SergeClerckx

Partner

Brussels + 32.2.645.15.03

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For 20 years, clients have benefited from Serge Clerckx's extensive experience in EU competition law and government regulation in a wide range of sectors, including consumer goods, pharma, aerospace, and technology.

His competition practice covers merger control and antitrust. Serge represented Bombardier in the €7.5 billion sale of its rail business to Alstom and has led several recent merger cases for P&G, including its $4.2 billion acquisition of Merck KGaA's consumer health business, the dissolution of its joint venture with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and the $12.5 billion sale of its beauty business (including Hugo Boss, Gucci, Max Factor, Wella) to Coty. He also led Goodrich's $18.4 billion merger with UTC and TI's acquisition of National Semiconductors. His antitrust practice includes complex investigations and private enforcement litigation, including a landmark €120 million settlement for KPN following an abuse of dominance claim against Belgacom.

Serge also covers FDI (foreign direct investment) and has extensive experience in regulated industries, including the representation of the GSM Association before the European Court of Justice on the legal basis of the regulation of international roaming prices.

Other representative clients include Bombardier, Bunge, The Carlyle Group, Ferro, Knauf Insulation, KPN Group, Materion, Micron, Owens Corning, Solvay, Socar Trading, UPM, and The World Bank.

Serge regularly speaks at conferences and publishes on competition law and government regulation. He is a guest lecturer at Sciences Po, Paris and the Free University of Brussels (VUB). Serge is the hiring partner for Brussels and is in charge of pro bono for the office as well. He is a member of PILnet's Pro Bono Leadership Council.

Experience

  • Procter & Gamble sells European pet care business to Spectrum BrandsJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company in the sale of its European pet care business, including its IAMS® and EUKANUBA® brands, to Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.
  • Procter & Gamble sells global (excluding most of Europe) pet care business to Mars for $2.9 billionJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company in the $2.9 billion sale of its global (excluding most of Europe) pet care business, including its IAMS®, EUKANUBA®, and NATURA® brands, to Mars, Inc.
  • Goodrich merges with industrial conglomerate United Technologies for $18.4 billionJones Day advised Goodrich Corporation in its $18.4 billion merger with United Technologies Corp., marking a major milestone for the company and strengthening its position in the commercial aerospace industry.
  • Procter & Gamble sells bleach businessesJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company ("P&G") in the sale of its central European, eastern European, and middle eastern bleach businesses.
  • NextiraOne sells 16 European companies to Dimension Data GroupJones Day represented NextiraOne Europe B.V., a pan-European telecommunications services and hardware/software provider (the ex-Alcatel e-Business division), in connection with the divestiture of 16 of its subsidiaries in 13 countries throughout Europe to the Dimension Data Group, an affiliate of NTT.
  • Procter & Gamble sells bleach and cleaning products business in Western Europe to FaterJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company in the sale of its bleach products business, and a portion of its hard surface cleaning products business, in Western Europe to Fater S.p.A., a joint venture of Tenimenti Angelini Sp.A. and P&G.
  • Procter & Gamble buys out Agrolimen Group joint venture for $1.1 billion; takes over household product company Arbora & AusoniaJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company in buying out the rest of its joint venture with Agrolimen Group in the Spanish joint venture, Arbora & Ausonia, for $1.1 billion.
  • Procter & Gamble sells perpetual licensing of Braun brand for use in household small appliances to De'LonghiJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company in the sale of its household appliances business conducted under the "Braun" trademark to De'Longhi, S.p.A. for a total consideration of €140 million ($183.7 million) and an earnout opportunity of an additional €74 million ($97 million).
  • Procter & Gamble sells Pringles snacks business to Kellogg for $2.7 billionJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company in the sale of its Pringles snacks business to The Kellogg Company in a $2.7 billion all-cash transaction.
  • Platinum Equity sells Belgian fibreglass company 3B for $365 millionJones Day advised Platinum Equity LLC in the €275 million ($365 million) sale of its fibreglass business in Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway and Tunisia (known as "3B - The Fibreglass Company") to Binani Industries, an Indian conglomerate which is part of the Braj Binani Group.
  • Texas Instruments makes $6.5 billion acquisition of analog device and subsystems specialist National SemiconductorJones Day advised Texas Instruments Incorporated, a global analog and digital semiconductor IC design and manufacturing company, in connection with its $6.5 billion acquisition and related financing of National Semiconductor Corporation, a semiconductor manufacturer that specializes in analog devices and subsystems.
  • Procter & Gamble and Teva Pharmaceutical form consumer health care partnershipJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company in its agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries to create a partnership in consumer health care by bringing together both companies' existing over the counter medicines and complementary capabilities to accelerate growth.
  • Procter & Gamble acquired Ambi Pur, the air care business of Sara Lee, for $470 millionJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Co. ("P&G") in its purchase of Sara Lee's Ambi Pur Business for EU 320 million ($470 million).
  • BASE obtains favorable decision in claim against Belgacom Mobile for abuse of dominant positionOn behalf of Dutch-based telecommunications operator KPN and its subsidiary BASE, Jones Day challenged abuses by Belgacom Group of its dominant position, which had radically distorted the competitive environment in the Belgian telecommunications market.
  • Procter & Gamble sells European tissue and towel businessJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company in the €512 million (US$672 million) sale of its European tissue and towel business to Svenska Cellulosa AB.
    • View All

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    EU Court Holds Back Expansion of Antitrust Reviews to Non-Reportable Transactions

    February 2024 Alert

    UK CMA Continues Focus on Groceries with Market Study into Baby Formula

    February 2024 Commentary

    European Commission Unveils Plan Aimed at Strengthening Economic Security

    November 2023 Commentary

    Ireland Introduces Foreign Investment Screening Regime

    October 2023 Alert

    European Commission Signals Increased Scrutiny in Semiconductors, AI, Quantum Technologies, and Biotechnologies

    August 2023 Commentary

    Luxembourg Adopts New Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regime

    July 2023 Commentary

    ECJ Clarifies Conditions Under Which Member States Can Block Foreign Direct Investments

    JULY 2023 Commentary

    Foreign Direct Investment Screening in the Netherlands: New Regime In Force

    July 2023 Commentary

    Belgian Foreign Investment Screening Law Takes Effect

    APRIL 2023 Commentary

    Towards a Less Effects-Based Approach? European Commission Takes Action to Amend EU Framework on Exclusionary Abuses of Dominance
    View All

    Additional Publications

    • March 2019
      When One Door Closes: Court Requires Divestiture in Long-Consumnated Merger, The M&A Lawyer, Volume 23, Issue 5
    • October 2018
      Antitrust Training for HR Professionals: Is Your Compliance Programme Up-To-Date?, Competition Law International, Vol 14 No. 2.

    Additional Speaking Engagements

    • December 6, 2018
      Legal Aspects of Trade Secret Protection, Economic Diplomacy Conference
    • November 13, 2018
      Engaging the Private Sector in Assisting Refugees in Detention, PILnet Global Forum
    • January 29, 2018
      Monthly Antitrust Update Program for In-House Counsel, ABA Section of Antirust Law
    • October 15, 2014
      Competition Law Challenges in the Retail Sector, IBC Legal Conference
    • October 9, 2013
      Competition Law Challenges in the Retail Sector, IBC Legal Conference
    • September 24, 2013
      A New Belgian Competition Authority: What Impact for my Company?
    • December 14, 2011
      Recent Legal Developments in China
    • April 28, 2011
      EU Private Damage Claims: Growing Pains and Opportunities, ABA Antitrust Section teleseminar

    • Guest lecturer at Sciences Po

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