Bowmans stands out for its strong offering across the full range of competition law matters. The group regularly acts as counsel to a solid client base of blue-chip companies on a wide range of complex competition issues, and continues to advise on multi-jurisdictional merger matters, high-profile market inquiries, and abuse of dominance claims. Practice co-head Derek Lötter is ‘very commercial and very experienced‘, and practice co-head Tamara Dini fields expertise in cross-border transactions and merger control issues. Heather Irvine has solid expertise in acting for clients in the financial services and manufacturing sectors. Xolani Nyali is well versed in handling pan-African merger transactions.
Competition in South Africa
Bowmans
Praxisleiter:
Derek Lötter; Tamara Dini
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Heather Irvine; Judd Lurie; Xolani Nyali; Rudolph Labuschagne; Richard Bryce; Lital Avivi
Referenzen
‘The practice combines legal excellence with practical advice.’
‘They provide practical and implementable solutions.’
‘The competition department has an incredible depth of knowledge and experience.’
Kernmandanten
Astron Energy SA (Pty) Ltd
Old Mutual
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa
Vita Gas (Pty) Ltd
TPG Inc.
Booking.com B.V.
Anheuser-Busch InBev
BeIN Media Group WLL
Pharmanovia
NCR Corporation
Akzo Nobel Nederland B.V
MTN South Africa (Pty) Ltd
SMBC Bank EU AG
Macquarie Group
Total Energies
British Airways
Cisco
Amazon
Agroberries Limited
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Deutsche Lufthansa AG
Barloworld
Engen
Universal Music Group
Blackstone Group LP
Puma Energy South Africa Proprietary Limited
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Ltd
The Veritas Capital Fund VIII, L.P.
Macmillan South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
Prominent Paints (Pty) Ltd
Imperial Group
Sanlam
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised Bunge Global SA (Bunge) and Viterra Limited (Viterra) on the South African, Nigerian, and COMESA competition clearances required for the merger of the two companies.
- Advising Apple and Booking.com on ongoing matters in relation to the Online Intermediation and Platforms Market Inquiry.
ENSafrica
At ENSafrica, the team has an excellent track record in advising on the full range of contentious and non-contentious competition law matters. Practice head Jocelyn Katz regularly acts for clients in the retail, mining, healthcare, telecoms, financial services, and insurance sectors, while Justin Balkin‘s workload includes merger control matters and cartel investigations. Lizél Blignaut specialises in advising on competition economics, Aidan Scallan brings experience in handling abuse of dominance claims, horizontal prohibited practices proceedings, and multi-jurisdictional merger notifications. Nicholas Petzwinkler joined the team in February 2024.
Praxisleiter:
Jocelyn Katz
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Justin Balkin; Natalia Lopes; Derushka Chetty; Lameez Mayet; Aidan Scallan; Lizél Blignaut; Nicholas Petzwinkler; Zaid Bhayat; Sazi Madlala; Richardt van Rensburg; Wade Graaff
Referenzen
‘Very practical and robust in their approach.’
‘Justin Balkin is always available with practical advice.’
‘Aidan Scallan is responsive and hard working.’
Kernmandanten
Microsoft Corporation
Activision Blizzard
TikTok Pte. Ltd.
BHP Billiton
Consolidated Copper (Namibia) Corp
Johann-Heinrich F. Holding GmbH & Co. KG
Vivo Energy Namibia Limited
Nedbank Limited
Huaxin (Hong Kong) International Holdings Limited
Sanlam Private Equity
HeidelbergCement AG
The Discovery Group
Vodacom
ZF Friedrichshafen AG (“ZF”)
PETRONAS and Engen
Holcim and Lafarge SA
Health Funders Association
Caxton
Massmart / Walmart
PG Group
South32
Astral
A.P. Moller–Maersk Group
Adcock Ingram
Advent International, Cinven and RAG-Stiftung (the consortium)
AkzoNobel
AngloGold Ashanti
Beefmaster Holdings Pty Ltd (“Beefmaster”)
Carlyle Group
CDK Global Inc.
CEVA Logistics
Cipla Limited
CMA CGM
Comair Business Rescue Consortium
Consolidated Infrastructure Group LTD
Corobrik
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Limited
Discovery Limited
Distell Group Holdings Limited (“Distell”)
DSV South Africa Proprietary Limited
Edcon
Emerging Capital Partners
enX Group Limited
Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium Limited
Experian
Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa
G4S plc
General Partner Proprietary Limited
Grindrod Group Limited
Hoegh Autoliner AS
Hollard Holdings Limited
IDC
Imerys
Investec Group
Invicta Holdings Limited
Kleoss Fund 1 en commandite Partnership (“Kleoss”)
Konecranes PLC
LafargeHolcim
Mediterranean Shipping Company SA
Netflix
Nestle SA
Old Mutual Insure
RZ Murowa Holdings Limited
RMB Corvest
Sanlam
Sasol
Sibanye Stillwater
Stuttafords and Pickfords
Tarsus Technology Group Limited
Tetrad Investments Holdings Proprietary Limited
Teraco Data Environments (Pty) Ltd
The Government Employees Pension Fund (“GEPF”)
Tiger Brands Limited
Totalgaz Proprietary Limited.
ThyssenKrupp AG
Vodacom Proprietary Limited
Absa
Air France KLM
Santam
Vivendi
Highlight-Mandate
Webber Wentzel
Led by Mark Garden, Webber Wentzel‘s ‘agile‘ team handles cross-border transactions, multi-jurisdictional merger applications, abuse of dominance claims, and investigations brought by the Competition Commission. Robert Wilson‘s workload includes merger control mandates involving public interest considerations, while Shawn Van Der Meulen has established strength in advising on prohibited practices cases. Daryl Dingley is a highly regarded competition law practitioner, with an excellent track record in assisting with the full range of competition law issues, and Martin Versfeld is well versed in advising on high-profile, pan-African competition cases. Burton Phillips and Clare-Alice Vertue are other key contacts. Gina Lodolo joined the team in March 2024.
Praxisleiter:
Mark Garden
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Daryl Dingley; Robert Wilson; Martin Versfeld; Burton Phillips; Shawn Van Der Meulen; Clare-Alice Vertue; Gina Lodolo; Dudu Mogapi; Kgomotso Mmutle; Busisiwe Masango
Referenzen
‘They have a great breadth and depth of experience across the team, providing legally sound, practical solutions to complex matters.’
‘Mark Garden is an exceptional lawyer due to his commercial acumen and practical application of the law. He is able to provide robust advice that works.’
‘Daryl Dingley is the best competition lawyer we have worked with.’
Kernmandanten
Heineken N.V
Saint-Gobain Construction Products South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Akzo Nobel N.V
Woolworths
JP Morgan, Standard Chartered, Bank of America and Commerzbank
Woolworths
Agri SA
RSA Group of Companies
Interaction Market Services Holding (Pty) Ltd
MultiChoice Group Ltd
MTN
Naspers
RCL Foods Limited
Highlight-Mandate
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
At Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, the ‘exceptional‘ competition team continues to handle a steady workflow of market inquiries across a wide range of sectors, as well as assisting with the competition law aspects of high-value M&A deals. Practice head Chris Charter is well versed in representing clients in the banking, retail, financial services, telecoms, and construction sectors, while the ‘exceptional‘ Susan Meyer regularly advises healthcare entities on a broad range of competition law issues, including merger notifications and exemption applications. Albert Aukema fields expertise in all areas of competition law, while competition litigation forms a key pillar of Mmakgabo Mogapi‘s practice.
Praxisleiter:
Chris Charter
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Susan Meyer; Albert Aukema; Andries le Grange; Mmakgabo Mogapi
Referenzen
‘They are exceptionally skilled.’
‘They are extremely pragmatic and approachable individuals who truly understand their clients.’
‘They are a technically strong and knowledgeable team who can be trusted in their ability to provide sound legal advice and support in complex legal processes.’
Kernmandanten
AdvTech
African Bank
Anglo American
ANZ
Apex Partners
Aveng
Avon Justine
Azelis
Babcock Plant Services
BetterHome Group
British American Tobacco
Bud Group
Business Connexion
Capitalworks
Clientele
Computershare
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa
Cosco Shipping
Curro Schools
Dark Fibre Africa
DN Invest
EASEED Group
Engie
EnviroServ
Fidelity Services Group
FirstRand Bank
FNB
FNZ
Food Lovers Market
Fortress REIT
GAP Chemicals
Hatfield Holdings
Hollywood Bets
Hygrotech Properties
Investec
Jasco Electronics Holdings
Kagiso Tiso Holdings
Legae Peresec
LG
Liquid Telecoms
Lonmin
Mainstream Renewable Power
Manganese Producers Consortium
Massmart
Mediclinic
Merck
Minister of Economic Development
National Health Laboratory Service
National Land Rover Dealers Association South Africa
Old Mutual
Pam Golding
OpenAI
Parmalat
Pelo Agricultural Ventures
PPC
PSG Group
Public Investment Corporation
Puma Energy
RCL
Remgro
Roche
Rymco
Sabre
SA Corporate
Saint Gobain Construction Products South Africa
Sentech
Senwes
Shell
Shop2Shop
Sibanye-Stillwater
Spear REIT
Technology Management Services (TCM)
Telesure
The Coca-Cola Company
Tiger Brands
Tiso Blackstar Group
Total-Energies
Tourvest
Trafigura
Various Oppenheimer Group Companies
Vodacom
Vumatel
Willowton Oil
Herbert Smith Freehills LLP
Jean Meijer heads up the competition, regulation, and trade practice at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, which is well known for providing ‘concise, useful and practical advice‘ to prominent domestic and international clients on high-profile market inquiries, cartel investigations, merger control issues, and regulatory and compliance matters. Nick Altini has a solid track record in handling abuse of dominance claims and discriminatory and predatory pricing matters, while Stewart Payne assists with merger control and exemption applications. Nyiko Mathebula joined the group in December 2023.
Praxisleiter:
Jean Meijer
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Nick Altini; Stewart Payne; Nyiko Mathebula; Natasha Rachwal
Referenzen
‘The team has a good relationship with regulators. Their deep understanding of the law and very commercial approach makes them incredibly valuable advisors.’
‘Pragmatic, timely advice.’
‘They are highly efficient.’
Kernmandanten
Ampath
Associated British Foods
Air Products South Africa Proprietary Limited
Airlink
British American Tobacco South Africa
Clover
Country Bird Holdings
Harmony Gold
HSBC Bank
IHS Holdings
Life Healthcare Group Limited
MultiChoice
AutoTrader
Mr D
OLX South Africa
Property24
Takealot.com
Procter and Gamble
Rain
Sun International Limited
The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited
Uber Portier B.V.
Uber Eats South Africa Proprietary Limited
Highlight-Mandate
- Acting as competition counsel for a prominent entertainment company in respect of the mandatory public takeover offer made by Canal+ to acquire shares in the company.
- Acting for Sun International in its proposed acquisition of Peermont.
Werksmans Attorneys
Werksmans Attorneys‘ ‘phenomenal‘ team stands out for its expertise in handling complex merger transactions, and is equally strong in advising on abuse of dominance claims, cartel-related matters, and market inquiries. Paul Coetser, who heads up the practice, is a key name for competition litigation, and regularly acts for clients in the telecoms, e-commerce, financial services, and IT sectors. Ahmore Burger-Smidt is well versed in advising on merger approvals and regulatory issues in the telecoms arena, and Rudolph Raath is highly regarded for his extensive experience in handling cartel cases. Nkonzo Hlatshwayo advises on the competition law aspects of cross-border merger transactions. Nyiko Mathebula left the firm in December 2023.
Praxisleiter:
Paul Coetser
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Ahmore Burger-Smidt; Rudolph Raath; Nkonzo Hlatshwayo; Phuti Mashalane
Referenzen
‘They have a great relationship with regulators.’
‘Practical advice and approach.’
‘They communicate effectively.’
Kernmandanten
Audatex Proprietary Limited
Heineken South Africa (RF) Proprietary Limited
Karsten Namibia Agriculture (Proprietary) Limited
MultiChoice South Africa Proprietary Limited
Nedbank Limited
Professional Provident Society Limited
Samsung Electronics
SuperSport International Proprietary Limited
Vitol Holding II S.A.
Highlight-Mandate
- Providing ongoing assistance to Vitol Group with the merger approval processes for its acquisition of a 75% stake of Engen Limited across five African jurisdictions.
- Successfully defended Waco Africa before the Competition Tribunal in proceedings concerning the dismissal of cartel charges brought against the client.
Fasken
The competition practice at Fasken has a solid track record in advising on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious work, and continues to handle a steady stream of market inquiries for multinational entities. Lesley Morphet, who leads the team, is a highly regarded practitioner in the space, and is sought after for her strength in advising on cartel investigations, complex merger filings, merger notifications, and compliance issues. Competition litigation is a key strength for Veronica Cadman, while Palesa Mpe continues to act for clients in the pharmaceutical, transport, financial services, technology, and logistics sectors, often in multi-jurisdictional mergers.
Praxisleiter:
Lesley Morphet
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Veronica Cadman; Palesa Mpe
Referenzen
‘Working with the Fasken team was an absolute privilege.’
‘The Fasken team provides clear and targeted legal advice.’
‘Knowledgeable, thorough. and collaborative.’
Kernmandanten
South African Petroleum Industry Association
Nomura International Plc
BidAir Cargo
Alstom
Eastern Platinum Limited
Amgen
Highlight-Mandate
- Representing Nomura International Plc in litigation before the Competition Tribunal concerning allegations of price fixing and market sharing in relation to foreign currency trading.
- Assisting the South African Petroleum Industry Association (‘SAPIA’) with obtaining multiple exemption applications.
Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc
Norton Rose Fulbright’s offering in competition law includes advising on compliance and risk mitigation issues, multi-jurisdictional merger notifications, and abuse of dominance claims. Practice head Marianne Wagener has established expertise in competition law, and often acts for clients in the energy, healthcare, agriculture, and construction sectors. Contentious merger notifications are a key area of instruction for Mark Griffiths, and Rosalind Lake is sought after for her experience in handling regulatory matters. Candice Upfold and James Donald left the firm in December 2023.
Praxisleiter:
Marianne Wagener
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Mark Griffiths; Rosalind Lake; Reabetsoe Sello
Referenzen
‘The team is very professional and provides a very personalised service. They are also very knowledgeable.’
‘Responsive and supportive.’
Kernmandanten
Industrial Gas Users Association of South Africa
Volvo
BMW South Africa Proprietary Limited
Sanlam
PIC
AngloGold Ashanti
Department of Public Enterprises
FirstRand Bank Limited
Infra Impact Investment Managers
Hollard International
Accenture International
Wilmar
Standard Chartered
Absa Bank Limited
AIG MEA Holdings Limited
Highlight-Mandate
- Advising IGUA-SA on an ongoing dispute against Sasol Gas concerning alleged excessive pricing.
- Assisted AIG MEA Holdings Limited with its notification to the Competition Authority of Kenya of the KES 1.075bn sale of its subsidiary, AIG Bank Kenya.
- Assisted Manitou Centres SA (Pty) Ltd (Manitou Centres) and Dezzo Equipment (Pty) Ltd (Dezzo) with completing the merger filing pertaining to Manitou Centres’ acquisition of certain assets, employees and contracts of Dezzo.
Baker McKenzie Johannesburg
Led by firm managing partner Lerisha Naidu, the competition team at Baker McKenzie Johannesburg handles high-profile merger control mandates, cartel conduct matters, and the competition law aspects of high-value transactions. The group often acts for clients in the financial services, oil and gas, private equity and consumer goods sectors. Newly promoted partner Angelo Tzarevski is well versed in advising on abuse of dominance allegations and compliance issues. Sphesihle Nxumalo brings expertise in merger transactions.
Praxisleiter:
Lerisha Naidu
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Angelo Tzarevski; Sphesihle Nxumalo
Referenzen
‘The team has a great depth of knowledge and a personable, practical, and responsive approach.’
‘Angelo Tzarevski has a clear and practical approach.’
‘Well resourced and highly technically competent.’
Kernmandanten
Unilever South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Brenntag South Africa Proprietary Limited
Varun Beverages Limited
Bidvest Group
Chr. Hansen Holding A/S
Blantyre Capital
Apple
Royal Bafokeng Holdings
Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabian Mining Company
Marubeni Corporation
The Foschini Group
ZCCM Investments Holdings plc
Fluidra
Shell
bp
Ster-Kinekor Theatres
Hutchison Ports Group
Infinite Partners
Highlight-Mandate
- Represented Unilever in proceedings before the Competition Tribunal concerning allegations of cartel conduct in the edible oils and fats industry between 2004 and 2013.
- Assisted Hong Kong-based company Hutchison Ports Group with a merger notification concerning its proposed transaction with COSCO Shipping and CMA-CGM for establishing a joint venture.
- Advised Chr. Hansen Holding A/S on the African merger control aspects of the merger between Novozymes A/S and Chr. Hansen Holding.
Primerio International
Pan-African competition law boutique Primerio International houses a team with established strength in advising on abuse of dominance claims, cartel investigations, and cross-border merger applications and filings. John Oxenham and Michael-James Currie jointly head up the practice. Stephany Torres is sought after for her expertise in handling competition litigation and merger control mandates, and Joshua Eveleigh has a solid track record in advising on merger notifications and compliance issues. In early 2024, Gina Lodolo and Nicholas Petzwinkler left the firm.
Praxisleiter:
John Oxenham; Michael-James Currie
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Stephany Torres; Joshua Eveleigh
Kernmandanten
Joysen Safety Systems
Takata Japan
Oryx Energies Srl
Voith Group
Eutelsat SA
OneWeb Holdings Limited
K+S Aktiengesellschaft
Industrial Commodities Holdings
Ravago S.A and Emeraude 3.0
Makarenge Electrical Industries (Pty) Ltd
Sika AG
Ethos Fund IV
Brait Partners
Premier FMCG (Pty) Ltd
Lodestone Brands (Pty) Ltd
Nissan South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised Greif International on the merger approval and filing processes for its acquisition of the iPackchem Group in South Africa.