After almost a decade of leading Webber Wentzel as Senior Partner,
Christo Els' term is coming to a close.
Gareth Driver has been elected as the firm’s next Senior Partner, set to take office on 1 March 2025.
Christo assumed the role of Senior Partner at just 42, with an impressive track record of leading large-scale, cross-border transactions in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2011, he was recognised by
DealMakers Magazine as the Joint Dealmaker of the Year, making him one of only a handful of lawyers to have received this prestigious accolade, with several further nominations during his tenure as Senior Partner.
Elected by the partnership in 2015 and re-elected for a second term in 2020, Christo has served two successful terms as Senior Partner. Throughout this time, he has skilfully balanced the demands of leadership with an active role in client work, advancing the firm’s strategic growth while reinforcing its hallmark of dealmaking excellence. Under Christo's leadership, the firm was recognised as Legal Dealmakers of the Decade, elevating its reputation to the pre-eminent M&A firm on the African continent.
Christo's return to full-time practice is highly anticipated by long-standing clients, who have consistently benefited from his strategic insight and established market connections.
Christo says: "Becoming Senior Partner at Webber Wentzel was a major milestone in my career, and it has been an honour to lead this incredible firm through such an unprecedented and dynamic business decade. I'm excited to return to full-time practice alongside my partners and I am immensely grateful to my clients for their continued trust and support during my tenure as Senior Partner. I look forward to turning my full attention to collaborating with my clients and once again dedicating myself to supporting impactful transactions that will unlock investment opportunities and drive value for our country and continent."
Christo holds various board directorships across both domestic and international companies. He has also cultivated strong relationships with key stakeholders and decision-makers across various business-to-government forums, enabling him to play a pivotal role in facilitating regulatory and stakeholder engagement at the highest levels. He has a talent for bridging the gap between international investors and on-continent opportunities – making him a go-to advisor for those looking to bring global capital into the country and continent, helping to unlock economic growth and elevate South Africa’s status as a hub for high-profile transactions.
Christo expressed full confidence in the firm’s continued success under Gareth's leadership.
"Gareth has delivered exceptional results during his nine years at the firm, he is valued by clients and peers alike for his creative solutions, commercial astuteness and sharp attention to detail. Gareth and I have worked closely together on our Partnership Board over many years, and I am confident that he will continue to drive the firm's purpose - to have a transformative and sustainable impact in our work and actions."
From Strength to Strength: Successor with pre-eminent dealmaking experience to lead the Firm
Gareth is also widely recognised as one of South Africa’s leading dealmakers. With a distinguished track record of over 30 years leading high-profile Corporate/M&A transactions on the continent, he is lauded for his public M&A and corporate finance credentials, as well as his lead role on major unlisted deals in South Africa and the rest of Africa.
Before joining Webber Wentzel in 2015, Gareth headed the Commercial/M&A department at Werksmans Attorneys. He is recognised by
Chambers & Partners in Band One for Corporate/M&A and in
Legal 500's 'Hall of Fame' for Commercial, Corporate and M&A.
"Our firm's success is rooted in the trust of our clients and the talent of our people and we are well poised to continue our successful trajectory," said Gareth. “I look forward to working with Christo through this transition and beyond, as we continue to build on the platform of excellence for which the firm is so well renowned."
