Mike Benetello
Co-head of Tax | Johannesburg
Contact
T: +27 11 669 9330
E: mike.benetello@bowmanslaw.com
Overview
Mike Benetello is a Tax Co-Head in our Johannesburg office.
Mike has over 25 years of tax experience. Mike’s wide-ranging experience includes matters in the fields of mining taxation, corporate restructurings, debt and capital restructures, private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions (due-diligence; deal structuring; post-deal implementation), dispute resolution in tax related matters, procurement of tax rulings, international tax planning and taxation aspects related to business rescue.
Mike is also actively involved in matters relating to tax policy in South Africa. He interacts regularly with the legislator and regulators in this regard and also provides commentary to proposed legislative amendments impacting the tax landscape in South Africa.
Experience
* includes experience gained prior to joining Bowmans
Mike’s relevant experience includes, inter alia, advising:
- A major global logistics company on the acquisition of an African based logistics group of companies;
- A major telecommunications company on the acquisition of a South African based information and communications technology group;
- The US parent company of a South African vehicle tracking company on the carve-out of certain non-core assets and the sale of such assets to a third party purchaser;
- A major listed coal mining company on the acquisition of certain offshore assets;
- A company in the hospitality industry on the consolidation of certain properties into a REIT;
- A major mining group on the disposal of its South African assets and the re-domicile of its remaining global operations from South Africa to the United Kingdom;
- A major oil and gas company on the disposal of certain of its offshore subsidiaries;
- A listed mining group on the acquisition of certain mining operations from another listed mining group;
- A major mining house in respect of a dispute that was favorably settled in the Supreme Court of Appeal;
- A major retailer with the restructure of certain of its South African operations;
- A listed South African mining company on the listing of certain operations on the TSX;
- A major listed beverage company on the acquisition of certain brewery operations in Australia;
- A SOE on the restructure of its operations into three distinct operating units;
- A South African listed company on the carve-out and unbundling of certain mining assets to its shareholders;
- A South African listed company on its debt and capital restructure;
- A South African listed company on the unwind of its BEE structure;
- A major listed gold mining company with obtaining Ministerial approval for the ‘upliftment of ring-fencing provisions’;
- A South African Agricultural Co-op on the acquisition of a similar Co-op and in respect of the post deal consolidation of operations;
- A major finance houses in respect of debt securitization transactions.
Awards
- Chambers and Partners ranked Mike in Band 2 for the category Tax: Consultants for three consecutive years (2022-2024).
Mike Benetello is a well-known lawyer who provides tax support in a myriad of contexts, including tax advice on corporate acquisitions and transfer pricing. – Chambers and Partners, 2024
‘Mike Benetello, an expert in advising on mining taxation, the tax aspects of business rescue, private equity and mergers and acquisitions.’– Legal 500, 2024
‘The experience and knowledge of Mike Benetello in particular was crucial in the process of analysing and deciding between alternative options at various points in the evolution of the transaction structure.’– Legal 500, 2024
AREA OF EXPERTISE
Qualifications
- Registered Chartered Accountant (South Africa).
- Honours Degree in Accounting and a Higher Diploma in Tax Law from the University of Johannesburg (RAU at the time of qualification).
- Mike is a past chairperson of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) National Tax Committee.
INSIGHTS
South Africa: Limitation on the use of contributed tax capital
South Africa: Multilateral instrument – instrument of ratification deposited
Chambers and Partners: The Corporate Tax 2022 Guide: South African Chapter
South Africa: Beware – Your investment in a South African company could be taxed on repurchase
Overview
Mike Benetello is a Tax Co-Head in our Johannesburg office.
Mike has over 25 years of tax experience. Mike’s wide-ranging experience includes matters in the fields of mining taxation, corporate restructurings, debt and capital restructures, private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions (due-diligence; deal structuring; post-deal implementation), dispute resolution in tax related matters, procurement of tax rulings, international tax planning and taxation aspects related to business rescue.
Mike is also actively involved in matters relating to tax policy in South Africa. He interacts regularly with the legislator and regulators in this regard and also provides commentary to proposed legislative amendments impacting the tax landscape in South Africa.
Experience
* includes experience gained prior to joining Bowmans
Mike’s relevant experience includes, inter alia, advising:
- A major global logistics company on the acquisition of an African based logistics group of companies;
- A major telecommunications company on the acquisition of a South African based information and communications technology group;
- The US parent company of a South African vehicle tracking company on the carve-out of certain non-core assets and the sale of such assets to a third party purchaser;
- A major listed coal mining company on the acquisition of certain offshore assets;
- A company in the hospitality industry on the consolidation of certain properties into a REIT;
- A major mining group on the disposal of its South African assets and the re-domicile of its remaining global operations from South Africa to the United Kingdom;
- A major oil and gas company on the disposal of certain of its offshore subsidiaries;
- A listed mining group on the acquisition of certain mining operations from another listed mining group;
- A major mining house in respect of a dispute that was favorably settled in the Supreme Court of Appeal;
- A major retailer with the restructure of certain of its South African operations;
- A listed South African mining company on the listing of certain operations on the TSX;
- A major listed beverage company on the acquisition of certain brewery operations in Australia;
- A SOE on the restructure of its operations into three distinct operating units;
- A South African listed company on the carve-out and unbundling of certain mining assets to its shareholders;
- A South African listed company on its debt and capital restructure;
- A South African listed company on the unwind of its BEE structure;
- A major listed gold mining company with obtaining Ministerial approval for the ‘upliftment of ring-fencing provisions’;
- A South African Agricultural Co-op on the acquisition of a similar Co-op and in respect of the post deal consolidation of operations;
- A major finance houses in respect of debt securitization transactions.
Awards
- Chambers and Partners ranked Mike in Band 2 for the category Tax: Consultants for three consecutive years (2022-2024).
Mike Benetello is a well-known lawyer who provides tax support in a myriad of contexts, including tax advice on corporate acquisitions and transfer pricing. – Chambers and Partners, 2024
‘Mike Benetello, an expert in advising on mining taxation, the tax aspects of business rescue, private equity and mergers and acquisitions.’– Legal 500, 2024
‘The experience and knowledge of Mike Benetello in particular was crucial in the process of analysing and deciding between alternative options at various points in the evolution of the transaction structure.’– Legal 500, 2024
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