Leading African law firm Bowmans has made two key banking and finance appointments to enhance its ability to serve clients operating in Africa’s increasingly sophisticated financial markets.
 
English-qualified lawyers, Jackie Leggett and Stephen Matthews, have joined the firm’s Banking and Finance Department, and will be based in Bowmans’ Johannesburg and Nairobi offices, respectively.
 
“As African economies develop and diversify, more and more of our corporate clients are crossing borders in search of growth and looking to international financial institutions and markets for funding. English law is often the law of choice in such transactions, whether in asset, acquisition, commodity or trade financings or mergers and acquisitions,” says Robert Legh, chairperson and senior partner at Bowmans. “In joining us, Jackie and Stephen further strengthen our unique banking and finance offering, which combines on-the-ground skills in key African jurisdictions with expert English law finance capabilities.”
 
Matthews joins Bowmans from Allen & Overy in Moscow, where, as a partner, he headed its banking and finance practice in Russia. He has wide-ranging banking and finance expertise including asset finance, acquisition finance, commodity and trade financing, debt capital markets and restructuring. He is recognised as a leading individual by various international legal directories.
 
In his new role at Bowmans, Matthews will work on financing transactions for clients across Sub-Saharan Africa. He will be based in Bowmans’ Nairobi office, a reflection of the emergence of Kenya’s capital as a financial hub for wider Africa, from where he will also augment the firm’s East African Finance Practice.
 
Leggett joins Bowmans from Citi in London, where as a director and associate general counsel she provided senior legal coverage for the bank’s EMEA leveraged finance, investment grade and high volume emerging markets debt capital markets businesses. An admitted attorney in England and Wales, New York and Ontario, Canada, she will apply her experience to augment the firm’s Debt Capital Market Practice.
 
“Both Jackie and Stephen will work closely with our teams across our offices to provide our clients with a seamless service,” says Legh “Their expertise will supplement our existing strengths and assist us to continue delivering outstanding service aligned with our clients’ evolving needs.

Submitted by Bowmans