Webber Wentzel - Customer success story

Industry: Law Firm

"Ansarada helps you reduce the things you don't like to do, but more importantly, it covers off the things that are important to your clients."

Balance as a discipline

Riyaad Cruywagen is a partner at Webber Wentzel, specialising in corporate law, and Deputy Managing Partner of the firm's Cape Town office. It's a role that comes with constant, competing demands — and Riyaad has learnt that ambition needs a counterweight.

"I think in life you have to have balance," he says. "There's always some target you're trying to reach." For him, that counterweight is proximity to the ocean. Being close to water isn't incidental — it's the thing that tells him when to step back, and without it, he says simply, he would struggle.

That same instinct for balance, pushing hard while staying grounded, runs through how he talks about his firm, his clients and his industry.

Watch Riyaad's story

An established name, still moving forward

Webber Wentzel was established in the 1800's, giving the firm deep roots in South Africa and some of the country's most established client relationships. But Riyaad is clear that heritage isn't the whole story: the firm is equally focused on new clients and new players entering the market.

"If you're looking for a law firm with technical ability, great lawyers, and great relationships with regulators and stakeholders in the country, this is why you would choose us," he says.

Technology that protects clients, not just processes

For Riyaad, the value of Ansarada in running due diligence processes isn't just about speed — it's about visibility. Knowing what percentage of documents has been reviewed, by whom, and how far along a process is, gives him and his clients a clear read on progress at any point.

"It helps you reduce doing the things that you don't like to do," he says, "but more importantly, it covers off key things that are important to your clients." That means confidentiality, the ability to work from anywhere at any time, protection against data breaches, and controlled read-and-write access. For Riyaad the outcome is simple: it makes his job easier while exposing his clients to less risk.

Investing in the next generation of dealmakers

Riyaad's connection to Ansarada goes beyond the platform. He's a longstanding supporter of Ansarada's sponsorship of DealMakers South Africa, having attended his first event at 25. "You come to DealMakers and you're like, this is the industry, this is what I'm a part of, this is what I'm pushing towards," he recalls.

What stands out to him is the breadth of that investment — reaching experienced dealmakers and up-and-coming talent alike. "That investment is beneficial to the whole community," he says. "And that's what I love."

Riyaad Cruywagen is a Pathfinder.