Robert Cleaver

Robert is widely regarded as a leading corporate lawyer advising corporates, funds and financial institutions on private and public M&A, equity financings and IPOs, as well as counselling senior executives and board members on strategic initiatives and generally.

Robert's experience spans many sectors, including infrastructure, digital infrastructure and technology, as well as in-depth knowledge and experience of the mining sector.

Work highlights

Robert has led, or been a key adviser, on many market-leading deals. These include advising:

M&A transactions:

• CK Hutchison on the proposed merger of Three UK and Vodafone UK, the proposed formation of a Netco joint venture in Italy with EQT, the disposal of its European telecommunications tower assets to Cellnex and the proposed acquisition of O2 UK and the co-investment by a consortium of financial investors
• Cerberus on the disposal of WFS to SATS
• Tate & Lyle on the formation of a primary products joint venture with KPS Capital Partners
• CK Infrastructure on the disposal of a 25% interest in Northumbrian Water to KKR and its proposed acquisition of Australian gas distribution network operator, APA
• QIA on numerous technology, infrastructure, retail and energy investments in Europe and Asia
• Commonwealth Bank of Australia on its disposal of its Indonesian life insurance business to FWD
• AXA on its acquisition of HSBC's Asian non-life insurance business
• the Bank of East Asia on the sale of Tricor to Permira
• the banks on the merger of Cheung Kong and Hutchison and the spin-off listing of Cheung Kong Property Holdings
• Jardines on its virtual bank joint venture with BOC and JD Digits, its investments in Zhongsheng and Greatview Aseptic Packaging, its partial offer for JLT and Dairy Farm’s investment in Yonghui Superstores 

Financing transactions:

• on the IPOs of Hutchison China Meditech, BOC Aviation, Glencore, IRC, Essar Energy, African Barrick Gold, Dignity, Vedanta and Dimension Data
• on the rights issues by Pacific Basin, IRC, Yuexui Property, Chong Hing Bank, CITIC Telecom, Acquarius Platinum, Red row, Greene King, International Power and Nedbank

Robert studied law at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and holds a masters in law (BCL) from Exeter College, University of Oxford.

He speaks English, Afrikaans and Dutch.