Laure Maes

Laure's experience includes representing:

Merger Control

• Orange in:
  • Its €1.8 billion acquisition of VOO (Phase II clearance by the EC), which won the 2023 GCR EU Merger Control Matter of the Year Award
  • The creation of Orange Concessions through a partnership with long term investors
  • The establishment of a joint venture with MTN that will provide for an open industry scheme for cross-operator payments and money transfers via mobile money in Africa
• PAI Partners and its portfolio company Areas on its acquisition of the motorway catering business of competitor Group Sighor (French Phase I clearance with remedies)
• Nissan Motor on its demerger with Renault Group and the setting of a new collaboration scheme with Renault Group, as well as on obtaining global merger control clearances for its change of control within joint ventures with the Renault Group
• Worldline on:
  • A strategic partnership with Crédit Agricole, to create a major player in the French payment market
  • Its €7.8 billion acquisition of Ingenico, a French firm specialized in payment solutions (EU Phase I clearance with remedies)
  • Its €2.3 billion acquisition of SIX Payment Services, to create the leading and largest payment provider in Europe
• Astorg in:
  • The sale of HRA Pharma, a consumer healthcare company, to Perrigo
  • Its acquisition of Solina, a leading European manufacturer of ingredient and seasoning blends, from Ardian
• Fraikin, a leading European industrial vehicle rental company, in its acquisition of major French rival VIA Location (French Phase I clearance with remedies)
• Alcentra European Direct Lending in its acquisition of the BVA Group, the third largest French market research and consulting firm
• Ardian in its acquisition of a majority stake in the Santé Cie Group, a specialist in home medical assistance
• Bridgepoint in its sale of eFront, the world’s leading end-to-end alternative investment management software and solutions provider, to BlackRock

Antitrust Investigations and Litigation

• A major French engineering services company following FCA dawn raids related to potential cartel practices
• Philip Morris France in the cartel investigation of the FCA following unannounced inspections