Cape-Town based Woolworths Holdings is a retailing group with a diverse range of activities including grocery stores, clothing lines and in-store restaurants. Head of legal Mateboho Rantofi oversees a function that plays a central role in Woolworths Holdings’ business strategy.

Capable of providing an efficient response to all legal issues that arise for the group, Rantofi’s team has shown its versatility through a wide range of legal and operational initiatives including thorough drafting and review of legal documents, litigation support, skilled due diligence and constant communication with business partners surrounding all relevant legislative developments. The legal team has also proved its effectiveness in transactional support. In late 2016, it was announced that Woolworths Holdings will attempt to bolster its portfolio in Australia by buying Australian men’s fashion brand Politix.

Such a deal will further its expansion in the country, coming off the back of the successful purchase of department store chain David Jones in a $2bn deal in 2014. These transactions highlight the skill of Woolworths Holdings’ legal team in handling complex, cross-border matters.