Our Curious Amalgam

Merger control and antitrust enforcement continues to develop rapidly in Africa. What is happening in the key jurisdictions of Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria and COMESA? John Oxenham, lawyer at Primerio, and Nicolas Bremer, lawyer at Bremer, join Matthew Hall to discuss developments. Listen to this episode to learn more about the status of African antitrust and merger control enforcement generally and these jurisdictions specifically.

With special guests:

John Oxenham, partner, Primerio and Nicolas Bremer, partner, Bremer

Related Links:

COMESA Competition Commission website ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority website Egyptian Competition Authority website The Competition Commission website (South Africa) Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission website (Nigeria)

Hosted by:

Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP

While on site at the 2025 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section, the Our Curious Amalgam team recorded interviews with senior competition agency enforcers from all over the world, including Germany and Portugal. In the first segment of this episode, James Hunsberger interviews Andreas Mundt, the President of Germany's Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) and Chair of the Steering Group of the International Competition Network (ICN). Next, Jeny Maier's speaks with Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, the President of the Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC). Listen to this episode to hear what's been happening in their respective agencies and what makes them happy outside of competition law.

With special guests:

Andreas Mundt, President, Bundeskartellamt and Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, President, Autoridade da Concorrência

Related Links:

Federal Cartel Office of Germany (Bundeskartellamt) International Competition Network Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC)

Hosted by:

Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC, James Hunsberger, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP, and Jeny Maier, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP

While on site at the 2025 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section, the Our Curious Amalgam team recorded interviews with senior competition agency enforcers from all over the world, including Italy and Greece. In the first segment of this episode, Jaclyn Phillips interviews Saverio Valentino, Board Member of the Italian Competition Authority. Following that is the conversation between Panos Dimitrellos and Hara Nikolopoulou, Vice President of the Hellenic Competition Commission. Listen to this episode to hear what's been happening in their respective agencies, and what makes them happy outside of competition law.

With special guests:

Saverio Valentino, Board Member, Italian Competition Authority and Hara Nikolopoulou, Vice President, Hellenic Competition Commission

Related Links:

Italian Competition Authority Hellenic Competition Commission

Hosted by:

Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC, Jaclyn Phillips, White & Case LLP, and Panos Dimitrellos, Secretariat Economists LLC

While on site at the Antitrust Law Section's 2025 Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., Section Chair-Elect Renata Hesse interviewed Mario Monti, former prime minister of Italy (2011-2013), and European commissioner for competition (1999-2004). What does he think about the current state of international competition enforcement? What direction does he think the U.S. and Europe should take to improve their working relationship? Listen to this episode for a wide-ranging discussion about the past, present, and future of international cooperation in a geopolitically volatile era.

With special guest:

Mario Monti, Former Prime Minister of Italy (2011-2013)

Related Links:

The Trilateral Commission homepage

Hosted by:

Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC

Sustainability claims are everywhere in the fashion industry — but how can consumers tell what's real and what's greenwashing? Baker McKenzie attorneys David Baay and Katia Boneva-Desmicht join Jeny Maier and Puja Patel to discuss civil litigation in this space, as well as government enforcement efforts on both sides of the Atlantic, from the FTC's Green Guides review to the European Commission's Green Claims Directive. Listen to this episode to learn how fashion brands are navigating increasing legal scrutiny around environmental marketing.

With special guests:

David Baay, Partner, Baker McKenzie and Katia Boneva-Desmicht, Partner, Baker McKenzie

Hosted by:

Jeny Maier, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP and Puja Patel, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

The 2025 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section offered the Our Curious Amalgam team a chance to speak with competition law enforcers from around the world. In this episode, host Matthew Hall asks Olivier Guersent, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission (DG COMP), about what's been happening in the European Union since we interviewed him at the 2024 Spring Meeting. Listen and learn about DG COMP's current and recent work and what competition law policy and enforcement trends the Director-General sees on the horizon.

With special guest:

Olivier Guersent, Director-General, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission

Related Links:

European Commission DG COMP website 2024 Spring Meeting interview with Olivier Guersent 2023 Spring Meeting interview with Olivier Guersent 2022 Spring Meeting interview with Olivier Guersent

Hosted by:

Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP

We are seeing some swirling changes to the marketplace and international trade that affect prices of goods and services in our daily lives. How can economics help us cope and understand underlying concepts such as cost pass-through? Anne Catherine Faye, Vice President at Analysis Group, speaks to James Hunsberger and Anora Wang about inflation, tariffs, and junk fees, as well as her experience as the first economist to serve as Counsel to the Chair of the ABA Antitrust Section. Listen to this episode to see key antitrust issues on the horizon through an economic lens.

With special guest:

Anne Catherine Faye, Vice President, Analysis Group, Inc.

Related Links:

Robert A Ritz, Does competition increase pass-through? The RAND Journal of Economics, 55: 140-165 (2024)

Jason Douglas et al., How Much Do Tariffs Raise Prices? The Wall Street Journal (Mar. 2, 2025)

Hosted by:

Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP and James Hunsberger, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP

The UK government elected in 2024 has a "growth" agenda and is pushing regulators including the UK Competition and Markets Authority to support this. What does the approach mean for the CMA? Veronica Roberts, lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills, joins Blair Matthews and Matthew Hall to discuss the wide range of recent announcements and proposals from the CMA and government. Listen to this episode to learn more about the CMA's future approach to enforcement of the UK merger control, antitrust, consumer protection and digital markets rules.

With special guest:

Veronica Roberts, lawyer, Herbert Smith Freehills

Related Links:

UK government policy paper, "New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth", 17 March 2025

UK Competition and Markets Authority, "Mergers: Evolving the CMA's approach", 12 March 2025

UK government consultation, "Strategic steer to the Competition and Markets Authority", 13 February 2025

UK Competition and Markets Authority blog post, "New CMA proposals to drive growth, investment and business confidence", 13 February 2025

Hosted by:

Blair West Matthews, Cleary Gottlieb and Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP

New disclosure requirements for U.S. premerger notifications under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act were announced in the fall of 2024 and became effective in February 2025. What are the practical implications of the new requirements for in-house counsel tasked with preparing for an HSR filing? In this episode, Matt Bester and Paul Covaleski of Accenture LLP talk to Alicia Downey and Matt Tabas about some concrete suggestions for accurately and cost-effectively identifying and assembling the newly-required information and documents. Listen and learn some tips that will be useful not only for in-house counsel but also outside counsel and firms of all sizes involved in reportable transactions.

With special guests:

Matthew J. Bester, Director of Competition Law, Accenture LLP and Paul Covaleski, Antitrust and Competition Counsel, Accenture LLP

Related Links:

Matthew J. Bester & Paul Covaleski, "A Practical Guide to the New HSR Form For In-House Counsel," Business Law Today (ABA Business Law Section, Mar. 27, 2025) Our Curious Amalgam Episode #297: "HSR You Kidding Me? Unpacking the New Requirements for Merging Parties in the U.S." (Oct. 28, 2024)

Hosted by:

Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Matt Tabas, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP

Market definition plays a central role in antitrust analysis. Is it appropriate for the U.S. antitrust agencies to identify "overlapping markets" and "submarkets" as relevant markets for antitrust purposes? Keith Klovers, Counsel at Latham & Watkins and former advisor to FTC commissioners Christine S. Wilson and Maureen K. Ohlhausen, talks to Blair Matthews and Anora Wang about why, in his view, the concepts of overlapping markets and submarkets are unsupported by judicial law and economics. Listen to this episode to learn about the alternative approach to market definition that Keith and other practitioners believe are better suited for antitrust analysis.

With special guest:

Keith Klovers, Counsel, Latham & Watkins LLP

Related Links:

Keith Klovers & Jonathan Jacobson, The Overlapping Markets Fallacy, 86 Antitrust Law Journal No. 2 (ABA 2024)

Hosted by:

Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP and Blair West Matthews, Cleary Gottlieb