Bowmans further bolsters its Johannesburg office with arrival of Olwethu Gusha as a partner

The arrival of Olwethu Gusha strengthens Bowmans’ ability to service complex lender-side mandates and supports the firm’s strategy to grow its African cross-border banking and finance capabilities, said chairman Ezra Davids, as the leading law firm announced yesterday that Gusha had joined the partnership. 

An experienced transactional lawyer, Olwethu specialises in leveraged and acquisition finance, which includes structuring debt for private equity deals and corporate acquisitions across multiple African jurisdictions. He will be a partner in the General Finance practice in the Johannesburg office of Bowmans. 

Most recently a partner at fellow ‘big five’ South African firm Webber Wentzel, Olwethu’s expertise extends to asset and real estate finance and preference share financing, including designing complex capital raising and hybrid instrument structures. A law graduate of the University of Cape Town, Olwethu has more than a decade of experience advising clients in cross-border matters in the finance sector. He began his career with ENS, and also practised for four years in the Johannesburg office of New York-headquartered international law firm White & Case. 

“My practice is built on proving that the requisite skill to execute multi-jurisdictional mandates at the highest level exists right here in Africa,” he shared on social media. “I guide financial institutions and corporates through sophisticated leveraged, asset, and real estate finance transactions, providing the deal certainty needed to unlock the continent's growth. My career … has been a deliberate path to bridge global expertise with deep on the ground execution.”

Olwethu has a track record of advising major South African and international financial institutions. Notably, he has successfully led complex USD-denominated transactions across the DRC, Kenya Mauritius and Zambia.

He is also an experienced mentor and has previously helped to develop trainee mentorship programmes for junior lawyers. He is expected to be instrumental in developing the firm’s junior associates and candidate attorneys.

“Olwethu’s hands-on experience in complex debt finance and cross-border African transactions will be an asset to our clients within the continent’s evolving regulatory environment,” said Ulrike Naumann, Head of General Finance at Bowmans. 

Olwethu’s arrival as a new partner further strengthens Bowmans’ leadership and expertise, after adding Lena Mangando (former Head of Legal at the Independent Power Producer Office) as an executive in its projects, energy and infrastructure practice in Johannesburg earlier this month, and appointing tech lawyer and entrepreneur Robbie Coehlo as a partner in Cape Town earlier this year, and telecoms expert Justin Ramages as a partner in its Johannesburg office in December.