Joshua Janks
Partner | Cape Town
Contact
T: +27 21 480 7859
Overview
Jurisdictions worked in: Australia, Bahamas, BVI, Botswana, Canada Cayman Islands, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Israel, Jersey, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, Tanzania, UAE, Uganda, UK, USA and Zambia.
Joshua will help your business grow. He works with public and private companies, private equity firms and other investment houses, combining his transactional expertise with a deep knowledge of key industry sectors including FinTech, Renewables, Real Estate and Agriculture.
He advises on M&A and finance transactions, and various other corporate and commercial matters, with his private equity practice covering all aspects of private equity work, including fund formations and acquisitions, as well as venture capital work for VC funds, founders and entrepreneurs.
He is well known for his cross-border work in Africa and beyond.
His experience enables him to anticipate key issues, giving you a quicker response. He focuses on front-end planning and really getting to know his clients, to maximize efficiencies and minimize the time spent by your legal and business teams.
He has worked with clients in the Renewables sector for many years, working with private equity funds who invest in renewables and businesses in the sector. He has a clear understanding of how to deliver successful M&A and corporate deals and uses his experience to deliver excellent, forward-thinking advice in a practical and commercial way.
He has worked with clients in the Private Equity, Venture Capital and FinTech sectors for many years and delivered some of the first transactions in this sector in South Africa. He has advised on all aspects of PE, VC and FinTech and has stayed with clients through start-up, investment and growth. He has a clear understanding of what drives and motivates business in the sector and uses his experience to deliver excellent, forward-thinking advice in a practical and commercial way.
Experience
- Advising Solevo Holdings on its acquisition of Rolfes Holdings, a leading diversified food and agri business;
- Advising Quicket and its shareholders on the disposal to Ticketmaster and Live Nation;
- Advising ATON GmbH on its public takeover bid for South African listed company Murray & Roberts.
- Advising Capitec Bank on its acquisition of Mercantile Bank.
- Advising Climate Fund Managers on its various climate fund initiatives including its Green Hydrogen Funds in Namibia and South Africa. Joshua has also advised Climate Fund on biogas transactions in South Africa, Uganda and Mauritius.
- Advising the SDG Namibia Fund One on various acquisitions and funding structures.
- Advising GRIT on various African property acquisitions and financing arrangements as well as its acquisition of a controlling interest in Gateway Real Estate Africa.
- Advising Investec Africa Private Equity Fund 2, L.P on various acquisitions in South Africa and Mauritius.
- Advising Gateway Delta and its management on the structuring of its pan African real estate investment vehicle, and advising the vehicle on its acquisitions and investments in Senegal, Nigeria, Morocco and Uganda.
- Advising 4Di Capital on the structuring of various venture capital funds and related acquisitions.
- Advising Agri-Vie on the structuring and raising of its second agri-focused private equity fund and various acquisitions, including the creation of its Nurture Brands holding comapny.
- Advising Sanari Capital on the structuring and raising of various funds and on its M&A activities.
- Advising Inspired Evolution on its second energy focused fund and various acquisitions.
Awards
‘Joshua Janks specialises in venture capital mandates.’ – Legal 500, 2024
‘Joshua Janks and the team are partners to our business, an extension of our business. They offer care, commitment, delivery, cost sensitivity, they take a long-term view, and have supported our business from the outset and adjusted their model based on our needs.’ – Legal 500, 2023
‘Innovate solutions. Good understanding of our business.’ – IFLR1000, 2023
‘He gives sound advice on fund and transaction agreements. He is very knowledgeable and resourceful. It is a pleasure to deal with him.’ – IFLR1000, 2022
AREA OF EXPERTISE
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor of Commerce, University of the Witwatersrand
- Bachelor of Laws, University of the Witwatersrand
- Leading Professional Services Firms Programme, Saïd Business School ( University of Oxford)
- Advanced Negotiation course.
INSIGHTS
Chambers and Partners: Acquisition Finance 2023 Guide – South African chapter
Chambers and Partners: Fintech 2023 Guide – South African Chapter
Chambers and Partners: Fintech 2022 Guide – South African Chapter
Chambers and Partners: Acquisition Finance 2021 Guide: South African Chapter
Impact Investing in Kenya, Mauritius and South Africa
The Chambers Global Practice Guide on Acquisition Finance 2019
Proposed Amendments to Venture Capital Company regime
Brochures
Overview
Jurisdictions worked in: Australia, Bahamas, BVI, Botswana, Canada Cayman Islands, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Israel, Jersey, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, Tanzania, UAE, Uganda, UK, USA and Zambia.
Joshua will help your business grow. He works with public and private companies, private equity firms and other investment houses, combining his transactional expertise with a deep knowledge of key industry sectors including FinTech, Renewables, Real Estate and Agriculture.
He advises on M&A and finance transactions, and various other corporate and commercial matters, with his private equity practice covering all aspects of private equity work, including fund formations and acquisitions, as well as venture capital work for VC funds, founders and entrepreneurs.
He is well known for his cross-border work in Africa and beyond.
His experience enables him to anticipate key issues, giving you a quicker response. He focuses on front-end planning and really getting to know his clients, to maximize efficiencies and minimize the time spent by your legal and business teams.
He has worked with clients in the Renewables sector for many years, working with private equity funds who invest in renewables and businesses in the sector. He has a clear understanding of how to deliver successful M&A and corporate deals and uses his experience to deliver excellent, forward-thinking advice in a practical and commercial way.
He has worked with clients in the Private Equity, Venture Capital and FinTech sectors for many years and delivered some of the first transactions in this sector in South Africa. He has advised on all aspects of PE, VC and FinTech and has stayed with clients through start-up, investment and growth. He has a clear understanding of what drives and motivates business in the sector and uses his experience to deliver excellent, forward-thinking advice in a practical and commercial way.
Experience
- Advising Solevo Holdings on its acquisition of Rolfes Holdings, a leading diversified food and agri business;
- Advising Quicket and its shareholders on the disposal to Ticketmaster and Live Nation;
- Advising ATON GmbH on its public takeover bid for South African listed company Murray & Roberts.
- Advising Capitec Bank on its acquisition of Mercantile Bank.
- Advising Climate Fund Managers on its various climate fund initiatives including its Green Hydrogen Funds in Namibia and South Africa. Joshua has also advised Climate Fund on biogas transactions in South Africa, Uganda and Mauritius.
- Advising the SDG Namibia Fund One on various acquisitions and funding structures.
- Advising GRIT on various African property acquisitions and financing arrangements as well as its acquisition of a controlling interest in Gateway Real Estate Africa.
- Advising Investec Africa Private Equity Fund 2, L.P on various acquisitions in South Africa and Mauritius.
- Advising Gateway Delta and its management on the structuring of its pan African real estate investment vehicle, and advising the vehicle on its acquisitions and investments in Senegal, Nigeria, Morocco and Uganda.
- Advising 4Di Capital on the structuring of various venture capital funds and related acquisitions.
- Advising Agri-Vie on the structuring and raising of its second agri-focused private equity fund and various acquisitions, including the creation of its Nurture Brands holding comapny.
- Advising Sanari Capital on the structuring and raising of various funds and on its M&A activities.
- Advising Inspired Evolution on its second energy focused fund and various acquisitions.
Awards
‘Joshua Janks specialises in venture capital mandates.’ – Legal 500, 2024
‘Joshua Janks and the team are partners to our business, an extension of our business. They offer care, commitment, delivery, cost sensitivity, they take a long-term view, and have supported our business from the outset and adjusted their model based on our needs.’ – Legal 500, 2023
‘Innovate solutions. Good understanding of our business.’ – IFLR1000, 2023
‘He gives sound advice on fund and transaction agreements. He is very knowledgeable and resourceful. It is a pleasure to deal with him.’ – IFLR1000, 2022
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