Ian Hayes

Practice Head, Director

Ian Hayes, Corporate & Commercial Partner and Practice Head, is regarded as one of South Africa's foremost M&A specialists, as evidenced through market recognition. Ian was recently acknowledged as one of South Africa's iconic dealmakers by Ansarada and DealMakers SA in their publication celebrating 25 years of dealmaking.

Ian's deals span the full range of M&A and corporate and commercial work including takeovers, structuring and restructuring of business entities, IPOs, private equity acquisitions and disposals, and general corporate finance. Ian has an enviable portfolio of blue-chip clients in the mining, telecoms and retail sectors, among others. Ian is a member of our firm's Executive and Finance Committees.

Ian Hayes

About Ian

About Ian

Ian commenced his articles at Cliffe Dekker & Todd in 1991 and remained with the firm until September 2012. Ian moved onto ENSafrica as Director, joint head and subsequently joint business unit leader of the corporate commercial department. Ian rejoined CDH in 2021. In July 2023 Ian took over as the Head of the Corporate & Commercial practice, resuming this role that he had held prior to moving to ENSafrica.

Credentials

Credentials

Education

  • BA, University of the Witwatersrand
  • LLB, University of the Witwatersrand
  • Leadership in Professional Service Firms, Harvard Business School
  • Admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa

Languages

Languages

  • English
  • Afrikaans

About Ian

Ian commenced his articles at Cliffe Dekker & Todd in 1991 and remained with the firm until September 2012. Ian moved onto ENSafrica as Director, joint head and subsequently joint business unit leader of the corporate commercial department. Ian rejoined CDH in 2021. In July 2023 Ian took over as the Head of the Corporate & Commercial practice, resuming this role that he had held prior to moving to ENSafrica.

Credentials

Education

  • BA, University of the Witwatersrand
  • LLB, University of the Witwatersrand
  • Leadership in Professional Service Firms, Harvard Business School
  • Admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa

Languages

  • English
  • Afrikaans

News

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2021 - 2025 ranked Ian in Band 1 for corporate/M&A.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2015–2024 included Ian in the ‘Hall of Fame’ for commercial, corporate/M&A.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2022–2024 recommended Ian in the ‘Hall of Fame’ for mining.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2022 recommended Ian for banking & finance.
  • IFLR1000 2021–2024 ranked Ian as highly regarded in capital markets: debt, capital markets: equity, energy and infrastructure, M&A, and private equity.

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2021 - 2025 ranked Ian in Band 1 for corporate/M&A.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2015–2024 included Ian in the ‘Hall of Fame’ for commercial, corporate/M&A.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2022–2024 recommended Ian in the ‘Hall of Fame’ for mining.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2022 recommended Ian for banking & finance.
  • IFLR1000 2021–2024 ranked Ian as highly regarded in capital markets: debt, capital markets: equity, energy and infrastructure, M&A, and private equity.