Thomas Janssens

About Thomas Janssens

Thomas is a partner in our antitrust, competition and trade practice group, which up until recently he led globally for six years. He now combines his dynamic and broad client practice with a new global role working closely with the firm’s leadership team on Freshfields’ growth agenda.

In client mandates, Thomas immerses himself in the business of his clients in order to provide innovative, tailored solutions to global antitrust issues. In supporting the firm’s growth agenda, he works with colleagues across the firm to apply our energy, thought leadership and values to stay on top of our game.

He advises on EU and international antitrust law, covering transactional and conduct matters as well as related litigation. Clients turn to Thomas for complex EU and international mandates, especially those requiring strategic management of cross-border challenges and parallel proceedings before several authorities. He brings international experience and perspective across all areas of antitrust risk and compliance in a wide range of industries, including the fast-moving digital economy. The nature of his work also involves leading teams of Freshfields lawyers and local counsel around the world.

Thomas speaks English, Dutch and French.

Recent work

• Hewlett Packard Enterprise on the European merger control and foreign investment aspects of its $14bn acquisition of Juniper Networks.
• Novartis in its successful defence against parallel antitrust investigations carried out by the European Commission and the Swiss Competition Commission investigating whether the use of its IP rights constituted a “blocking patent” abuse of dominant position.
• Grieg Seafood and Bremnes Seashore in the context of the European Commission’s cartel investigation into alleged price-fixing of farm-raised Atlantic salmon.
• A global car manufacturer in the context of the European Commission’s and UK Competition and Markets Authority’s cartel investigation into alleged collusion in relation to end-of-life vehicles.
• A global tech company on its appeal before the European General Court against the European Commission’s designation of certain of its “core platform services” under the EU Digital Markets Act – one of the three first-ever challenges to be brought before the Court.
• Universal Music on the acquisition of a minority interest in Chord Music Partners from KKR; on the acquisition of a majority interest in Mavin Global Holdings; and on the acquisition of independent music company PIAS.
• Novartis on the merger control aspects of its $1.75bn acquisition of US radiopharmaceutical company Mariana Oncology.
• STMicroelectronics on the merger control and state aid aspects of its €5.7bn agreement to create a new, jointly operated semiconductor manufacturing facility with GlobalFoundries based in France.
• AB InBev in its high-profile settlement of the European Commission’s abuse of dominance investigation into parallel trade in the European beer market. The investigation was settled following an innovative cooperation procedure between AB InBev and the European Commission.
• Universal Music on a market study by the UK Competition and Markets Authority into music and streaming services.
• AB InBev on the global competition strategy for its $106bn acquisition of SABMiller, which created one of the world's largest consumer goods companies. The deal was subject to regulatory clearances in more than 30 countries and required remedies, including a significant disposal of assets across the US, Europe and Asia, and public interest commitments in several jurisdictions. Read more about the deal in our case study.
• Novartis on the global competition law aspects of two multibillion transactions: its joint venture with GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) to form a world-leading consumer healthcare business; and the sale of its animal health division to Eli Lilly.
• Liberty Global’s subsidiary Telenet on the competition law aspects of its headline $1.3bn ‘fixed-to-mobile’ acquisition of Belgium’s third-largest mobile network operator, BASE.
• Boehringer Ingelheim on the global merger control aspects of its $22bn asset swap with Sanofi. The deal, which transformed the parties into global leaders in animal health and consumer healthcare respectively, prompted merger filings in over 20 countries, including a rare triple 'fix-it-first' phase one clearance from the European Commission.
• EMI on the sale of its recorded music division to Vivendi and Universal Music, as well as advising on the acquisition of its music publishing division by an investor group including Sony.