.*
• The Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd and various African subsidiaries and FirstRand Bank Ltd (acting through its Rand Merchant Bank division), as lenders, under eight separate real estate development financings to Lango Real Estate Fund which were being collated into one common terms structure across Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and Mauritius. The transaction was a significant USD 300 million restructuring.*
• FirstRand Bank Ltd (acting through its Rand Merchant Bank division) on various financing transactions in relation to the facilities made available to Respublica (Pty) Ltd which facilities and ancillary security arrangements were subsequently ceded and delegated to Respublica Student Living (Pty) Ltd.*
• A large international bank in relation to the refinancing facility made available to a South African subsidiary of an international hotel group.*
• Nedbank Ltd (acting through its Nedbank Commercial Property division) in relation to the facilities made available to ATT MOA 20 (Pty) Ltd (previously known as Atterbury Property Fund (Pty) Ltd) in relation to the Mall of Africa development.*
• The Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd in relation to the amendments to existing facilities made available to various members of the Titan group.*
• Nedbank Ltd (acting through its Nedbank Commercial Property division) on various financing transactions in relation to the facilities made available to Respublica Student Living (Pty) Ltd.*
• Investec Bank Ltd on the ZAR 275 million real estate financing facilities made available to a subsidiary of the Bud Group to acquire various immovable properties as well as additional facilities made available to the subsidiary.*
• The holding company of a large South African bank on its USD denominated subordinated Tier II Notes issue.*
• HBW Group (Pty) Ltd on financing arrangements entered into with the Bank of Ireland and other lenders.*
• Nedbank Ltd (acting through its Nedbank Commercial Property division) in relation to the facility made available to a subsidiary of Delta International, a listed property fund, incorporated in Mozambique for the acquisition of Zimpeto Square Mall.*
• Investec Bank Ltd in relation to the secured financing facilities made available to Shanta Mining Company Ltd (incorporated in Tanzania), a subsidiary of Shanta Gold Ltd, listed on the London Stock Exchange and various subsequent matters.*
• Investec Bank Ltd on the USD 210 million financing facilities provided to New Kleinfontein Gold Mine (Pty) Ltd and Gold One Africa Ltd, subsidiaries of Gold One International Ltd for the acquisition of Rand Uranium (Pty) Ltd.*
• Standard Chartered Bank on their Ltd recourse project financing to Boteti Mining (Pty) Ltd for the construction, ownership and operation of the AK06 Kimberlite Diamond Project in Botswana.*
• Absa Capital, a division of Absa Bank Ltd, The Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd and Standard Bank Namibia who provided financing to Rosh Pinah Zinc Corporation (Pty) Ltd on a limited recourse basis.*
• Assisted on various workstreams on the transactions relating to the REIPP Procurement Programme, acting for lenders and sponsor groups.*