Mike Robert-Smith

Partner Antitrust & Competition
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

London +44 20 7469 2235

Mike Robert-Smith

Overview

Mike Robert-Smith has extensive experience in competition law, including all aspects of EU, UK and Asia-Pacific competition law regimes and significant experience in dealing with all other major competition law regimes in the context of cross-border matters including global merger control analysis and filings, competition investigations and disputes, and compliance work.

While at Kirkland, Mike has been involved in the following representations:

  • Blackstone on the recommended £4.77 billion cash offer for Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in location-based, family entertainment (2019)
  • Francisco Partners on its pending acquisition of EG, a leading Scandinavian software company, from Axcel for DKK 3.7 billion (2019)
  • Triton Partners on its acquisition of Sunweb Group, a leading European online travel operator (2018)
  • Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan on the sale of OTPP's majority investment in Helly Hansen to Canadian Tire Corporation for C$985 million (2018)
  • Pamplona Capital Management LLP on its acquisition of global biopharmaceutical provider PAREXEL International (NASDAQ: PRXL) for approximately $5 billion (2017)
  • Bain Capital and Cinven on their EUR 5.3 billion joint public takeover offer for the German pharmaceutical company Stada Arzneimittel AG; to date the largest private equity transaction ever realized in the German market (2017)

Representative transactions prior to joining Kirkland:

  • Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc - worldwide clearances for mandated disposals of its interests in Sempra Energy to JP Morgan, in WorldPay to Advent International and Bain Capital (2010)

  • Centrica plc — UK clearance for $3 billion investment in British Energy (2009)

  • SUAL — EU and RoW clearances for $12 billion merger with RUSAL and Glencore to create United Company RUSAL (2007)

  • Expedia, Inc. — Asia-Pacific merger control in relation to its acquisitions of Orbitz Worldwide, Wotif and HomeAway (2014, 2015)

  • Johnson & Johnson — EU and RoW clearances for $20 billion acquisition of Synthes, Inc. (2011)

  • Nestlé SA — ACCC clearance (conditional) in relation to $12 billion acquisition of Pfizer Nutrition (2012)

  • E.On — regulatory and merger control aspects of the £4 billion disposal of its UK electricity distribution businesses to PPL (2011)

  • Arcapita — regulatory and merger control aspects of its sale of South Staffordshire Water (2007)

  • National Grid — UK Phase II clearance for its disposal of National Grid Wireless to Macquarie Bank/Arqiva (2007)

  • Anglo American — EU conditional clearance for its disposal of Highveld to Evraz (2007)

Selected antitrust/regulatory prior to joining Kirkland:

  • Sainsbury’s plc on the OFT’s cartel investigation into dairy pricing

  • UK pharmaceutical company in relation to the EC’s pharmaceutical sector inquiry

  • Infrastructure access disputes

  • Various confidential investigations in relation to distribution arrangements in food and beverage, and online markets

  • Advising on global compliance programs for major mining and financial services companies

King & Wood Mallesons

  • Senior Associate, 2012–2015

Linklaters

  • Managing Associate, 2006–2011

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Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • Admitted to Practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales

Education

  • The University of Sydney Law SchoolLL.B.(Hons.), First Class Honours2004
  • The University of SydneyB.A.(Hons.), First Class Honours2002