A just transition – Can COP28 make a fair and sustainable future a reality?

While popular in climate policy circles, the notion of a just transition has yet to pervade the wider consciousness at a global level, even as debate surrounding climate change and net zero policies garner mounting attention. The concept of a just transition: embodies the tension between the need to move to a low carbon economy … Read more

Future of Work: Key insights, risks and recommendations for 2024

Our bi-yearly Future of Work report is here. The Report explores the emerging themes in the workplace in 2023, key risks and also includes five recommendations for employers. The research was gathered after interviewing 500 respondents, all of whom occupy senior management positions and who are part of the strategic leadership team or wider management team … Read more

INVESTMENT IN AFRICA – Our Take on the Fireside

“You are going to invest in Africa, the question is whether you are going to do so today or in twenty years’ time”. Investment focused on the world’s youngest demographic is inevitable, and the fact that foreign investment remains restrained for the time being makes it the best time to deploy capital. However, investors should … Read more

#FDIFriday: HSF Global FDI podcast – Foreign Investment Regulation in South Africa

Our #FDIFriday podcast series continues, bringing together experts from our Global Foreign Investment Regulation Group to discuss the rapidly-evolving FDI regulatory landscape in accessible, digestible podcast episodes. This week our experts discuss practical insights into foreign investment regulation in South Africa, drawing on their experience of the review process. All episodes released so far can be found … Read more

ESG Tracker SADC Region October 2023

There are so many ESG-related publications and developments that it is hard to keep abreast of them all. For this reason, HSF publishes a monthly tracker of ESG-related publications and developments, with a primary focus on developments that may be of most interest to or impact our clients in the Southern African Development Community, be … Read more

AFRICA’S ENERGY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS

The following article by Martin Kavanagh, a partner based in our London office and the co-Head of the firm’s Africa Practice Group, was first published by Business Day ahead of AOW 2023, which took place in Cape Town in October 2023. Herbert Smith Freehills sponsored the Finance and M&A Forum and our partners played key roles on five … Read more

Political Instability in Francophone Africa: Navigating the Legal Risks

Political instability has been increasing across Francophone Africa for a number of years, notably as a result of a string of coups d’état across West Africa. Recent takeovers by the military in Niger and Gabon have further elevated concerns about further instability across the continent. On 6 October, the Johannesburg office of Herbert Smith Freehills … Read more