
The Global Merger Control Forum 2025
Explore the evolving practical, political, and technical challenges of the global merger control landscape
15 May 2025 | Hilton Brussels Grand Place | In-Person
Complimentary attendance for In-House Counsel, Regulatory Authorities and Government Representatives
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

Saverio Valentino, Board Member
Italian Antitrust Authority (AGCM)

Nicholas Levy, Partner
Cleary Gottlieb

Carles Esteva Mosso, Partner
Latham & Watkins

Helen Gornall, Partner (Amsterdam/Brussels)
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
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

Henrik Morch, Partner
Paul, Weiss

Kristina Nordlander,
Senior Competition Lawyer

Dr. Dan Donath, Vice President
Charles River Associates

Douglas Lahnborg, Partner
Dechert
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

Griet Jans, Chief Economist
Belgian Competition Authority

Kasia Czapracka, Partner
White & Case

Thomas Janssens, Partner
Freshfields

Xavier Boutin, Managing Director
BRG

Annabelle Jochem, Partner
RBB Economics
Networking & Lunch Break
12:50
Analysing the Evolving and Diverging Approach to Remedies
13:50
- 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

Gregor Langus, Vice President
Cornerstone Research

Justin Menezes, Partner - Monitoring Trustees
Forvis Mazars
Examining Tech Mergers and the Digital Market
14:40
- 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 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)
Networking & Refreshment Break
15:25
Navigating the Increasing Multi-Jurisdictional Challenges in Global Mergers
15:45
- 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

Megan Granger, Partner
Weil, Gotshal & Manges (USA)

Saar Dierckens, Senior Counsel Competition
Siemens AG

Mattijs Bosch, Senior Legal Counsel - Competition Law & Policy
Maersk

Lorna Nsoatabe, Partner
Slaughter and May
Navigating Foreign Investment/Subsidy Regimes and The Impact on “Getting the Deal Through”
16:30
- 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

Daniela Mariotti, Director & Corporate Legal Counsel
Infineon Technologies AG

Dervla Broderick, Counsel
Ropes & Gray

Vincent Mussche, Partner
Liedekerke
Chairperson’s Closing Remarks
17:15

Fiona Carlin, Partner, Head of the EU Competition & Regulatory Affairs
Baker McKenzie
Drinks Reception - Hosted by BRG
17:25
Fiona Carlin - Partner, Head of the EU Competition & Regulatory Affairs - Baker McKenzie
Fernando Castillo de la Torre - Director in the Legal Services (Competition and Mergers) - European Commission
- 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
Helen Gornall - Partner (Amsterdam/Brussels) - De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
- 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
Henrik Morch - Partner - Paul, Weiss
Kristina Nordlander - - Senior Competition Lawyer
Dr. Dan Donath - Vice President - Charles River Associates
Douglas Lahnborg - Partner - Dechert
- 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
Annabelle Jochem - Partner - RBB Economics
- 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
Albert Pereda - Associate General Counsel - Lonza
Laurent Eymard - Managing Director - BRG
Gregor Langus - Vice President - Cornerstone Research
Justin Menezes - Partner - Monitoring Trustees - Forvis Mazars
- 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 developing in the digital sector?
Pedro Hinojo - Head of Information Society Services - Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC)
- 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
Saar Dierckens - Senior Counsel Competition - Siemens AG
Mattijs Bosch - Senior Legal Counsel - Competition Law & Policy - Maersk
Lorna Nsoatabe - Partner - Slaughter and May
- 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
Daniela Mariotti - Director & Corporate Legal Counsel - Infineon Technologies AG
Dervla Broderick - Counsel - Ropes & Gray
Vincent Mussche - Partner - Liedekerke
Fiona Carlin - Partner, Head of the EU Competition & Regulatory Affairs - Baker McKenzie

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 Chloe Lomas on +44 (0) 20 30384513 or email chloe.lomas@thoughtleaders4.com