The Merger Control Forum 2025 - 2nd Annual

Benefit from expert insight offered on key aspects of recent regulatory decisions and enforcement in UK and EU merger control.

In-person | 4th November 2025 | One Whitehall Place

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

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Agenda

Registration
09:00

Chairperson's Opening Remarks
09:30

Peter Harper, Partner - Head of Competition and Antitrust
Eversheds Sutherland

CMA Keynote
09:40

CMA Senior Representative,
Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

Examining the Evolving Use of Remedy Tools
10:15

  • A look at key clearances: Schlumberger/Champion X, Vodafone/Three
  • Increased acceptance of Behavioural Remedies
  • Analysing the CMA’s new draft guidance on remedies
  • A look at innovative approaches to remedies and their application
  • Monitoring commitment and fulfilment of behavioural/investment remedies

Matthew Sinclair-Thomson, Partner
Kirkland & Ellis

William Turtle, Partner
Slaughter and May

Aastha Mantri, Associate Director
Economic Insight

Networking & Refreshment Break
11:00

Assessing the Interplay between Merger Control and the “Pro-Growth Agenda”
11:20

  • Industrial policy and Competition: National/European Champions
  • The Government’s Strategic Steer; is CMA decision making more politicised?
  • Impact of FDI and FSR notification process on the “pro-growth agenda”

Alex Williams OBE, Deputy Director for Consumer Policy
Department of Business and Trade

Becket McGrath, Partner
Euclid Law

Ronan Scanlan, Partner
Steptoe

Examining Recent Cases in Big Tech and Digital Markets
12:05

  • Key learnings from the CMA’s investigations of the relationship between AI and Big Tech firms
  • Assessing the effect of the provisions in the DMA and DMCCA
  • Takeaways from recent investigations into the relationship between AI start-ups and Big Tech

Jenine Hulsmann, Partner
Weil, Gotshal & Manges

Oliver Latham, Vice President
Charles River Associates

Ingrid Vandenborre, Partner, Antitrust/Competition
Skadden

Networking & Lunch Break
12:50

Navigating Multi-Jurisdictional and Cross-Border Challenges in Mergers
13:50

  • Managing multi-jurisdictional mergers and multiple regulation authorities
  • Developments in key jurisdictions: UK, EU, and USA
  • Interaction and divergence between agencies

Rikki Haria, Partner
Freshfields

Line Voldstad, Partner
DLA Piper

Daniela Mariotti, Director & Corporate Legal Counsel
Infineon Technologies AG

Daniel Vowden, Partner
Mayer Brown

Effectively Approaching Foreign Direct Investments in the Context of Mergers
14:35

  • A look at key Processes for foreign investment controls across Europe
  • Practical lessons in effective communication with the ISU under the NSIA
  • Approaching theories of harm in defence, resilience, and security

Davina Garrod, Partner
Akin

Veronica Roberts, Partner, UK Head of Competition, Regulation and Trade
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

Vladimir Novak, Partner
Cleary Gottlieb

Networking and Refreshment Break
15:20

Highlighting Key Developments in Efficiencies and Theories of Harm
15:40

  • How are the Commission and NCAs approaching efficiencies Post-Draghi and Mission Letters
  • Substantive review of innovation, eco-systems, dynamic and novel theories of harm
  • A look at the effect of potential changes to efficiency to the UK’s Merger Control Regime

William Leslie, Partner
Linklaters

Paul Stoddart, Principal
RBB Economics

Andrew Swan, Vice President
Cornerstone Research

Assessing the Impact of Foreign Subsidies Regulation in Merger Activity
16:25

  • A look at foreign subsidies regulation two years on
  • Managing data on financial contributions to companies
  • Effectively approaching the increased complexity of Foreign Subsidy Regulation on Private Equity
  • Effectively balancing remedies between National FDI and FSR Remedies

Leonidas Theodosiou, Partner
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

Georgios Yannouchos, Counsel
Clifford Chance

Chairperson's Closing Remarks
17:10

09:00
Registration
09:30
Chairperson's Opening Remarks
Peter Harper - Partner - Head of Competition and Antitrust - Eversheds Sutherland
09:40
CMA Keynote
CMA Senior Representative - - Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
10:15
Examining the Evolving Use of Remedy Tools
  • A look at key clearances: Schlumberger/Champion X, Vodafone/Three
  • Increased acceptance of Behavioural Remedies
  • Analysing the CMA’s new draft guidance on remedies
  • A look at innovative approaches to remedies and their application
  • Monitoring commitment and fulfilment of behavioural/investment remedies
Matthew Sinclair-Thomson - Partner - Kirkland & Ellis
William Turtle - Partner - Slaughter and May
Aastha Mantri - Associate Director - Economic Insight
11:00
Networking & Refreshment Break
11:20
Assessing the Interplay between Merger Control and the “Pro-Growth Agenda”
  • Industrial policy and Competition: National/European Champions
  • The Government’s Strategic Steer; is CMA decision making more politicised?
  • Impact of FDI and FSR notification process on the “pro-growth agenda”
Alex Williams OBE - Deputy Director for Consumer Policy - Department of Business and Trade
Becket McGrath - Partner - Euclid Law
Ronan Scanlan - Partner - Steptoe
12:05
Examining Recent Cases in Big Tech and Digital Markets
  • Key learnings from the CMA’s investigations of the relationship between AI and Big Tech firms
  • Assessing the effect of the provisions in the DMA and DMCCA
  • Takeaways from recent investigations into the relationship between AI start-ups and Big Tech
Jenine Hulsmann - Partner - Weil, Gotshal & Manges
Oliver Latham - Vice President - Charles River Associates
Ingrid Vandenborre - Partner, Antitrust/Competition - Skadden
12:50
Networking & Lunch Break
13:50
Navigating Multi-Jurisdictional and Cross-Border Challenges in Mergers
  • Managing multi-jurisdictional mergers and multiple regulation authorities
  • Developments in key jurisdictions: UK, EU, and USA
  • Interaction and divergence between agencies
Rikki Haria - Partner - Freshfields
Line Voldstad - Partner - DLA Piper
Daniela Mariotti - Director & Corporate Legal Counsel - Infineon Technologies AG
Daniel Vowden - Partner - Mayer Brown
14:35
Effectively Approaching Foreign Direct Investments in the Context of Mergers
  • A look at key Processes for foreign investment controls across Europe
  • Practical lessons in effective communication with the ISU under the NSIA
  • Approaching theories of harm in defence, resilience, and security
Davina Garrod - Partner - Akin
Veronica Roberts - Partner, UK Head of Competition, Regulation and Trade - Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Vladimir Novak - Partner - Cleary Gottlieb
15:20
Networking and Refreshment Break
15:40
Highlighting Key Developments in Efficiencies and Theories of Harm
  • How are the Commission and NCAs approaching efficiencies Post-Draghi and Mission Letters
  • Substantive review of innovation, eco-systems, dynamic and novel theories of harm
  • A look at the effect of potential changes to efficiency to the UK’s Merger Control Regime
William Leslie - Partner - Linklaters
Paul Stoddart - Principal - RBB Economics
Andrew Swan - Vice President - Cornerstone Research
16:25
Assessing the Impact of Foreign Subsidies Regulation in Merger Activity
  • A look at foreign subsidies regulation two years on
  • Managing data on financial contributions to companies
  • Effectively approaching the increased complexity of Foreign Subsidy Regulation on Private Equity
  • Effectively balancing remedies between National FDI and FSR Remedies
Leonidas Theodosiou - Partner - Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
Georgios Yannouchos - Counsel - Clifford Chance
17:10
Chairperson's Closing Remarks

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