About Me
I am a Partner at Bird & Bird in Brussels, admitted to the Brussels and Amsterdam bars. I guide clients through the regulatory Antitrust, Trade and TMT maze in Brussels and beyond.
I and my team assist clients in above-mentioned fields in front of the European Commission and other (national) competition and sector regulatory authorities. I use our award-winning legal technology innovations wherever it may provide added value. I am honored to co-head our integrated Brussels Competition, Trade and PA practice and the Brussels Tech & Comms and Media, Entertainment and Sports sector group.Experience
- My practice spans sectors ranging from TMT and pharmaceuticals to security services, retail, paper/fibre, energy, chemicals, and many others. Throughout my career, I have been involved in a wide variety of cases involving cartels, State aid, mergers, abuse of dominance and trade defence. I represent a number of companies in proceedings before the European Union courts in Luxembourg. I have assisted clients in more than 20 antitrust dawn raids in my career and many cartel cases including leniency. I also work at the interface of competition and TMT regulation, such as recently in a matter involving spectrum allocations.
- Specific to my practice is also the fact that my team supports clients with both EU competition and trade defence cases including litigation and possible PA support. I use our award-winning legal technology innovations wherever it may provide added value. I am a father of two. I love history, cycling, following EU politics, travelling and I am a member of the parents' counsel of my children's school.
- All of this would never be possible without all the great team members with whom I am working!
Capabilities
Automotive
Aviation & Aerospace
Competition & EU Law
Defence & Security
Digital Rights & Assets
Energy & Utilities
Financial Services
International Dispute Resolution
Life Sciences and Healthcare
Media, Entertainment and Sport
Regulatory & Public Affairs
Regulatory and Administrative
Retail and Consumer
Technology & Communications
Trade and Customs
Cases
- ASML, the Dutch headquartered producer of high-tech chip machines, on competition law
- Ahlstrom-Munksjö in EU trade defence matters.
- Boehringer-Ingelheim on competition law.
- A European headquartered multinational company in a very large antitrust case.
- A Belgian communications company on competition law.
- A California-based online platform on EU competition and regulatory law.
- PPG on EU and Belgian antitrust law.
- A European mobile telecoms operator on antitrust aspects of a recent 5G frequency granting mechanism.
- The European Thermal Paper Association and its members including Mitsubishi, Kanzan, Jujo, Lecta, Koehler in various EU trade defence matters including at the Union courts in Luxembourg.
Education
Studied
- University of Amsterdam, Bachelor's Degree, Dutch and International Law
- Free University of Brussels, Master's Degree, International and Comparative Law
- I am regularly involved in activities in the antitrust, communications and trade community. This includes:
- Member of the Florence Competition Programme Advisory Council at the European University Institute;
- Guest lecturer at Leuven University in the Post-Graduate Studies in the ICT, IP and Media Law programme; and
- Member of the Communications Committee of the International Bar Association.
Admissions
- De Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten te Amsterdam
- Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten bij de balie te Brussel
