Olivia Radford
Senior Associate
Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc
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Biography
Olivia is a banking and finance lawyer based in Johannesburg. She focuses on project finance, general banking and finance-related work, real estate finance, financial restructuring and aviation finance. She has also assisted a number of prominent sponsors to prepare bids wind and solar renewable energy projects for the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (REIPPPP). Olivia has experience assisting with South African and cross-border transactions advising commercial banks, development finance institutions, and borrowers.
Olivia joined the firm in 2019 as a Candidate Attorney, was appointed an Associate in 2021, and promoted to a Senior Associate in 2024. She holds an LLB and an LLM in Commercial Law (Cum Laude) from the University of Cape Town. Her LLM included a semester exchange with Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.
Professional experience
Collapse all- Development Finance Institution (Cross-border: South Africa and Canada) (2024) - Assisting the lead legal advisor in advising an international development institution on the provision of an unsecured USD 100 million loan facility for purposes of financing transactions that are eligible under the borrower's sustainability framework.
- Development Finance Institution (South Africa) (2024) - Assisting the lead legal advisor in advising a South African development institution on the provision of a secured ZAR 93,500,001 loan facility for purposes of financing the purchase, operation and maintenance by the borrower of 17 passenger buses, in order for the borrower to operate its concession in respect of a city-run bus rapid transit system.
- Investment Management Firm (South Africa) (2024) - Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising a South African private equity firm on the amendment of existing facilities, amendment and extension of existing security, and the provision of new loan facilities to various property companies within a company group, for purposes of financing the acquisition and refurbishment of various residential and commercial properties.
- Renewable Energy Project Developer (South Africa) (2023) - Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising a South African-based Renewable Energy Project Developer in connection with the entry into additional bridge and term facilities to refinance existing financing within the group provided by way of corporate facilities and preference shares, including the release of existing security and procuring existing lender and shareholder consents, and to finance equity contributions to new renewable energy projects.
- Development Finance Institution (Cross-border: United States of America, Netherlands, Nigeria and ADGM) (2021; 2023) - Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising an international development institution in the advancing and securing of a USD 10 million cross-border facility in respect of a Dutch borrower and its Nigerian subsidiaries, and subsequent amendments to cater for the transition from LIBOR to term SOFR.
- Development Finance Institution (Cross-border: United States of America and Kenya) (2023) - Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising an international development institution in the amendment of the common terms agreement and loan agreement in connection with a USD 113 million cross-border facility provided to a Kenyan borrower, to cater for the transition from LIBOR to term SOFR.
- South African Bank / South African based airline (South Africa) (2020-2022; 2023) - Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising a South African bank on the provision of a ZAR 200 million facility secured through a Special Purpose Vehicle security structure and 12 South African aircraft mortgages, and further amendments to secure a further two facilities by way of the aircraft mortgages, and to discharge security over 4 of the aircraft.
- Development Finance Institution (Cross-border: South Africa and Zimbabwe) (2021 – 2023) - Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising a South African development institution in respect of the restructuring and securing of a ZAR 206.6 million development finance facility in respect of a Zimbabwean borrower, for the purpose of funding a national roads rehabilitation project, as well as amending the loan agreement to cater for the transition from LIBOR to compounded SOFR.
- Investment Management Firm (South Africa) (2022-2023) - Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising a South African investment management firm in the provision of three secured equity finance facilities (in an aggregate amount of roughly ZAR 500 million) each to be provided to a shareholder in one of three Round 5 South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program wind project companies.
- Investment Management Firm (South Africa) (2022-2023) - Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising a South African investment management firm in the provision of three secured equity finance facilities (in an aggregate amount of roughly ZAR 156 million) each to be provided to a shareholder in one of three Round 5 South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program wind project companies.
- Development Finance Institution (Cross-border: South Africa and Mozambique) (2020, 2022 - 2023) - Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising a South African development institution in the advancing and securing of a USD 81.3 million development finance facility in respect of a Mozambican borrower, for the purpose of funding the construction and commission of various energy projects, and further amendments required in response to directives from the Central Bank of Mozambique.
- Development Finance Institution (Cross-border: United States of America, South Africa and Rwanda) (2022) – Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising an international development institution on the South African law aspects of USD 7 million social impact loan to Rwandan and South African entities for purposes of funding tertiary education for students at pre-selected institutions, including financing, exchange control and consumer law considerations.
- Investment Management Firm (South Africa) (2022) - Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising a South African private equity firm on the provision of a secured ZAR 275 million facility for purposes of financing the construction and development of commercial and residential structures pursuant to a sectional title scheme.
- Private Equity Firm (Cross-border: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Mauritius) (2022) – Assisted the lead legal advisor in advising a Botswana private equity firm on a BWP 90 million debenture subscription for purposes of refinancing existing debt within the company group, the provision of security by Botswanan, Namibian and South African entities within the company group, and the release of first ranking security.