technology, media and telecommunications · 2020. 9. 2. · contents 04 our firm 05 our footprint...
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TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Contents
04 OurFirm
05 OurFootprintinAfrica
06 OurTechnology,MediaandTelecommunicationsSector
08 OurSpecialistServices
09 OurSignatureMatters
12 Accolades
14 KeyContacts
BOWMANS
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Technology, Media and Telecommunications
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Our Firm Our Footprint in Africa
Mozambique
Kenya
Tanzania
South Africa
Nigeria
Uganda
Mauritius
Best friends
Bowmans offices
Significant transaction or advisory experience
Alliance firms
Ethiopia
Ourtrackrecordofprovidingspecialist
legalservicesinthefieldsofcorporate
law,bankingandfinancelawanddispute
resolution,spansoveracentury.
WithnineofficesinsevenAfricancountries
andover400specialistlawyers,wedrawon
ouruniqueknowledgeofthebusinessand
socio-politicalenvironmenttoadviseclients
onawiderangeoflegalissues.
Everywherewework,weofferclientsa
servicethatuniquelyblendsexpertiseinthe
law,knowledgeofthelocalmarketandan
understandingoftheirbusinesses.Ouraim
istoassistthemtoachievetheirobjectives
assmoothlyandefficientlyaspossiblewhile
minimisingthelegalandregulatoryrisks.
Ourclientsincludecorporates,multinationals
andstate-ownedenterprisesacrossarangeof
industrysectorsaswellasfinancialinstitutions
andgovernments.
Ourexpertiseisfrequentlyrecognisedby
independentresearchorganisations.We
receivedawardsinthreeoutoffourcategories
attheDealMakersEastAfricaAwardsfor
2019:toplegaladviserintheM&ACategory
forbothdealflowanddealvalue,andadvised
ontheDealoftheYear.IntheDealMakers
SouthAfricaAwardsfor2019,wewereplaced
thirdfordealvalueintheM&ACategoryand
advisedonboththeDealoftheYearandthe
BEEDealoftheYear.
Wearepresentinsevencountries
inAfrica:Kenya(Nairobi),Malawi
(Lilongwe),Mauritius(Moka),SouthAfrica
(CapeTown,Durban,Johannesburg),
Tanzania(DaresSalaam),Uganda(Kampala)
andZambia(Lusaka).
Weworkcloselywithouralliancefirmsin
Ethiopia(AmanAssefa&AssociatesLaw
Office)andNigeria(UdoUdoma&Belo-
Osagie).Thesearetwooftheleading
corporateandcommerciallawfirmsintheir
jurisdictions.
Wehavedevelopedabestfriendrelationship
withoneofMozambique’sstrongestlaw
firms(TacianaPeãoLopes&Advogados
Associados)andregularlyworkwithleading
lawfirmsinothercountriessuchasAngola,
Botswana,Ghana,IvoryCoast,Namibia,
Rwanda,SouthSudanandZimbabwe.
Wehaveacomprehensivedatabaseofallthe
lawfirmsweworkwithintherestofAfrica
coveringsuchcountriesasAlgeria,Egypt,
MoroccoandFrench-speakingWestAfrica.
WearerepresentativesofLexMundi,aglobal
associationwithmorethan160independent
lawfirmsinallthemajorcentresacross
theglobe.LexMundigivesustheabilityto
connectourclientswiththebestlawfirmsin
eachofthecountriesrepresented.
We help our clients overcome legal complexity and unlock opportunity in Africa.
Malawi
Zambia
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Ourspecialistsintechnology,mediaand
telecommunicationslawadviseclientsin
thissectoroperatingorlookingtoenter
intotheAfricanmarket.
Withextensiveexperienceoftheregulatory
landscapeinmanyAfricanjurisdictions,we
assistourclientsgettomarketquicklywhile
avoidingmanyofthepitfallsofoperatingin
anewjurisdiction.
Weadviseonlicensingrequirementsand
policyandmarketdevelopmentsinthishighly
regulatedsector.
Wealsoassistinawidearrayofcorporate
mergersandacquisitionsandcommercial
agreementswhichtakeintoaccount
technology,mediaandtelecommunications
regulatoryrequirements.Theserangefromall
formsofinfrastructuresharingarrangements,
tofibreopticnetworkdeployments(onan
EPC,EPCM,BOTorsimpledesignbuild
basis),tosystemintegration,software
development,softwareorplatformlicensing,
ITservices(inallformsincludingoutsourcing)
toprovidingcomprehensiveadviceondata
protection,complianceanddatabreachand
incidentresponse.
Our Technology, Media and Telecommunications Sector
“Distinguished practice with
leading expertise across
a wide range of IT and
telecommunications matter.”
– Chambers & Partners,2018
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Media
Weadvisevariousmediaclientsinthecontext
oftheircommercialoperationsinSouthAfrica
andwithregardtotheirregulatoryobligations.
Wealsoregularlyadvisetheregulator,ICASA.
Technology
Ourlawyershaveagoodunderstandingofthe
legal,businessandtechnicalconsiderations
oftechnologymattersasaresultofserving
technologycompaniesinSouthAfrica,elsewhere
inAfricaandintheUnitedKingdomovera
numberofyears.
Ourexpertisecoverssoftwaredevelopment
andsystemsintegration,aswellashosting
andindirectdistributionmodelssuchasreselling
andwhitelabelling.Weoffertailoredadviceand
alwaysprovideaholisticperspectiveonhowto
mitigaterisksinherentinparticularcircumstances.
Wehaveextensiveexperienceinadvisingclientson
technology-relatedtransactionstominimiseclients’
riskinrelationtodevelopingandcommercialising
proprietarysolutionsandimplementing,licensing,
maintainingandsupportingdigitalproductsand
systems.Thetechnologiesinvolvedrangefrom
traditionalsoftwareandenterpriseresource
planningsolutions,tohighlybespokesystemsand
software,toinnovativesolutionsinvolvingdisruptive
technologiessuchasartificialintelligenceand
blockchaintechnology.Weregularlyadviseon
cybersecurity,dataprotection,e-commerce,and
consumerprotectionmatters.
Telecommunications
Ourcloserelationshipswithgovernment
agenciesandindustryregulatorsarea
significantfactorinourabilitytoprovide
exceptionaladvicetoourtelecommunications
clientsregardingtheenvironmentsinwhich
theyoperate.
Wehaveextensiveexperienceadvising
onregulatoryrequirements,particularlyin
relationtolicensingaswellascompliance.
Wehavealsoassistedourclientstorespond
topolicyandmarketdevelopmentsinthe
sectorinKenya,SouthAfrica,Tanzaniaand
elsewhereinAfrica.
Inrecenttimes,therehasbeenamarked
increaseindealactivityinthissectoracross
Africa.InSouthAfrica,thishasincludedthe
conclusionofanumberofblackeconomic
empowermenttransactions.
Wehaveactedforvariousclientsinthese
transactionsandhavewide-rangingexpertise
regardingthetypesofissueswhichmayarise
includingownershipandcontrolrestrictions
andtheimplicationsfordealstructure,
financingandregulatoryapprovals.
Theliberalisationofthecommunications
sectorinSouthAfricahasalsoresulted
inanumberofnewsmallandmedium-
sizedentrantsaswellastheincorporation
oflocallicensedentitiesbymultinational
telecommunicationscompanies.
Amajortrendinthemarketatpresent
isamovetowardsgreatersharingof
networkinfrastructure.Wehavebeen
involvedinarangeoftransactionsto
giveeffecttosharingarrangements.
Our technology, media and
telecommunications expertise
has been ranked in the top
band by Chambers & Partners
since 2008.
Our Specialist Services
Wehaveactedfor:
• Amultinationalcompanyregardingthe
deploymentofsatelliteservicesacrossAfrica.
• CityofJohannesburginrelationtothe
implementationoftheSAPS4HANA
enterpriseresourceplanning(ERP)solution,as
anupgradetotheCity’sexistingSAPsolution,
tomanageandintegratetheCity’ssystems.
Wedraftedandnegotiatedtheagreements
betweentheCityandtherelevantservice
providerinrelationtoimplementationofthe
solution,aswellasvariousrelatedagreements.
• CapricornGroupentities(includingCapricorn
GroupHoldings,BankWindhoek,Bank
Gaborone,CavmontBank,andrelated
entities)andContinuitySA,inrespectofa
varietyofinformationtechnology-related
matters,includingreviewing,amendingand
providingcommentsinrelationtovarious
softwarelicensing,cloudservices,software
developmentandservicesagreements.
• CityofJohannesburgwithdrafting
ofmunicipalby-lawsontheinstallation
ofelectroniccommunicationsfacilities.
• EatonTowersLtdonthefinancingofits
acquisitionofthetowerassets/infrastructure
ofBhartiAirtelbyIFCandStandardBank.
ThetransactionwasvaluedatoverUSD100
millionandinvolvedsixAfricancountries
(Ghana,Kenya,Rwanda,Tanzania,Uganda
andZambia)aswellasIndia.
• Ericssoninrelationtonumerousnetwork
constructionandmanagementprojectsin
variousAfricancountries,includingtheDRC,
RwandaandSwaziland.
• FacebookInc.insettingupitsfirstAfrican
officeinJohannesburg.Itisenvisagedthat
theSouthAfricanofficewillservebusinesses
acrossthecontinent.
• Googleongeneralaspectsofdataprotection
andprivacyinKenyanlawandonthestateof
legislationandregulationgoverningproducts
thatutiliseNearFieldCommunication(NFC),
RadioFrequencyIdentification(RFID)and
paymentsystemtechnologiesinKenya.
• ICASAinareviewapplicationbyCellCto
setasidecallterminationrates.Thislitigation
aroseoutofthelitigationbroughtbyMTN
andVodacomfollowingwhichICASAmade
newregulationssettingcostcontrols.The
teamassistedICASAtodraftreasonsforthe
newregulationsandwithitspreparations
forthereviewapplication.Thematteris
importantbecausecallterminationratesare
akeypro-competitiveintervention,
particularlyinthemobilespace.CellC’s
withdrawalofitsreviewapplicationsupports
ICASA’spositionthattheregulationswere
bothlawfulandprocedurallyfair.
• IRESSLimited,Australianlistedfinancial
servicestechnologycompany,inrelation
toitsacquisitionof100%ofthesharesin
SouthAfricanfinancialservicestechnology
companyI-NetBFA,whichwereheldby
Media24,aswellasacquisitionofthe
intellectualpropertyofI-NetBFA.Wedrafted
theintellectualpropertyassignmentforthe
transactionandassistedinrelationtothe
duediligenceconductedonI-NetBFAand
itsgroup,theintellectualpropertyprovisions
andwarrantiesincludedinthetransaction
documents,andtheclosingofthesharesale.
• KnowRoamingLtd,aCanadiancompany,
indraftingandnegotiatinganoriginal
equipmentmanufactureagreementwithTCL
Communications(throughitsTCTMobile
InternationalLtdentityandthroughtheAlcatel
andTCLbrands)withaviewtoprocuringthe
embeddingofKnowRoaming’ssoftwareon
TCLCommunication’sdevices.KnowRoaming's
softwareenablessubscriberstoroamon
foreignmobilenetworksandpaysubstantially
cheaperratesthantraditionalroamingservices.
Our Signature Matters
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• LinkAfricainaprecedent-settingcasein
theHighCourt,SupremeCourtofAppeal
andConstitutionalCourtinanapplication
bytheCityofTshwaneregardingtheneed
toobtainpermissionfromlocalgovernment
fortheinstallationofelectronic
communicationsfacilitiesonmunicipal
property.LinkAfricawassuccessfulinthe
appealtotheConstitutionalCourtin2015.
• LiquidTelecomsinstructuringandpreparing
aframeworkagreementforthesaleand
maintenanceofductandfibreandthebuilt
tosuitoffibrelinks.
• MicroFocusregardingthelicensingofits
softwareandtheprovisionofsupport,
maintenanceandrelatedservicestoastate-
ownedentityinatransactionwhichisworth
hundredsofmillions.
• MobileTelephoneNetworksPtyLtd(MTN)
inrelationtoitspurchasefromMultichoice
SouthAfricaPtyLtdof100%oftheissued
sharecapitalinSmartVillagePtyLtd,
afibre-to-the-homeinfrastructureand
servicescompany.
• MTNintheroll-outofitsradionetwork
acrossSouthAfricaandtheintegrationof
suchneworupgradedsitesintoitsexisting
corenetwork.
• NaspersGroupondataprotection
andprivacyissuesrelatingtoanonline
shoppingwebsite.
• NationalTreasuryregardingalllegalaspects
oftheIntegratedFinancialManagement
SystemProgramme,amulti-billionrand
projecttointegrateallgovernmentsystems.
Ourinvolvementincludesnegotiatingthe
frameworkagreementforthelicensingof
therelevantsolutionandtheattendance
maintenanceandsupportservices.
• OgerTelecominrespectofitsdisposal
ofsomeofitssharesinCellC.
• Orangeonthedisposalofallofitsshares
andshareholders’loans,comprising70%
ofTelkomKenya,toJamhuriHoldingsLtd,
ownedbyHeliosInvestmentPartners.
TheGovernmentofKenyaholdsthe
remaining30%.
• OrangeSA(formerlyFranceTelecom)
onthedisposaltoAfricell,ofitsmajority
shareholding(heldbyAtlasServicesBelgium)
initsUgandansubsidiary,OrangeUgandaLtd.
• SABMilleronthehivingoutoftheABI
BottlingdivisionofSABPtyLtdintoa
separatesubsidiary,andmorespecifically,
ontheimpactofthisonallITcontracts.
Ourworkextendedtodraftingthetransitional
serviceagreementstoensurebusiness
continuityposthiveout.
• Satelliteoperatorsonradiofrequency
spectrumlicensingrequirementsand
liaisingwithICASAandotherregulators
acrossAfrica.
• StandardCharteredBankondataprotection
inthecontextoftransitionalarrangements
fordataprocessingpursuanttothesaleof
anoperationaldivision,includingthedrafting
ofappropriatecontractualindemnities.
• SwiftNetworksLtdinconnectionwiththe
acquisitionofDirect-On-PCLtd’s
4Gwirelessbusiness.Weadvisedon
regulatoryandcomplianceissuesand
assistedSwiftNetworkstoobtainthe
necessaryregulatoryapprovalsfromthe
NigerianCommunicationsCommission.
• TataCommunicationsinrespectofits
ZAR7.5billiondisposalofNeotelto
Vodacom.Ourworkincludedadvisingonthe
applicationtoICASAforchangeofcontrolof
Neotel’sspectrumlicences,proposedroaming
agreementsandfilingwiththecompetition
authorities.Itisoneofthelargestdeals
tobeundertakenintheSouthAfrican
telecommunicationssectortodate.Itwas
alsothefirsttransactionundertakenunder
thenewregulatoryrules.
• TEConnectivityLtdandCommscopeInc.
(Chinesewalls)inconnectionwiththe
SouthAfricanportionofthedisposalby
TEConnectivityLtdofitsbroadbandnetwork
solutionsbusinessunittoCommscopeInc.
Thistransactioninvolvedarestructuringof
theTEentitiesinSouthAfricaandthesale
oftheSouthAfricanbroadbandnetwork
solutionsbusinessunittoCommscopeInc.
• TheNLDProjectundertakenbyMTN,
NeotelandVodacom,thelargestfibre
roll-outinSouthAfricanhistory.
• Twoindependenttowercompaniesonthe
roll-outofpassiveinfrastructure,licensing
requirementsandothernecessaryaviation,
buildingandenvironmentalapprovals.
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AccoladesAFRICAN LEGAL AWARDS 2019
Wewontwopracticeawards-forTransportationand
InfrastructureTeamoftheYearandTMTTeamoftheYear.
CHAMBERS AFRICA AWARDS 2018
WewerenamedSouthAfricanLawFirmoftheYear.
DEALMAKERS EAST AFRICA AWARDS 2019
Wereceivedawardsinthreeoutoffourcategories:toplegal
adviserintheM&ACategoryforbothdealflowandvalue,and
advisedontheDealoftheYear(theNIC/CBAmerger).
DEALMAKERS SOUTH AFRICA AWARDS 2019
WewereplacedthirdfordealvalueintheM&ACategoryand
advisedontheDealoftheYear(PepsiCo’sacquisitionofPioneer
Foods)andtheBEEDealoftheYear(IsantiGlassacquisitionof
NampakGlass).
MERGERMARKET LEAGUE TABLES 2018
Wewererankedfirstbydealvalueandsecondbydealcount
intheAfricaleaguetablesforlegaladvisors,andthirdbydeal
countintheMiddleEast&Africaleaguetableforlegaladvisors.
BAND 1
KENYA
Banking&Finance
Corporate/M&A
Employment
FinTech
IntellectualProperty
RealEstate
SOUTH AFRICA
CapitalMarkets:Debt
CapitalMarkets:Equity
Competition/Antitrust
CorporateInvestigations
Corporate/M&A
Employment
Environment
IT&Telecommunications
Projects&Energy
PublicProcurement
Shipping
Tax
TMT
TANZANIA
GeneralBusinessLaw
UGANDA
GeneralBusinessLaw
BAND 2
SOUTH AFRICA
Banking&Finance
DisputeResolution
FinTech
Media&Broadcasting
Restructuring/Insolvency
KENYA
Projects&Energy
CHAMBERS & PARTNERS 2020 RANKED US IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS
TIER 1
KENYA
Financial&Corporate
Mining
SOUTH AFRICA
CapitalMarkets:Debt
CapitalMarkets:Equity
Energy&Power
M&A
UGANDA
Financial&Corporate
ProjectDevelopment
TIER 2
KENYA
Energy&Power
Infrastructure
SOUTH AFRICA
Banking
Infrastructure
Mining
Oil&Gas
ProjectFinance
TANZANIA
Financial&Corporate
TIER 3
TANZANIA
ProjectDevelopment
IFLR1000 2019 RANKED US IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS
TIER 1
KENYA
Banking,Finance&CapitalMarkets
Commercial,Corporate&M&A
Employment
RealEstate&Construction
SOUTH AFRICA
Commercial,Corporate&M&A
Competition
Employment
Projects&Infrastructure
Shipping&Transport
TANZANIA
LeadingFirm
UGANDA
LeadingFirm
TIER 2
KENYA
DisputeResolution
Privitisation&Projects
SOUTH AFRICA
Banking&Finance
DisputeResolution
InvestmentFunds
Tax
THE LEGAL 500 EMEA 2020 RANKED US IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS
71 37 67Recognised Lawyers
Recognised Lawyers
Recognised Lawyers
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RICHARD HARNEY
ManagingPartner,Kenya
Nairobi,Kenya
T: +254202899000
Key Contacts
CRAIG KENNEDY
Co-HeadofTechnology,MediaandTelecommunications
Johannesburg,SouthAfrica
T: +27116699349
LIVIA DYER
Co-HeadofTechnology,MediaandTelecommunications
Johannesburg,SouthAfrica
T:+27116699334
HEIDI TAYLOR
Partner
Johannesburg,SouthAfrica
T:+27116699529
To view profiles of our lawyers,
please visit www.bowmanslaw.com
DAVID MPANGA Partner
Kampala,Uganda T:+256414254540
JOHN SYEKEI
Partner
Nairobi,Kenya
T:+254202899000
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BOWMANS Technology, Media and Telecommunications
CONTENTS PAGE
Cape Town, South AfricaT:+27214807800
Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaT: +255768988640
Durban, South AfricaT: +27311091150
Johannesburg, South AfricaT: +27116699000
Kampala, UgandaT: +256414254540
Lilongwe, MalawiT: +265990318152
Lusaka, ZambiaT: +260962275329
Moka, MauritiusT: +23052980100
Nairobi, KenyaT: +254202899000
Follow us on Twitter:@Bowmans_Law
www.bowmanslaw.com
Alliance Firms:
Aman Assefa & Associates Law Office, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaT: +251114702868
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, Lagos, NigeriaT: +23412774920-2,+23412719811-3