Kirsten Kern

Kirsten Kern is a Partner and Head of the Financial Services Regulatory practice in South Africa at Bowmans in Johannesburg, specialising in banking and finance law, financial services regulation, and fintech. She has over 18 years of experience in banking, financial services, and investment management regulatory law, advising local and foreign clients on the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, Financial Sector Regulation Act, Banks Act, Financial Markets Act, and the National Payment Systems Act.

Kirsten has advised Alexander Forbes Group Holdings on regulatory issues and its dual track M&A and ZAR 9.8 billion IPO process; Sanlam on its proposed acquisition of up to 100% of Assupol Holdings; various foreign financial services providers on change of control requirements; and numerous local and foreign entities on authorisation and licensing with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority and the National Credit Regulator. She has also provided extensive advisory services to Capitec Bank, UBS, Morgan Stanley, Standard Chartered Bank, and other major financial institutions on banking and financial services regulation. She regularly advises clients on the FinTech landscape, including payments and crypto assets regulation, and has advised Airbnb Payments, WhatsApp, and Mastercard on payments-related regulatory matters.

Kirsten holds an LL.B (cum laude) and an LL.M (Banking Law) (cum laude) from Rand Afrikaans University (now the University of Johannesburg). She is ranked in Band 2 for Banking & Finance: Regulatory and Band 2 for FinTech Legal by Chambers Global, recognised as a Global Elite Thought Leader for Banking Regulatory by Lexology Index, and was named Leading Financial Services Regulatory Law Adviser of the Year – South Africa by Acquisition International.