Charles Young

Charles Young is Head of Mining in the Johannesburg office, practicing in the firm's Mining Law and Corporate Commercial practice. He specializes in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, and general corporate and commercial law in the mining and resources sector, with clients including local and international mining houses, energy and resources companies, and financial institutions.

Mr. Young has advised on numerous landmark mining transactions, including Yamana Gold Inc. on its USD 6.7 billion combination with Gold Fields, African Rainbow Minerals on its ZAR 3.5 billion acquisition of the Bokoni Platinum mine, Harmony Gold Mining Company on its acquisition of AngloGold's South African assets for approximately USD 300 million (Energy and Natural Resources Deal of the Year, African Legal Awards 2020), and Rio Tinto on its USD 4 billion acquisition of Riversdale Mining. He has also advised Ardagh on its approx. ZAR 10 billion acquisition of the Consol Glass group (M&A Deal of the Year, IFLR Africa Awards 2022) and Chevron on its USD 1 billion disposal of downstream assets in South Africa and Botswana.

Charles holds an LLM from Yale Law School, a BCom and LLB (Hons) from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. He is admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, an attorney at law in the State of New York, and a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.

He has been ranked by Chambers Global in Band 3 for Corporate/M&A and Band 4 for Energy & Natural Resources: Mining in South Africa, and by Legal 500 as a Leading Partner for Mining and a Leading Individual for Commercial, Corporate and M&A.