Author: 21st Century Competition

Netherlands: Liberty Global barters to win Ziggo approval (Competition Policy International)

Liberty Global has reportedly offered concessions to the European Commission to secure approval to acquire Netherlands-based cable peer Ziggo.

The Commission said Tuesday that Liberty Global offered the concessions Monday, but the authority did not reveal what the offer entailed. The Commission is reportedly concerned the acquisition would harm the cable …read more

US: Ex-Patton Boggs antitrust partner leaves Pillsbury Winthrop (Competition Policy International)

An antitrust lawyer who left Patton Boggs to join Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman has announced he is leaving Pillsbury Winthrop due to a possible conflict of interest stemming from his position at Patton Boggs.

Reports say Benjamin Chew said he will leave the new firm after joining earlier this year. Chew …read more

Switzerland: Novartis teams with Google in high-tech contact lens JV (Competition Policy International)

Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis announced plans to launch a joint venture with Google to develop a high-tech contact lens that will monitor the glucose levels of diabetic patients that wear the technology.

According to reports, Novartis’s Alcon eye care unit will join secretive research lab Google X to develop the lens. …read more

US: Judge emerges as toughest M&A watchdog (Competition Policy International)

The Delaware Court of Chancery is arguably the most influential business court in the nation, according to reports, and hears more cases related to mergers and acquisitions lawsuits than any other. Now, Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster, who has spend nearly five years on the court, is emerging as the …read more