Zoë Austen is an Associate with a focus in the Infrastructure, Energy & Projects and Banking & Finance practice areas. Her experience extends to Insolvency & Business Rescue, as well as to Construction & Engineering. Zoë advises on a broad range of financing transactions, including project finance transactions, asset acquisitions, limited recourse financing, and public-private partnerships. She is experienced in structuring and negotiating deals within the infrastructure sector, ensuring the successful execution of projects.
Banking & Finance
Infrastructure & Energy
Insolvency & Business Rescue
Project Finance and Infrastructure
Bank and Institutional Finance
Corporate Finance
the curatorship and subsequent liquidation of VBS Mutual Bank
Sponsors in 2022/2023 — in relation to the development of 69MW of wind powered renewable energy for the production of green hydrogen at Sasol's Sasolburg operations, through a wheeling arrangement under a 20-year power purchase agreement with Sasol South Africa Limited
Sponsors in 2022/2023 — in relation to the development of an 89MW wind farm, supplying renewable energy to the multinational mining and metals processing group, Sibanye Stillwater Limited, to support its mining operations via a wheeling arrangement
Lenders' Legal Advisors in 2023 — in relation to the provision of financing in respect of a 150MW solar PV project wheeling energy across South Africa to multiple offtakers, being the first and largest privately developed n-type utility-scale project
Preferred Bidder in relation to the public-private partnership with the KZN provincial government of for the provision of non-clinical services to the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital
Sponsors in 2023/2024 — in relation to its development of three wind power generation facilities of 140MW each, to supply energy on wheeled basis to various offtakers including mining houses and a trader
Admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa, 2024
LLB, University of Cape Town, 2021 (cum laude)
Bachelor of Arts in Law and English Language and Literature, University of Cape Town, 2019 (double distinction)
Graduated 5th in the graduating LLB class of 149 students, University of Cape Town, 2021.
University Provincial Debating Champion, University of Cape Town, 2017.
Awarded top Criminal Law student, 2020 and awarded top Gender Studies 'Understanding Gender' student, University of Cape Town, 2018.
Johannesburg 
+27 11 535 8350 
+27 11 535 8567 
