André van Zyl Gow

About André van Zyl Gow

André is a Corporate Senior Associate in the Global Transactions Group. He has extensive corporate transactional and general advisory experience, with a focus on public and private M&A and private equity.

André is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales, having obtained his Bachelor of Laws and Diploma in Professional Legal Practice from the University of Glasgow. He trained in London and practised for two years post-qualification before joining the team in Dubai. He also served as the Deputy General Counsel and Head of Legal of Newcastle United Football Club for 12 months in 2021-22 following the Club’s takeover led by the Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Recent work

• Advising Development Partners International on the establishment of a US$750m pan-African pharmaceuticals platform alongside CDC Group plc and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
• Advising a consortium of Cerberus Capital Management and Olive Rock Partners on its acquisition of a significant minority stake in United Eastern Medical Services, one of the leading healthcare providers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
• Advising Levant Capital on its acquisition of a significant minority stake in Bayara, the market-leading healthy snacks producer in the GCC, and its subsequent sale, alongside the founders of the business, of the entire issued share capital to Savola Foods Company.
• Advising Holcim Group Services Ltd on a sell-side auction process for the sale of its 76.45% stake in Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe Limited, a publicly listed entity in Zimbabwe, to Fossil Mines (Private) Limited.
• Advising Kelix Bio on the acquisition of Adwia Pharmaceuticals, a generics pharmaceutical manufacturer and distributor based in Egypt, and Celon Laboratories, an Indian oncology and critical care specialist.
• Advising Commercial Bank of Dubai PSC on the sale, following the enforcement of a security interest, of the entire issued share capital of Spinneys Egypt Limited, the holding company of the Egyptian supermarkets business, Spinneys Egypt, to Ninety One (formerly Investec Asset Management Limited).
• Advising Dr. Lina Kouatly, the founder of the UAE-based, GCC market-leading, pharmaceutical marketing and distribution business, Lunatus Healthcare, and its other shareholders on the sale of a significant minority stake in the business to Japanese investment conglomerate, Marubeni.
• Advising Gulf Capital on the sale of one of its portfolio companies, Destinations of the World, to Webjet for approximately $173 million.
• Advising Al Hilal Bank PJSC in relation to a three-way merger with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Union National Bank.
• Advising NBK Capital Partners on the acquisition of a majority stake in the Moroccan-based generics pharmaceuticals manufacturer, Polymedic. which distributes across North and West Africa.
• Advising Kindred Group plc on its takeover and delisting of 32Red plc.