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Deon Wilken

Director

Deon Wilken is a Director in our Banking, Finance & Projects practice, He is a finance and banking law specialist with several years of banking and finance law experience, Deon has assisted numerous financiers and borrowers in debt raising transactions in the project, export and acquisition finance fields. Deon's other areas of expertise are Financial Markets & Securities Law and Banking Law and Credit Law.

+27 (0)11 562 1096
deon.wilken@cdhlegal.comJohannesburg
Deon Wilken

About Deon

About Deon

Deon began his career at Adams & Adams as a Candidate Attorney in 1998 in the Commercial and Tax department. In 1999, Deon moved to Cliffe Dekker Fuller Moore. He was made an Associate in 2000. Deon was promoted to Senior Associate in 2001. In 2003, Deon was made a Director at Cliffe Dekker Inc, now Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr in 2008.

Credentials

Credentials

Education

  • BA (Law) LLB LLM (Commercial and Tax), University of Stellenbosch
  • Year of admission as an attorney: 2000
  • Registered with the Legal Practice Council

Languages

Languages

  • English

About Deon

Deon began his career at Adams & Adams as a Candidate Attorney in 1998 in the Commercial and Tax department. In 1999, Deon moved to Cliffe Dekker Fuller Moore. He was made an Associate in 2000. Deon was promoted to Senior Associate in 2001. In 2003, Deon was made a Director at Cliffe Dekker Inc, now Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr in 2008.

Credentials

Education

  • BA (Law) LLB LLM (Commercial and Tax), University of Stellenbosch
  • Year of admission as an attorney: 2000
  • Registered with the Legal Practice Council

Languages

  • English

Experience

Refinancing

Represented the BEE Shareholder in refinancing its DFI facilities with inflation linked debt in the R150 million Kalkbult Solar Project. Advising the BEE Shareholder on the sale of its interests in 2 other REIPPP round 1 solar parks.

Lender

Advised the Lender to a R100 million water pipe production facility project financed, in Rustenburg.

Project financings

Represented a broad range of sponsors and banks in syndicated project financings for several of the renewable energy projects in South Africa’s independent power producers programme.

Solar park

Deon also worked on a refinancing of a REIPPP round 1 concentrated PV solar park in the Western Cape (bond refinancing).

5MW solar PV plant

Advised Senior Lender to 5MW solar PV plant under the Namibian feed in tariff scheme.

onstruction of a 38MW gas fired power plant

Deon advised the Lenders to a project financing for the construction of a 38MW gas fired power plant in Mozambique and the ZAR 200 million upgrade of the gas pressure reduction station.

Advised Lenders

Deon advised Lenders on R105 million project financed Energy Recovery Plant utilising process water from mining activities passed through an Organic Rankine Cycle Plant to generate electrical power.

Lonmin

Advised Lonmin on its USD800 million equity recapitalisation and full debt refinancing and restructuring in 2012 and 2015

Atlatsa Resources

Advised Atlatsa Resources on ZAR2,3 billion debt restructuring with Anglo Platinum

Sephaku Cement

Advised Sephaku Cement, the first domestic entrant into South Africa’s cement market in more than 70 years, in its ZAR1.95bn debt funding for its R3.4bn project financed cement plant and grinding facility project near Delmas, South Africa

News

Sustainable finances vs green loans: Key differences to look out for
Banking, Finance & Projects

Sustainable finances vs green loans: Key differences to look out for

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is not a new concept in South Africa but has of late become something of a buzzword, with funders and governments alike making a shift towards...
Chambers Global Practice Guides - Fintech - Trends and Developments - South Africa 2018
Banking, Finance & Projects

Chambers Global Practice Guides - Fintech - Trends and Developments - South Africa 2018

Deon Wilken authored the South Africa FinTech chapter for Chambers Global 2018.
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr rankings in Chambers Global 2014

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr rankings in Chambers Global 2014
Finance and Banking Matters

Finance and Banking Matters
Finance and Banking Matters Summer 2012

Finance and Banking Matters Summer 2012

All articles by Deon

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2021–2024 ranked Deon Wilken in Band 3 for banking & finance.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2013–2023 recommended him for banking & finance.
  • IFLR1000 2024 regarded Deon as a leading lawyer Project Development, and Capital markets: Debt.
  • IFLR1000 2018–2023 recommended Deon as a highly regarded lawyer for capital markets: debt, energy and infrastructure, and for project finance. 

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2021–2024 ranked Deon Wilken in Band 3 for banking & finance.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2013–2023 recommended him for banking & finance.
  • IFLR1000 2024 regarded Deon as a leading lawyer Project Development, and Capital markets: Debt.
  • IFLR1000 2018–2023 recommended Deon as a highly regarded lawyer for capital markets: debt, energy and infrastructure, and for project finance. 

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