Ian specialises in obtaining Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) merger clearances, defending ACCC investigations and prosecutions, and advising a variety of clients on structuring their commercial arrangements.
He has provided competition support for a large number of high profile transactions and commercial practices across a range of sectors. These include digital platforms and technology, healthcare, media, consumer goods and retail, petrochemicals, oil and gas, gambling, and transport and logistics.
Ian has considerable experience in advising in multi-jurisdictional matters and worked earlier in his career in a leading EU and UK antitrust practice in Brussels.
Key deals
Google LLC and Google Australia Pty Ltd
Acted in the defence of an ACCC prosecution regarding its collection and use of location data. This is a landmark case, which is the first ACCC prosecution following the Digital Platforms Inquiry and the subject of global debate – it is also the first case of its type anywhere in the world and will be followed by similar cases relating to location data in multiple jurisdictions.
Advised on the defence of an ACCC prosecution regarding whether representations by Google about its privacy policy, and the level of disclosure about subsequent privacy policy changes that enabled Google to combine or match different sets of user data, raise issues under the Australian Consumer Law.
Refinitiv Holdings Limited
Advised a US based leading global provider of financial data and infrastructure, in relation to the ACCC and FIRB clearances of its US$27 billion acquisition by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). The transaction also involves a consortium of investment funds affiliated with Blackstone as well as Thomson Reuters ultimately acquiring an approximate 37% economic interest in LSEG. Unconditional phase one clearance was obtained.
Avast plc
Advised Avast plc, a global supplier of antivirus software and other security products, on the Australian aspects of its US$8 billion sale to NortonLifeLock, Inc.
Tabcorp Holdings Limited
Advised on the competition aspects of Tabcorp Holdings Limited's contested tie-up with Tatts Group Limited.