Avsnitt
-
The analysis of mergers in the EU and UK is adapting to take account of a changed worldwide geo-political and trade context. But what does this mean in practice? Stuart Hudson, co-lead of Brunswick's global regulatory practice, joins Matthew Hall and James Hunsberger to discuss the European Commission's draft new EU Merger Guidelines and changes in the UK. Listen to this episode to learn more about what is in the draft EU guidelines, why the changes have been made, the UK's new approach, a prediction on EU/UK convergence or divergence and the risk of politicisation of merger control.
With special guest:
Stuart Hudson, "Six types of politicisation", 4 May 2026 European Commission, Draft new EU Merger Guidelines, 30 April 2026 UK Government, Strategic steer to the UK Competition and Markets Authority, 15 May 2025 UK CMA, CMA launches review of its approach to merger efficiencies, 15 January 2026 UK CMA, Merger remedies CMA87, 19 December 2025
Stuart Hudson, co-lead global regulatory practice, Brunswick Group
Related Links:Hosted by:
Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods and James Hunsberger, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider -
The OECD's Competition Division carries out the organisation's work on worldwide competition law, policy and enforcement. But what does this mean in practice? Ori Schwartz, Head of the Competition Division, joins Matthew Hall to discuss the Division's activities. Listen to this episode to learn more about the Division's recent and upcoming focus areas.
With special guest:
Ori Schwartz, Head, OECD Competition Division
Related Links:
OECD Competition Division webpage
Hosted by:
Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods -
Saknas det avsnitt?
-
What are the latest trends and developments in competition law enforcement in Ireland, Brazil, and Paraguay? Geoffrey Gray of the Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), joins Lexi Michaud to discuss his agency's efforts to refine merger analysis and enhance competition in Ireland's taxi and ride-sharing sector. Brazilian CADE President Gustavo Augusto speaks with Matthew Hall about how his agency has been deploying AI to analyze market data and identify possible cartel activity. Finally, Eduardo Barros, President of Paraguay's CONACOM, talks to Alicia Downey about how his relatively young agency has been growing and successfully collaborating with other agencies. Listen to this episode to hear about how all three competition agencies are approaching competition law enforcement and advocacy in 2026.
With special guests:
Geoffrey Gray, Commission Member, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), Ireland Gustavo Augusto Freitas de Lima, President, Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), Brazil Eduardo Barros, President, CONACOM, ParaguayRelated Links:
Ireland Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), Brazil Comisión Nacional de la Competencia (CONACOM), Paraguay
Hosted by:
Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods, Lexi Michaud, Fried Frank, and Alicia Downey, Downey Law -
Benchmarking and information sharing can be procompetitive, but modern data tools can also make it easier for rivals to coordinate on prices. But when does benchmarking cross the line into unlawful antitrust conduct? Norman Lee Morris, Attorney for Mississippi Attorney General, joins Panos Dimitrellos and Alysha Pannu to discuss the evolution of antitrust enforcement, the economic risks posed by real-time algorithmic pricing and data aggregation, and what recent cases like RealPage and Agri Stats reveal about enforcement priorities. Listen to this episode to learn more about how antitrust law applies to information exchanges, and why the economics of benchmarking matter so much in today's markets.
With special guest:
Norman Lee Morris, Attorney for Mississippi Attorney General
Hosted by:
Alysha Pannu, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt and Panos Dimitrellos, Secretariat Economists -
What is happening in competition enforcement in Australia and New Zealand? Luke Woodward, Commissioner at the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), joins Lexi Michaud to discuss the ACCC's distinctive joint competition and consumer protection mandate, the ACCC's role in deregulation as a way to unlock innovation, growth, and productivity, and where the ACCC is focused to keep pace with changing markets. Next, Luke Becker, Chief Legal Counsel of Competition at the New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC), speaks with Anora Wang on the NZCC's approach to digital markets, enforcement priorities, and the application of traditional regulatory tools in evolving market contexts. Join us for a look at how Australia and New Zealand are steering competition enforcement across the Asia‑Pacific, the key developments to watch in 2026, and what these shifts mean for businesses and practitioners.
With special guests:
Luke Woodward, Commissioner, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission and Luke Becker, Chief Legal Counsel (Competition), New Zealand Commerce CommissionRelated Links:
Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC)
Hosted by:
Lexi Michaud, Fried Frank and Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter -
Can competition laws keep pace with the AI race? Blanche Savary de Beauregard, General Counsel at Mistral AI, joins co-hosts Anora Wang and Clémence Coppin, in collaboration with the New York State Bar Association, to discuss how a European AI company competes against U.S. and Chinese makers of AI foundation models, the strategic logic behind Mistral's major industry partnerships, and why Europe's regulatory fragmentation makes scaling uniquely difficult for emerging AI champions. Blanche offers a candid take on why both under- and over-enforcement are genuine risks in a market that can foreclose before regulators have fully mapped it. Listen to this episode for a rare industry perspective on AI competition policy in 2026.
With special guest:
Blanche Savary de Beauregard, General Counsel, Mistral AI
Related Links:
Mistral AIHosted by:
Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter and Clémence Coppin, Latham & Watkins -
What has competition enforcement looked like in Italy and Portugal over the past year? Saverio Valentino, Board Member of the Italian Antitrust Authority, joins Jaclyn Phillips to discuss AGCM's 2025 enforcement record, an ongoing digital sector investigation into Meta, and a whistleblower platform that has generated over 600 complaints since 2023. Next, Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, President of the Portuguese Competition Authority, speaks with Jeny Maier about a creative hospital merger remedy, AdC's research on AI and competition, and a consumer outreach initiative that took the authority beyond Lisbon. Listen to this episode to hear how two of Europe's most active competition agencies are approaching enforcement and advocacy in 2026.
With special guests:
Saverio Valentino, Board Member, AGCM (Italian Antitrust Authority) and Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, President, AdC (Portuguese Competition Authority)
Related Links:
Italian Antitrust Authority (AGCM)Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC)
Hosted by:
Jaclyn Phillips, Proskauer Rose and Jeny Maier, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider -
Algorithmic and AI-driven tools are increasingly shaping how employers set employee compensation. But how can employers avoid compliance pitfalls when use of these tools raises competition and other regulatory concerns? Economist Rose Healy joins Anora Wang and Subrata Bhattacharjee to discuss the legal and economic risks, as well as practical tools such as bias audits and event studies. Listen to this episode to learn how wage-setting algorithms are being used today—and what may lie ahead as these technologies evolve.
With special guest:
Rose Healy, Director, Resolution Economics
Hosted by:
Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter and Subrata Bhattacharjee, Borden Ladner Gervais -
What is happening in competition enforcement in Malaysia and Hong Kong? Iskandar Ismail, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysia Competition Commission (MYCC), joins Anora Wang to discuss MYCC's actions against bid-rigging, ongoing market reviews of the digital economy, and Malaysia's broader plan to consolidate competition oversight over regulated sectors like energy, with phase one targeted for completion in 2026. Next, Teenie Yu, Of Counsel at the Hong Kong Competition Commission (HKCC), speaks with Anora on the HKCC's landmark case against a bid-rigging syndicate in the building maintenance sector, HKCC's ongoing effort before the Court of Appeal over the applicable standard of proof in competition proceedings, and the agency's creative advocacy campaign regarding information exchange. Listen to this episode to learn about enforcement developments in two of Asia's fastest developing competition jurisdictions and what practitioners should be watching in 2026.
With special guests:
Iskandar Ismail, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Competition Commission (MYCC) and Teenie Yu, Of Counsel, Hong Kong Competition Commission (HKCC)Related Links:
Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) Hong Kong Competition Commission (HKCC)Hosted by:
Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter -
Five years after the Supreme Court's AMG Capital Management decision limited the FTC's ability to seek monetary remedies under Section 13(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, the agency continues to look for ways to obtain money in consumer protection and privacy cases through other authorities and theories. At the same time, it is grappling with how to define and measure consumer injuries and benefits in an increasingly data driven economy, including through its February 26 workshop on "Consumer Injuries and Benefits in the Data Driven Economy." Hosts Lexi Michaud and Anora Wang talk with Laura Riposo VanDruff from Kelley Drye and Warren LLP and Mike LeGower from NERA about how the FTC is pursuing monetary relief after AMG, whether and how it might articulate clearer guidance for quantifying harm, and what companies should expect when facing privacy and data investigations by the FTC.
With special guest:
Laura Riposo VanDruff, Partner, Kelley Drye and Warren LLP and Mike LeGower, Director, Nera Economic ConsultingRelated Links:
FTC's "Measuring Consumer Injuries and Benefits" Workshop: Key Takeaways by Kelley Drye and Warren LLPHosted by:
Lexi Michaud, Fried Frank and Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter -
Hospitals, as well as insurers, have been increasingly purchasing physicians practices, home health providers, and nursing facilities. But what are the competitive implications of these acquisitions? Dr. Zack Cooper, economist and public health expert at Yale University, joins Derek Jackson and Anora Wang to discuss both the theoretical and empirical competitive harms and benefits to vertical integration in the healthcare provider market. Listen to this episode to learn more about the changing competitive landscape in this large and important sector of the economy.
With special guest:
Are Hospital Acquisitions of Physician Practices Anticompetitive? by Cooper et al., July 2025 Zack Cooper's Congressional Testimony, Fighting Obamacare Subsidy Fraud: Is the Administrative Procedure Act Working as Intended?, December 10, 2025 Zack Cooper's Senate Testimony, Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs, June 8, 2023
Zack Cooper, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Public Health and Associate Professor of Economics, Yale University
Related Links:Hosted by:
Derek Jackson, Cohen & Gresser and Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter -
M&A deals impacting the EU that are not caught by standard merger control thresholds can still be reviewed under general competition law rules. But how does this work? Frédéric Manin, lawyer at Advant Altana in Paris, joins Matthew Hall and James Hunsberger to discuss the implications of the 2023 European Court of Justice judgment in the "Towercast" case. Listen to this episode to learn more about the practical implications of this judgment for lawyers and dealmakers doing M&A that touches the EU.
With special guest:
France Autorité de la concurrence, press release, Doctolib case (6 November 2025) France Autorité de la concurrence, press release, meat-cutting case (15 May 2024) Belgium Autorité belge de la Concurrence, press release, Proximus/EDPnet case (6 November 2023) European Court of Justice, Case C-449/21 "Towercast" (16 March 2023)
Frédéric Manin, partner, Advant Altana
Related Links:
Hosted by:
Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods and James Hunsberger, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider -
In February 2025, new rules for the pre-merger notification requirements in the U.S. came into effect. But will a February 2026 court decision undo these changes? Daniel Rosenthal, partner at Kirkland & Ellis, joins Jaclyn Phillips and Lexi Michaud to discuss a decision vacating the new rules, the subsequent appeal, and what might happen next. Listen to this episode to learn more about how to navigate merger filings in an uncertain time.
(Since this episode was recorded, the Fifth Circuit denied the FTC's motion to stay the decision vacating the new HSR Rules. On March 19, 2026, the Premerger Office announced that the Commission is now accepting HSR filings using the Form and Instructions that were in place before the February 10, 2025, effective date of the new rule. As always, continue to follow the case and consult a lawyer for any legal advice.)
With special guest:
Daniel Rosenthal, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis
Related Links:
OCA #297 - HSR You Kidding Me? Unpacking the New Requirements for Merging Parties in the U.S.
Hosted by:
Jaclyn Phillips, Proskauer Rose and Lexi Michaud, Fried Frank -
Over the last few decades, prior approval requirements were considered an extraordinary remedy in merger settlements, yet their use has fluctuated in agency enforcement across recent administrations. Where do the FTC and DOJ stand in their current practice? Bilal Sayyed, a Counsel at the Cadwalader law firm, and antitrust professor and former FTC policy leader, speaks with Anora Wang and Jeny Maier about the role of prior approval provisions in modern merger enforcement and what their recent rise—and retreat—signals about agency policy. Listen to this episode to learn how prior approval differs from traditional HSR review, when agencies have relied on such provisions, and what the evolving approach means for merging parties and future dealmaking.
With special guest:
Bilal Sayyed, Counsel, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft
Related Links:
2021 FTC Statement on Use of Prior Approval Provisions in Merger OrdersBilal Sayyed, U.S. Antitrust Agency Merger Roundup & Commentary: FTC Reverses Routine Use of Prior Approval Requirements in Merger Settlements, Trump Antitrust Leadership Continues Departure from Antitrust Merger Policies of Previous Administration (July 15, 2025)
Hosted by:
Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter and Jeny Maier, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider -
States have become increasingly active participants in merger enforcement, often conducting independent analyses and, at times, intervening alongside federal agencies in high-profile cases. What goes into states' analyses and decisions to intervene? Anthony Mariano, Chief of the Antitrust Division at the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, speaks with Lexi Michaud and Anora Wang about how states approach merger enforcement in parallel with the DOJ and FTC, the importance of independent state scrutiny, and, using the HPE–Juniper transaction to guide the discussion, how the Tunney Act promotes transparency and public interest oversight of federal settlements.
With special guest:
Anthony Mariano, Antitrust Division Chief, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
Hosted by:
Lexi Michaud, Fried Frank and Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter -
State attorneys general are taking a more active role in merger control, with Colorado and Washington leading the way on new "mini-HSR" notification regimes.
What do these new state pre-merger filing laws require, and how should companies and practitioners navigate them alongside the federal Hart-Scott-Rodino Act?
Assistant Attorneys General Paula Pera Czollak and Bryn Williams join hosts Puja Patel and James Hunsberger to discuss the origins of the Uniform Antitrust Pre-Merger Notification Act, lessons from the first months of filings in Colorado and Washington, key interpretive questions practitioners are raising, and what the spread of state mini-HSRs could mean for national antitrust enforcement.
Listen to this episode to learn more about how emerging state-level merger notification regimes are reshaping the U.S. antitrust landscape and what companies need to know now.
With special guests:
Paula Pera Czollak, Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division, Washington State Office of the Attorney General and Bryn Williams, First Assistant Attorney General, Colorado Attorney General's Office, Leader of Antitrust UnitRelated Links:
https://www.atg.wa.gov/premerger-notificationsHosted by:
James Hunsberger, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider and Puja Patel, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton -
China's antitrust regime has evolved rapidly over the past decade. What role does economic analysis play in the actual enforcement? Anora Wang and Kathleen Hu speak with Dr. Vanessa Zhang of Compass Lexecon about the growing role of economic analysis in Chinese competition law, drawing on her experience advising China's antitrust authority and serving as a testifying expert in high-stakes cases. The conversation explores how economic evidence is developed, evaluated, and increasingly relied upon in China's evolving antitrust regime.
With special guest:
Vanessa Zhang, Executive Vice President, Compass LexeconRelated Links:
The Complex Geopolitics of Digital Regulation: The Three Body ProblemHosted by:
Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter and Kathleen Hu, Cornerstone Research -
Businesses are increasingly considering the use of generative AI for work that historically relied on human creativity, including in the area of marketing and advertising. But can ads made with gen AI really be more effective than human-created ads? Professor Vilma Todri of Emory University Goizueta Business School joins Kathleen Hu and Jaclyn Phillips to discuss her recent research on the impact of visual generative AI on advertising effectiveness. Listen to this episode to learn more about how gen AI is being used in advertising and the implications for ad effectiveness and AI disclosure policies.
With special guest:
Vilma Todri, Associate Professor, Goizueta Business School of Emory University
Related Links:
The Impact of Visual Generative AI on Advertising EffectivenessHosted by:
Kathleen Hu, Cornerstone Research and Jaclyn Phillips, Proskauer Rose -
In 2006, various parties came together to form Brazil's Amazon Soy Moratorium in an effort to curb illegal deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest. Today, challenges regarding Brazil's Soy Moratorium continue to mount, with passionate advocacy from farmers, environmentalists, government agencies, and international organizations. What might seem a cut-and-dry conflict between free enterprise and environmental conservation becomes more complicated when we delve deeper. With an antitrust cartel investigation in limbo, a pseudo-private agreement to arguably higher deforestation standards than those instituted by the government, and international observers on the scene, including customers and climate activists, the facts surrounding Brazil's Soy Moratorium are ripe for unpacking. Our guest today is antitrust attorney Eduardo Frade, who joins Barry Nigro and Anora Wang to discuss Brazil's Soy Moratorium and the various antitrust and competition questions it raises.
With special guest:
Eduardo Frade, Partner, Mattos Filho
Related Links:
General Superintendence of the Administrative Council for Economic Defence (CADE) decides to adopt preventive measures to suspend the Soy MoratoriumHosted by:
Barry Nigro, Fried Frank and Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter -
The past few years have been a critical time in the development of data privacy laws and the regulation of AI in the United States. As we look toward 2026, the complexities are only increasing. In this episode, the Antitrust Law Section's Privacy and Information Security (PRIS) Committee joins forces with OCA to focus on the highlights of 2025 and predictions for 2026. Hosts Alicia Downey and Anora Wang talk to PRIS Committee vice chairs Jessica Cohen of Verizon Communications and Alex Brown of Alston & Bird about why the next 12 months could redefine how AI and data privacy are regulated at the federal and state levels. In addition, listeners will hear from Jessica about being a mother of five, and get an update on Walter, a beauty pageant-winning dog, who was just a puppy when Alex was a featured guest on OCA Episode #89 back in 2020.
With special guests:
Jessica Cohen, Senior Counsel, Regulatory Affairs, AI, Cybersecurity & Privacy, Verizon Communications and Alexander G. Brown, Partner, Alston & Bird LLPRelated Links:
Kathleen Benway, Alexander G. Brown, Maki DePalo, Jennifer C. Everett, Graham Gardner & Hyun Jai Oh, "Flurry of FTC Activity Shows Enforcement Emphasis on Youth Protection," 12 PRATT'S PRIVACY &CYBERSECURITY LAW REPORT 8 (LexisNexis A.S. Pratt 2026) Alexander G. Brown & Katherine Doty Hanniford, "First 100 Days – Federal Privacy and Cybersecurity Regulation and Enforcement Under the Second Trump Administration," Alston & Bird Advisory (May 8, 2025) Our Curious Amalgam, Episode #89 What's the Deal with Data Portability? Understanding the Competition and Privacy Aspects Surrounding the Movement of Data, November 30, 2020, featuring Alex BrownHosted by:
Alicia Downey, Downey Law and Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter - Visa fler
