The Global Merger Control Forum 2025

Explore the evolving practical, political, and technical challenges of the global merger control landscape

15 May 2025 | Brussels | In-Person

Complimentary attendance for In-House Counsel, Regulatory Authorities and Government Representatives

View Speakers View Agenda Book Now

Agenda

Registration
09:00

Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
09:30

Fiona Carlin, Partner, Head of the EU Competition & Regulatory Affairs
Baker McKenzie

Keynote: The European Commission’s View on the State of Play in Merger Control
09:40

Fernando Castillo de la Torre, Director in the Legal Services (Competition and Mergers)
European Commission

Exploring the Commission’s Next Steps Following Illumina/Grail
10:15

  • Assessing the effectiveness of the Commission’s decisions in how to fill the regulatory gap so far
  • The future use of Article 22 and Call-in
  • It’s impact on below thresholds cases
  • Towercast and use of ex-post competition law in merger control

Nicholas Levy, Partner
Cleary Gottlieb

Carles Esteva Mosso, Partner
Latham & Watkins

Networking & Refreshment Break
11:00

Discussing the Political and Policy Pressures Shaping Merger Control
11:20

  • Balancing competition and growth in an “era of geo-strategic rivalries”
  •  Discussing the Draghi reports and the new Commission mandates
  • The Commissions Merger Regime overhaul plans
  • The impact of industrial policy and its increasing impact on merger control

Anne Federle, Partner
Bird & Bird

Kristina Nordlander, Partner
A&O Shearman

Examining Key Developments in Theories of Harm Beyond Price
12:05

  • Substantive analysis of eco-system, innovation, dynamic and novel theories of harm
  • Are “Killer Acquisitions” a real thing?
  • Sustainability, Supply Chain Resilience, and Quality

Kasia Czapracka, Partner
White & Case

Thomas Janssens, Partner
Freshfields

Xavier Boutin, Managing Director
BRG

Analysing the Evolving and Diverging Approach to Remedies
12:50

  • Diverging and novel approaches to remedies from the agencies
  • Id there a role for behavioural remedies in resolving merger harms?
  • Ensuring remedies across jurisdictions are timed to work together

Bernd Meyring, Partner
Linklaters

Albert Pereda, Associate General Counsel
Lonza

Laurent Eymard, Managing Director
BRG

Networking & Lunch Break
13:35

Examining Tech Mergers and the Digital Market
14:35

  • Partnerships between big tech and AI providers, aqui-hire and key learnings from recent cases
  • Assessing the impact DMA provisions are having on mergers deals for designated Gatekeepers
  • AI: Assessing Innovation and dominance in emerging markets
  • How are remedies are developing in the digital sector?

Anna Lyle-Smythe, Partner
Slaughter and May

Pedro Hinojo, Head of Information Society Services
Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC)

Navigating the Increasing Multi-Jurisdictional Challenges in Global Mergers
15:20

  • Managing multi-jurisdictional mergers and multiple regulation authorities and regulatory divergence
  • Balancing international unalignment and unpredictability  
  • Implications of the new USA administration on transatlantic mergers
  • The effect of the USA’s updated HSR rules
  • Examining developments in key worldwide jurisdictions and the pitfalls to avoid

Networking & Refreshment Break
16:05

Navigating Foreign Investment/Subsidy Regimes and The Impact on “Getting the Deal Through”
16:25

  • Rating the European Commission’s foreign subsidies regime
  • Have foreign subsidies become a hot topic elsewhere?
  • Engaging with key foreign investment controls across the globe
  • Balancing an increased protectionism with attracting inward investment
  • How to plan for intervention and remedies by authorities

Thomas Ernoult , Head, Foreign Direct Investments Screening Unit
Ministère de l’Économie, des Finances et de la Souveraineté industrielle et numérique

Dervla Broderick, Counsel
Ropes & Gray

Vincent Mussche, Partner
Liedekerke

Fireside Chat: Judicial Review in Merger Control
17:10

  • Navigating the differing impacts of judicial review across jurisdictions
  • Analyzing key judgements and cases around the world and their effect on Merger Control Regimes
  • Appeals in the court and the issue of Finality in regimes
  • Key cases through national courts on below threshold mergers

Chairperson’s Closing Remarks
17:50

Fiona Carlin, Partner, Head of the EU Competition & Regulatory Affairs
Baker McKenzie

Drinks Reception - Hosted by BRG
18:00

09:00
Registration
09:30
Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Fiona Carlin - Partner, Head of the EU Competition & Regulatory Affairs - Baker McKenzie
09:40
Keynote: The European Commission’s View on the State of Play in Merger Control
Fernando Castillo de la Torre - Director in the Legal Services (Competition and Mergers) - European Commission
10:15
Exploring the Commission’s Next Steps Following Illumina/Grail
  • Assessing the effectiveness of the Commission’s decisions in how to fill the regulatory gap so far
  • The future use of Article 22 and Call-in
  • It’s impact on below thresholds cases
  • Towercast and use of ex-post competition law in merger control
Nicholas Levy - Partner - Cleary Gottlieb
Carles Esteva Mosso - Partner - Latham & Watkins
11:00
Networking & Refreshment Break
11:20
Discussing the Political and Policy Pressures Shaping Merger Control
  • Balancing competition and growth in an “era of geo-strategic rivalries”
  •  Discussing the Draghi reports and the new Commission mandates
  • The Commissions Merger Regime overhaul plans
  • The impact of industrial policy and its increasing impact on merger control
Anne Federle - Partner - Bird & Bird
Kristina Nordlander - Partner - A&O Shearman
12:05
Examining Key Developments in Theories of Harm Beyond Price
  • Substantive analysis of eco-system, innovation, dynamic and novel theories of harm
  • Are “Killer Acquisitions” a real thing?
  • Sustainability, Supply Chain Resilience, and Quality
Kasia Czapracka - Partner - White & Case
Thomas Janssens - Partner - Freshfields
Xavier Boutin - Managing Director - BRG
12:50
Analysing the Evolving and Diverging Approach to Remedies
  • Diverging and novel approaches to remedies from the agencies
  • Id there a role for behavioural remedies in resolving merger harms?
  • Ensuring remedies across jurisdictions are timed to work together
Bernd Meyring - Partner - Linklaters
Albert Pereda - Associate General Counsel - Lonza
Laurent Eymard - Managing Director - BRG
13:35
Networking & Lunch Break
14:35
Examining Tech Mergers and the Digital Market
  • Partnerships between big tech and AI providers, aqui-hire and key learnings from recent cases
  • Assessing the impact DMA provisions are having on mergers deals for designated Gatekeepers
  • AI: Assessing Innovation and dominance in emerging markets
  • How are remedies are developing in the digital sector?
Anna Lyle-Smythe - Partner - Slaughter and May
Pedro Hinojo - Head of Information Society Services - Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC)
15:20
Navigating the Increasing Multi-Jurisdictional Challenges in Global Mergers
  • Managing multi-jurisdictional mergers and multiple regulation authorities and regulatory divergence
  • Balancing international unalignment and unpredictability  
  • Implications of the new USA administration on transatlantic mergers
  • The effect of the USA’s updated HSR rules
  • Examining developments in key worldwide jurisdictions and the pitfalls to avoid
16:05
Networking & Refreshment Break
16:25
Navigating Foreign Investment/Subsidy Regimes and The Impact on “Getting the Deal Through”
  • Rating the European Commission’s foreign subsidies regime
  • Have foreign subsidies become a hot topic elsewhere?
  • Engaging with key foreign investment controls across the globe
  • Balancing an increased protectionism with attracting inward investment
  • How to plan for intervention and remedies by authorities
Thomas Ernoult - Head, Foreign Direct Investments Screening Unit - Ministère de l’Économie, des Finances et de la Souveraineté industrielle et numérique
Dervla Broderick - Counsel - Ropes & Gray
Vincent Mussche - Partner - Liedekerke
17:10
Fireside Chat: Judicial Review in Merger Control
  • Navigating the differing impacts of judicial review across jurisdictions
  • Analyzing key judgements and cases around the world and their effect on Merger Control Regimes
  • Appeals in the court and the issue of Finality in regimes
  • Key cases through national courts on below threshold mergers
17:50
Chairperson’s Closing Remarks
Fiona Carlin - Partner, Head of the EU Competition & Regulatory Affairs - Baker McKenzie
18:00
Drinks Reception - Hosted by BRG

Event Partners

Contact Us

Speakers

For Speakers enquiries please contact Alexander Edgal on +44 (0) 20 3998 9752 or email alexander@thoughtleaders4.com

Partnership

For Partnership enquiries please contact Helen Berwick on +44 (0) 20 3433 2281 or email helen@thoughtleaders4.com

Bookings

For Bookings enquiries please contact Amy Barrett on +44 (0) 20 3059 9796 or email amy@thoughtleaders4.com

Marketing

For Marketing enquiries please contact Yelda Ismail on +44 (0) 20 3398 8551 or email yelda@thoughtleaders4.com

Venue & Logistics

For Venue & Logistics enquiries please contact Holly Waterman-McLeod on +44 (0) 20 3398 8547 or email holly@thoughtleaders4.com