Competition & Antitrust
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Competition & Antitrust Team →
Meet our regional team of experienced lawyers
A Powerhouse in competition & antitrust work in Southeast Asia, Rajah & Tann’s dedicated Regional Competition & Antitrust Practice has been recognised among the world’s top 100 competition practices by Global Competition Review (GCR) 100 for over a decade. This Tier 1 Practice has also received numerous awards across several ASEAN countries. Both The Legal 500 and Chambers Asia-Pacific rank us at the top of our game too. We are the only dedicated full-service Regional Competition Practice in Southeast Asia with experienced and passionate lawyers and economists on the ground, enabling it to deliver global and efficient solutions to clients. Several of us are appointed non-governmental advisors by the national competition regulators.
Featured insights
Competition Bites
Competition Bites is a podcast series by our regional team that provides you with updates of key developments in competition law across South East Asia. This podcast series features short snippets of interesting competition law development and useful takeaways by our lawyers from across the region.
Listen to our Competition Bites podcast series here: [ Apple | Spotify | Youtube ]
We handle the full range of competition matters including merger filings across multiple jurisdictions, filings for guidance or decisions, cartel and abuse of dominance investigations, leniency applications, general compliance and trainings, and strategising on transactions and guiding. This team that has gained a reputation for being at the cutting edge, always looking ahead to ensure the best client outcomes. Chambers Asia-Pacific highlights the Practice as being “… extremely client-focused and are very strong in terms of understanding the clients’ business and needs” with “… a keen sense of the local regulatory framework and provide commercially oriented and practical advice.” The team is also described as one that adds “… value by giving us a sense of […] what the regulators in the region are thinking.”
Numerous members of our Team are highly ranked by key legal ranking journals, and identified as thought-leaders, elite and outstanding. The Team includes Kala Anandarajah BBM of Singapore, who is lauded by clients as having “unrivalled knowledge and understanding of the law and uniquely… able to understand very complicated businesses and their likely reactions”, with clients giving her exceptional praise, deeming her “superbly responsive, very hard-working, solution-oriented and reliable”; Yon See Ting of Malaysia is a “highly regarded competition lawyer who frequently advises on MyCC investigations.” Clients note that “her years of experience put her in an unbeatable position. She is very sharp in spotting issues and always on top of everything”; Melisa Uremovic of Thailand “demonstrates a strong South-East Asia-focused trade practice from her base in Thailand”; Norma Margarita Patacsil of the Philippines is “active in corporate work and recognised for her expertise in competition matters” She is described as “really brilliant”, “very responsive”, and “knows how business works, giving [clients] advice on how to speed things up”; Vu Thi Que of Vietnam is “a well-regarded corporate lawyer who regularly assists foreign clients with acquisitions, as well as general commercial matters.” Que is praised for her “professional knowledge, business acumen, and client orientation in [clients’] business development in Vietnam”; HMBC Rikrik Rizkiyana of Indonesia “has a broad practice encompassing merger control and KPPU investigations.” Chambers Asia-Pacific cites him as “one of the pioneers of antitrust law in Indonesia”; Farid Nasution of Indonesia, whose “background as a member of the government competition body provides out-of-the-box insights that shift the company’s paradigm in managing its competition issues,” is also noted for offering “great support and strong business analysis to provide legal opinions”; and Tanya Tang of Singapore, Principal Economist, who graduated in the US and the UK, brings invaluable regulatory experience having worked with the Competition Commission of Singapore as well as the Infocomm Development Authority.
The Team has international experience, having worked across the world, or worked with the regulators from a number of countries, thus giving us a close understanding of their workings. Our highly qualified lawyers on the ground speak the local language and are duly qualified to advise on local laws. Being local means that we have a unique understanding and ability to approach the local regulators to ensure that the best solutions can be achieved for the benefit of our clients.
The Team has been involved in every major investigation or merger and other notification in Singapore over the last decade, during which time it has achieved many ‘firsts’, including the 1st appeal to the Competition Appeal Board in Singapore, 1st public notification decision in Singapore, and 1st successful leniency involving international cartel in Singapore.
All across Asia, we represent clients in the following areas:
- Merger Control
- Strategising and Defending Competition/Antitrust Investigations
- Competition Advisory & Notifications
- Leniency Applications
- Settlements
- Compliance and Training
- Market Studies & Analyses
- Regulatory/Legislation
Merger Control
We have substantial experience in reviewing, advising and preparing all necessary notification documentation, and liaising with the relevant competition authorities in the region to obtain merger clearance in the shortest timeframe possible. We review the effects of structural changes in businesses, whether by acquisition of shares or assets, mergers or creation of joint ventures to assess the impact on competition in the relevant industries, and advise clients on whether merger notifications of their M&A transactions are required.
We have been involved in practically all mergers lodged in Singapore and the region directly or indirectly. We are involved in numerous other mergers which may not be notified. Our aim is always to take a business-centric risk management approach as suits particular clients. Hence, our reputation for being practical business solutions providers. We have also handled the most complex mergers requiring remedies. We are pragmatic, work intimately with the parties to achieve workable ends for parties.
Strategising and Defending Competition/Antitrust Investigations
We defend allegations of infringements relating to cartels, abuse of dominance and non-notification of mergers across ASEAN. We help businesses to define and coordinate their strategy in cases involving competition authorities from one or multiple jurisdictions, and have succeeded in closing several investigations.
We have been involved in practically every major investigation in the region.
Competition Advisory & Notifications
We review and advise on all competition aspects of agreements and transactions crossing various ASEAN countries. We regularly review behavior for cartels and abuse of dominance and aid in corporate structuring. We prepare notifications to competition authorities for guidance or official decisions on various agreements and conduct, including co-operative agreements between competitors.
Leniency Applications
We assist and advise on appropriate leniency applications, and have successfully filed leniency for clients with competition authorities.
Settlements
We defend and assist clients in reaching settlements with competition commissions, including resulting in investigations being closed without any liability or penalties imposed.
Compliance and Training
We develop compliance programmes, manuals and protocols, and conduct specialist tailored training for businesses on their market practices and conduct across ASEAN.
Market Studies & Analyses
We develop and aid in reviewing and conducting the state of development of markets, whether locally or regionally, where the extended team of economists play a critical role.
Regulatory/Legislation
We counsel on policies, regulations and legislation, working with regulators and corporations.
Related Links
Recognition
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Band 1 - Competition/Antitrust (Indonesia, Singapore)Chambers Asia-Pacific (2024)
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Leading Firm- Competition/Antitrust (Malaysia)Chambers Asia-Pacific (2024)
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Elite Category - World's Top 100 Competition Practice (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand)Global Competition Review 100 (2024)
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Tier 1 - Competition & Antitrust (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore)The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2024)
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Outstanding - Competition/Antitrust (Indonesia, Singapore)Asialaw (2024-25)
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Highly Recommended - Competition/Antitrust (Malaysia, Philippines)Asialaw (2024-25)
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"Assegaf Hamzah & Partners (Indonesia member firm) are well respected by the regulator and know the law very well. They are very responsive and collegial - an excellent firm overall."Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024 (Indonesia)
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"Rajah & Tann constantly advises on complicated multi-jurisdictional filings and is able to provide effective and pragmatic advice to clients, tailored to the local regulatory regime."Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024 (Singapore)
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"They give practical solutions and work in unity as a team in order to reach one goal."Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024 (Indonesia)
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"The competition practice of this firm is very strong. They work with various MNCs and are handling some of the most complex investigations as well mergers ongoing in the Philippines."The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024 (Philippines)
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"The antitrust and competition practice of Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP attracted clients in their strategic way of practice against CCCS. Also, they can cover almost all Asian countries by connecting themselves with 'the network' of Rajah & Tann Asia."The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024 (Singapore)
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"Offering a full service to its clients, the firm regularly advises international multinational corporations, banks, government organisations, and international counsels"The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 (Malaysia)
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"The supporting associates are clear-headed, strong in English and draft good submissions that require little amendment."The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024 (Philippines)
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"The team are very committed to handling the work given and are expert in giving advice for complex matters even in a short period of time."Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024 (Malaysia)
Rajah & Tann's competition law team is able to handle ambiguous and complex matters, and advise accordingly. The team has a good mix of experienced and up-and-coming lawyers."
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024 (Singapore)