Anton Barnes-Webb is the Senior Banking and Finance partner in our Johannesburg office’s Project Finance practice in the Banking and Finance Department and is head of Bowmans’ Africa-wide Infrastructure Sector Group.

He specialises in project and other financing transactions and mergers and acquisitions. In project finance, Anton advises lenders, borrowers, sponsors and shareholders. He has advised on the financing of large-scale renewable energy projects, projects involving the manufacture and sale of bio-ethanol, and public infrastructure developments involving public private partnerships. Much of his work involves acting for clients in African jurisdictions outside of South Africa including Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia.

He has B.Com and LLB degrees from Stellenbosch University and an LLM from Cambridge University, UK.

Relevant Experience

• Lead counsel to the consortium awarded preferred bidder status in the South African Government, City Of Tshwane (Pretoria) Metropolitan office accommodation PPP. The Project consists of the construction, testing, commissioning, completion, operation and positioning of the buildings and other facilities, together with all supporting infrastructure (including any temporary works) pursuant to the provision by the Project Company of serviced accommodation under a 27 year concession to City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality at the project site, which is located in the Pretoria central business district, South Africa.
• Gautrain Rapid Link Project: Acted as South African counsel to the mandated lead arrangers and lenders for the Public Private Partnership for the design, construction, partial financing, operation and maintenance of a rapid rail system linking the metropolitan cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria and the Johannesburg International Airport. This project was at the time the world’s second largest rail PPP after the London Underground, and the largest green field rail project then under construction globally.
• Advising the lenders on the financing for the development of the Walvis Bay LNG-to-power project in Namibia together with Bowmans.
• Advising the DBSA on their funding of GDF Suez’s BEE Partners in the two Peaker IPP Power Plants in South Africa.
• Advising Eskom on financing for its new coal-fired power station being constructed at Medupi.
• Advising a range of South African Lenders on the following projects forming part of the South African renewable energy programme:
  • Round 1 wind farm, Hopefield, Western Cape;
  • a Round 1 solar PV project in Eastern Cape;
  • a Round 2 wind farm, Gouda, Western Cape; and
  • a Round 2 solar PV project, Sishen, Northern Province.
• Advising Standard Bank, First National Bank and Barclays Africa on their funding of Morupule Colliery in Botswana, for the purposes of supplying fuel to the new coal fired power plant constructed by Botswana Power Corporation at Morupule in Botswana, including advising Lenders on the coal supply agreement concluded with BPC.

 

Awards

• Chambers and Partners consistently ranked Anton in Band 1 for nine consecutive years (2017 to 2023) for his work in Project & Energy (South Africa) and in Band 5 for Projects & Energy (Africa-wide) (2018-2020).
• IFLR1000’s Financial and Corporate Guide consistently rated Anton as a Highly Regarded lawyer for five consecutive years (2018 to 2022) for his work in Energy and Infrastructure, Project Finance and M&A and prior to that, as a Leading Lawyer in the same category (2015 and 2016).
• Legal 500 ranked Anton in Tier 1 in 2015, as a Recommended Lawyer in 2017 and consistently as a Leading Individual for the past five years (2018 to 2022) for Projects and Infrastructure.
• Anton was recognised by Who’s Who Legal 2018 for Project Finance and Energy.
• Recognised by Best Lawyers 2017 for Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law and Project Finance and Development Practice.

‘Patrick Hirsch and Anton Barnes-Webb are notable in the debt financing arena.’ – Legal 500, 2022

‘Well-rounded lawyer with excellent ability to assess risk and provide superior assistance as LLA.’ – IFLR1000, 2022

‘Anton Barnes-Webb maintains an “exceptional reputation in the market,” benefiting from longstanding experience representing lenders and borrowers navigating project finance matters. He wins acclaim for his handling of restructuring and corporate transactions in the energy and infrastructure spaces, as well as advising on PPPs.’ – Chambers and Partners, 2021

‘Anton Barnes-Webb is a “highly regarded” lawyer who is known to be “focused on the deals in front of him.” He regularly represents lenders and borrowers in project finance matters, including the negotiation of high-value project facilities. He also has significant experience advising on public-private partnerships, particularly with regard to energy and infrastructure deals. He is skilled in finance and M&A matters relating to infrastructure projects. He is best known for his counsel to borrowers on mining, road and rail projects across southern Africa. Sources cite him as “highly regarded and very focused.”’ – Chambers and Partners 2020

“One of the original project finance lawyers in the market,” Anton Barnes-Webb remains a highly prominent figure in the projects and energy space. He handles a range of complex finance mandates, notably regarding major transport and infrastructure projects, and has broad experience across the spectrum of power plant development work, including coal, renewables and LNG. He is frequently instructed on matters outside of South Africa and has a respected Africa-wide practice. A source commented: “I think he’s really great. He’s very thorough, very fluid and you can have a robust and decent conversation with him.” – Chambers and Partners 2019

‘Anton Barnes-Webb is recognised for his involvement in the projects and energy sphere both in South Africa and beyond. He has handled a number of projects M&A and restructuring transactions, as well as advising on PPP concessions and financings in the infrastructure and energy arena.

‘Anton Barnes-Webb is considered “one of the best project finance lawyers in South Africa. His service is outstanding and his attention to detail is unrivalled.” One client enthused: “He’s absolutely brilliant at negotiating project contracts.” He advises on major projects in the energy, mining and infrastructure spheres.’– Chambers and Partners 2018

‘Anton Barnes-Webb earns support for his “unparalleled” knowledge in the project finance space. He is considered to be a “solid, old-school lawyer” and described as “fantastic” by interviewees, and advises both private and public clients.’ – Chambers and Partners 2017

‘Anton Barnes-Webb is lauded for his project finance capabilities. “He has a knack for distilling negotiations into simple terms and finding a good solution for everybody.”’ – Chambers and Partners 2016

“Very thorough and experienced” – Chambers and Partners 2015

• South Africa: Embracing green and blue hydrogen
• Legal opinions in debt finance deals are a potentially powerful business tool
• Renewable energy projects offer investors various options
• The Projects and Construction Review