PhilippeLaconte

Of Counsel

Brussels + 32.2.645.15.61

Philippe Laconte has in-depth experience representing major entities in antitrust and competition law as well as regulatory matters at the EU and national levels. He advises clients in a variety of industries, with a particular focus on the energy sector.

Philippe represents clients in cross-border mergers, abuse of dominant position, and State aid cases before the European Commission, European courts, and national authorities. He recently represented Luminus (a major energy producer and supplier in Belgium) in its acquisition of Essent Belgium as well as Eaton in the $3.3 billion sale of its hydraulics business to Danfoss, which was cleared after a complex Phase II investigation. He also represented NVIDIA in its $6.9 billion acquisition of Mellanox, successfully obtaining unconditional Phase I clearance, and Wabtec in its $11.1 billion merger with GE Transportation, which involved multiple antitrust reviews in numerous jurisdictions.

He regularly advises companies and governments on State aid law. He advised EDF in securing the European Commission's approval of €50 million in State aid from the French State to support R&D activities in the field of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). He also has been involved in several high-profile investigations and procedures for abuse of dominant position. He recently assisted EDF in obtaining the full dismissal of an antitrust complaint before the French Competition Authority.

Philippe worked for three years in the Firm's Washington Office, where his practice focused on assisting clients in merger reviews and antitrust investigations before the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Experience

  • EDF obtains landmark European Commission approval of €300 million in French state aid for development of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs)Jones Day advised Electricité de France S.A. ("EDF") in securing the European Commission's approval of €300 million in State aid from the French State to support R&D activities in the field of Small Modular Reactors ("SMRs").
  • Macquarie agrees to acquire Suez Recycling and Recovery UK Group for approximately €2.4 billionJones Day advised Macquarie Asset Management in the execution of a put option agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Suez Recycling and Recovery UK Group for €2.4 billion.
  • EDF obtains full dismissal of antitrust complaint in FranceJones Day secured the complete dismissal of a complaint brought against EDF (Electricité de France) by a French association of energy retailers, l'ANODE, before the French Competition Authority ("FCA").
  • Eaton sells hydraulics business to DanfossJones Day advised Eaton Corporation as antitrust counsel in the sale of its hydraulics business to Danfoss Power Solutions for US$3.3 billion.
  • Luminus acquires Essent BelgiumJones Day advised Luminus SA (a subsidiary of EDF SA) on the antitrust and merger control aspects of its acquisition of Essent Belgium NV.
  • NVIDIA acquires Mellanox Technologies for approximately $7 billionJones Day advised NVIDIA Corporation in its acquisition of Mellanox Technologies, Ltd., an Israel-based leading supplier of end-to-end InfiniBand and Ethernet interconnect solutions and services for servers and storage.
  • Wabtec and GE Transportation merge in $11.1 billion transactionJones Day advised Wabtec Corporation in a Reverse Morris Trust merger with GE Transportation, valued at $11.1 billion.
  • J.M. Huber sells Silica business to Evonik for $630 millionJones Day advised J.M. Huber Corporation in the sale of its Silica business unit of Huber Engineered Materials to Evonik Industries AG for $630 million.
  • Wabtec acquires Faiveley Transport for $1.8 billionJones Day advised Wabtec Corporation in the acquisition of Faiveley Transport S.A., a global supplier of high added value integrated systems for the railway industry, for a total of $1.8 billion in cash and stock, including assumed debt.
  • DENKA buys Neoprene polychloroprene business of DuPont™Jones Day advised Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (DENKA) in the purchase of the Neoprene polychloroprene business of DuPont™ by Denka Performance Elastomer LLC, a joint venture company owned 70 percent by DENKA and 30 percent by Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
  • Cabot acquires Mexican carbon black producer NHUMO for $105 millionJones Day represented specialty chemicals company Cabot Corporation in obtaining antitrust clearance in multiple jurisdictions for its $105 million acquisition of a majority interest in NHUMO, S.A. de C.V. from the current majority owner, Grupo Kuo, S.A.B. de C.V. of Mexico.
  • Warner Music Group acquires Parlophone Label Group from Universal Music Group for £487 millionJones Day advised Warner Music Group on the competition law aspects of its acquisition of the Parlophone Label Group from Universal Music Group, a subsidiary of Vivendi, for £487 million (approximately US$765 million) in an all-cash transaction.
  • Hertz wins antitrust approval for long-fought acquisition of Dollar ThriftyJones Day secured antitrust approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for the $2.3 billion acquisition by U.S. car rental company Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group.
  • Yale-New Haven Hospital obtains antitrust approval for proposed Saint Raphael's acquisitionJones Day represented Yale-New Haven Hospital ("YNHH") in connection with all antitrust matters related to its acquisition of a competing hospital, the Hospital of Saint Raphael's in New Haven, Connecticut.
  • Warner Music Group intervenes in Universal's acquisition of EMI's recording business and Sony's acquisition of EMI's publishing businessJones Day served as lead counsel to Warner Music Group as a third-party intervenor in Universal's acquisition of EMI's recording business for €1.4 billion, as well as in the acquisition of EMI's publishing business by a consortium involving the Sony Corporation for total consideration of €1.6 billion.
  • Latrobe acquired by Carpenter Technology for $558 millionJones Day advised Latrobe Specialty Metals, Inc. in its acquisition by Carpenter Technology Corporation for $558 million.
  • Cigna obtains antitrust clearance for $3.8 billion acquisition of Medicare insurer HealthSpringJones Day represented Cigna Corporation as antitrust counsel in the $3.8 billion acquisition of HealthSpring, Inc., a Tennessee based insurer that specializes in Medicare Advantage plans.
  • Additional Publications

    • January 2023
      Balancing the Complainant’s Right to Be Heard with the Commission’s Discretion to Accept Commitments in Antitrust Proceedings—An Example Coming from the Gas Sector: Cases T-399/19 and T-616/18 Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo, Journal of European Competition Law & Practice, Volume 14, Issue 1, January 2023, p. 24-27