NEWS

Director

Dr Nakedi Mathews Phosa

B.Proc LLB (UNIN) , PhD (Hon) in Law (Boston University, USA)

Dr. Phosa opened the first black owned law practice in Nelspruit. Mpumalanga in 1981 and practiced there until 1985 when he was forced into exile.

Dr. Phosa was one of the first four members of the ANC to enter South Africa from exile in 1990 in order to start the process of negotiation with the National Party government.

After the first democratic elections in 1994, Dr. Phosa was appointed as the first premier of Mpumalanga, a position which he held until 1999. Dr. Phosa was elected as a member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC in 1999

During the 2007 Conference of the ANC (the 52nd National Conference), Dr. Phosa was elected as the Treasurer General for the ANC.

Since 1999 Dr. Phosa served on various boards respectively as chairman, vice-chairman or board member. These include the University of South Africa, Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut, Special Olympics South Africa, Value Logistics, EOH (Pty) Ltd, SA Golden Leaf and Hans Merensky Holdings

Director

Jaco Loots

BProc (University of Pretoria) | MBA (Henley Business School) | Certificate in Pension Law (Unisa) | Islamic Finance (CIMA) | Executive and Professional Development Courses (Wits Business School & Harvard Business School)

Jaco Loots is a senior legal practitioner and commercial strategist with extensive experience in private practice, specialising in corporate and commercial law, project finance, corporate restructuring and turnaround strategy, construction law, and high-value civil litigation. He advises corporates, developers, financiers, professional service providers and individuals on complex commercial matters requiring both technical legal depth and strong commercial judgement.

Having returned to private practice several years ago, Jaco’s work is firmly focused on private sector legal advisory and dispute resolution, with a particular emphasis on corporate restructuring, project finance structuring, construction-related commercial matters, and complex litigation.

Jaco has for many years been involved in the structuring and implementation of large-scale infrastructure and development projects across South Africa and the African continent. His experience includes project structuring, transaction execution, risk allocation, contract drafting and enforcement, dispute management, and litigation strategy in matters involving multi-party stakeholders and significant financial exposure.

In addition to transactional work, Jaco has substantial experience in civil and commercial litigation, particularly in matters involving contractual breaches, corporate disputes, construction-related claims, recovery proceedings, and urgent High Court applications. His combined experience in corporate structuring and litigation enables him to approach disputes strategically, with a strong focus on commercial outcomes and the protection of client interests.

Jaco obtained his BProc degree from the University of Pretoria in 1996. He has completed various executive and professional development programmes, including through Wits Business School and Harvard Business School, and has further strengthened his commercial expertise through a Certificate in Pension Law, CIMA Islamic Finance, and an MBA from Henley Business School.

Earlier in his career, Jaco also served in various senior roles within the South African Government, including in the Department of Public Enterprises, the Department of Transport, and a Provincial Treasury, and participated in restructuring initiatives and strategic oversight committees, including Presidential committees. This background has contributed to his strong understanding of regulatory frameworks, public procurement environments, and governance considerations relevant to major projects and commercial transactions.