People

Nonkululeko Zondo Baker Botts London
Dr. Nonkululeko (Nonku) Zondo
Associate
Nonkululeko Zondo Baker Botts London
Dr. Nonkululeko (Nonku) Zondo
Associate

Overview

Dr. Nonkululeko (Nonku) Zondo is an associate in the London office of Baker Botts, focusing on cross-border energy transactions within the firm's Global Projects practice. She advises on upstream oil and gas M&A, joint ventures, concessions, and asset acquisitions across Africa, the Middle East, and emerging markets.

Nonku has experience managing, and negotiating transaction agreements for international energy companies, infrastructure investors, and state-owned entities. Her practice encompasses upstream energy M&A, joint venture formations, and concession arrangements, with particular focus on complex fiscal and regulatory structuring in resource-rich developing economies.

Her transactional work is complemented by deep technical knowledge in petroleum fiscal systems and regulatory frameworks. She holds a PhD from the University of Cape Town examining fiscal regime design and government take optimization in African oil and gas jurisdictions. This academic foundation informs her advisory work on production sharing arrangements, fiscal stability mechanisms, and long-term project economics in frontier markets.

Admissions & Affiliations

  • Attorney, High Court of South Africa, 2020

Education

  • Ph.D., Oil & Gas Law, University of Cape Town 2026
  • Bachelor of Laws, University of Cape Town 2016

Experience

Energy M&A and Upstream Oil & Gas

  • Bapco Energies on a landmark upstream concession and joint venture with a wholly owned subsidiary of EOG Resources, representing the first concession granted by the Kingdom of Bahrain in over a century.*
  • Continental Resources Inc. on the formation of a joint venture with TransAtlantic Petroleum and Türkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklığı (TPAO) for the development of unconventional oil and gas resources in Türkiye’s Diyarbakir and Thrace basins and the acquisition of interests in Argentina.*
  • Equinor on the divestment of upstream assets in Nigeria to Chappal Energies (approx. US$948 million).*
  • A multinational oil and gas company on the divestment of Brazilian upstream assets and the transfer of operatorship.*
  • A multinational energy company in the disposal of its interests in East Africa by way of farm-out.*
  • A European oil and gas company in the acquisition of a minority stake in a North Sea joint venture by way of share purchase.*

LNG, Infrastructure and Energy Transition

  • Advising Energos Infrastructure on floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) charter arrangements supporting LNG import infrastructure projects in Brazil and Egypt.*
  • Amultinational trading company on ammonia offtake arrangements.*
  • Affiliates of Global Infrastructure Partners on the acquisition of a 50% interest in the South Fork and Revolution Offshore Wind Projects off the east coast of the United States, including joint venture arrangements with Ørsted and associated financing matters (IJInvestor Joint Venture of the Year, 2024).*

Mining and Natural Resources

  • Advising on gold streaming arrangements in South Africa with Ivanhoe Mines ($300 million) and Bushveld Minerals ($65 million).*
  • Advising on the acquisition of approximately $300 million in South African mining assets and liabilities from AngloGold Ashanti.*
  • A leading platinum mining company on the proposed acquisition of platinum and other PGM interests in South Africa.*

Corporate M&A

  • Haleon plc in its demerger from GSK and Pfizer and its subsequent listing on the London Stock Exchange.*
  • Carta Inc on the acquisition of an online funds and investor management platform.*

*Prior to joining Baker Botts