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.
Experience
Representative Matters
While at Kirkland, Mike has been involved in the following representations:
Vitruvian Partners on the acquisition of a majority interest in the Fotona Group, a leading medical laser focused EBD company (2021)
Magnum Opus Acquisition Limited, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, on its business combination with Forbes Global Media Holdings Inc. (2021)
Oaktree Transportation Infrastructure Group on its definitive agreement to purchase a significant minority stake in Rand Logistics, a leading Great Lakes marine transportation company (2021)
Blackstone and Brown Bidco Limited on the $4.73 billion recommended take private of Signature Aviation, the world’s largest fixed base operation network for business & general aviation travellers (2021)
An L Catterton-led consortium on its acquisition of Truck Hero, Inc. (2020)
Olympus Partners on its sale of Ennis-Flint Inc. to PPG Industries (2020)
GLP on the acquisition of Goodman Group’s Central and Eastern Europe logistics real estate portfolio (2020)
Blackstone on the £4.66 billion acquisition of iQ Student Accommodation — the largest-ever private real estate transaction in the UK (2020)
Industrial Growth Partners on the sale of Integrated Global Services, Inc to an investment affiliate of J.F. Lehman & Company (2020)
The Marshall Retail Group on its $400 million sale to WH Smith (2019)
Brookfield Business Partners L.P., and certain of its affiliates and institutional partners on its take private of the common units of Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. (2019)
Huntsman Corporation on its $2.1 billion sale of its chemical intermediates business (2019)
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 experience
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
Prior Experience
King & Wood Mallesons
Senior Associate, 2012–2015
Linklaters
Managing Associate, 2006–2011
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Recognition
Recognized as a “Future Leader,” by Who’s Who Legal (2021)
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
Admitted to Practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales
Education
University of Sydney Law SchoolLL.B.(Hons.), First Class Honours2004
University of SydneyB.A.(Hons.), First Class Honours2002
