Advising on British Virgin Islands Law
Conyers’ Africa practice group advises clients located in or otherwise connected to the African continent on the laws of the British Virgin Islands. Our team is comprised of highly qualified attorneys who have spent significant time on the continent and have an in-depth knowledge of business practices and structures across its nations.
Cross-Border BVI Corporate and Finance Transactions
We have advised public and private corporations, multinational companies, governments and international financial institutions throughout Africa on a broad spectrum of corporate matters including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and finance transactions across a variety of sectors and industries, with particular expertise in mining and oil & gas. In addition, our investment funds lawyers are able to assist private equity sponsors, managers and institutional investors in navigating opportunities in Africa.
Some of our recent work highlights include:
- Advising Kinross Gold Corporation in relation to the sale of all its interest in the Chirano mine in Ghana to Asante Gold Corporation through the sale of Red Back Mining Pty Ltd for a total consideration of USD225 million in cash and shares.
- Advising Trafigura PE Holding Limited on its USD600 million purchase of the entire shareholding in Puma Energy from Angolan-based petroleum and natural gas producer Sonangol, and on the subsequent sale by Puma Energy of its Angolan business and assets to Sonangol for USD600 million.
- Advising Yalla Group Limited, the leading voice-centric social networking and entertainment platform in the Middle East and North Africa, on its USD139.5 million initial public offering of 18.6 million American Depositary Shares on the New York Stock Exchange.
- Advising Gold Fields, one of the world’s largest gold mining firms listed on both the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange, in relation to USD1 billion bond issuance and a USD250 million tender offer. Conyers subsequently advised Gold Fields on multiple revolving credit facilities totaling in excess of ZAR3 billion.
- Advising Commonwealth Bank of Australia in connection with a five-year AUD500 million syndicated credit facility, including an AUD100 million accordion option, to Johannesburg-headquartered gold mining company Gold Fields. The new financing is the first sustainability-linked loan transaction for a gold mining company in Australia.
- Advising B2Gold Corp. in relation to its AUD27.4 million acquisition through its wholly owned subsidiary B2Gold Oklo Resources Pty Limited of 100% of the share capital of Oklo Resources Limited by way of a scheme of arrangement. The acquisition provided B2Gold with additional extensive land packages near its Fekola mine complex in Mali.
- Advising Sherritt International Corporation, a TSX-listed resource company, and its subsidiary Madagascar Mineral Investments in connection with its USD305 million debt restructuring relating to existing financing arrangements in respect of the Ambatovy Joint Venture, a nickel and cobalt mining and processing operation in Madagascar.
- Advising Iluka Resources on the completion of its USD375 million takeover of Sierra Rutile, the world’s largest rutile producer with mineral sands mining operations in Sierra Leone, by way of a BVI statutory merger. Conyers subsequently advised Iluka Resources on the demerger of Sierra Rutile, creating two independent ASX-listed companies and separating Iluka’s Australian critical minerals business from its business in Sierra Leone.
- Advising Taurus Funds Management Pty Ltd. in connection with a USD190 million secured development finance facility with Teranga Gold Corporation. Teranga is a Canadian based gold producer focused on operating mines and advancing exploration properties across West Africa. Its assets include Sabodala, Massawa, Wahgnion and Golden Hill.
- Advising Franco-Nevada Corporation, a leading gold-focused royalty and streaming company based in Canada, in relation to a USD135 million financing to Teranga Gold Corporation.
- Advising Weatherford International Ltd. in connection with the sale of certain oil drilling related assets from several of its BVI subsidiaries located and carrying on business in various jurisdictions including Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Nigeria.
- Advising Foster Wheeler AG on the completion of its acquisition of MDM Engineering Group Ltd, a South African based minerals processing and project management company focused on the mining industry. The acquisition was effected by way of merger as part of an all cash transaction valued at approximately USD109 million.
- Advising Thor Explorations, a TSX-V listed Canadian mineral exploration company, in connection with a USD10 million brokered private placement and a senior secured credit facility in relation to the development of the Segilola goldmine in Nigeria.
- Advising Turaco Gold Limited, an ASX-listed gold exploration company, on its acquisition of a 51% interest in Taurus Gold Afema Holdings Ltd, the owner of Afema Gold SA which holds the Afema granted mining permit in southeast Côte d’Ivoire.
- Advising ARX Resources Ltd on the sale of all of the issued and outstanding shares of ARX to Pasofino Gold Limited, a Toronto based mining company. ARX is party to an earn-in agreement with Hummingbird Resources PLC in respect of the Dugbe Gold Project in Liberia.
