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Craig Saven is an Executive and Head of the Banking and Finance practice at ENSafrica. He specialises in cross-border and structured trade and commodity finance, with a particular focus on emerging markets.

Craig has advised major international banks, South African banks, development finance institutions (DFIs), and international financial institutions on various general corporate and structured trade and commodity financings. He has also advised borrowers in the mining and soft commodity sectors.

His experience includes advising on structured trade financings, such as borrowing base facilities, pre-export finance facilities, post-shipment advance facilities, L/C issuance facilities and receivables/invoice discounting facilities. He also has experience in risk/sub-participations, syndicated loans and corporate lending transactions.

Craig has twice been the lead adviser on structured trade and commodity financing deals awarded Deal of the Year by Global Trade Review. He is a regular speaker at Loan Market Association (LMA) conferences across Africa.

Craig is recognised as a leading/recommended lawyer by:

• The Legal 500 EMEA Guide 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 – Banking and Finance - Recommended / Key lawyer (South Africa)
• Best Lawyers® 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 – Banking and Finance, Structured Finance (South Africa)
• Chambers Global Guide 2021, 2020, 2019 - Banking & Finance (South Africa)

• BBusSc (Hons) (University of Cape Town)
• LLB (City University, London)
• LLM (London School of Economics and Political Science)
• Admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales