Global Merger Control: Key Trends and Strategic Insights

Experts from across Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer's Global Competition, Regulation and Trade Teams will discuss the key trends that are currently emerging in the major merger control regimes, providing their strategic insights and tips for getting your deals through.

As a result of the current geopolitical climate and resulting economic uncertainties, governments are increasingly focusing on boosting domestic growth, fostering innovation and enhancing competitiveness, with some starting to call on the regulators to support them in this pursuit. It remains to be seen to what extent this will translate into a more permissive approach under merger control, but there are signs of greater flexibility and preparedness on the part of some regulators to engage constructively with businesses in the context of difficult transactions.

At the same time, in particular in light of a rapid increase in the number of AI partnerships with large digital platforms, there is a renewed focus by the regulators on so-called killer acquisitions and how to avoid the perceived mistakes of under-enforcement in merger control during the earlier years of nascent digital markets.

We are also seeing a number of substantial changes to established merger control regimes and will focus on the best approach to get your deals cleared under these new rules.

The discussion will centre around three key themes that capture these developing trends:

• Pro-business growth agendas and the impact on the regulatory environment

• Killer acquisitions back on the agenda

• Important changes to existing merger control regimes and how to get deals cleared under the new rules

Date: Wednesday 18 June 2025

Time: 12pm-1pm BST

Please register here.