Simon Thexton is an associate in the Antitrust practice.

His practice focuses on all aspects of European and UK competition law with particular experience advising clients in relation to complex multi-jurisdictional mergers as well as mergers required for notification under the UK merger control regime and international cartels. His work also includes advising on cartel investigations by the European Commission.

Simon has advised clients across different industry sectors including aerospace and defence, agricultural products, mining, financial services, financial services technology, media, telecommunications, and pharmaceuticals in processes before each of the European Commission and UK CMA.

Simon trained at the firm and qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales at the London office in 2015. Simon has also undertaken a secondment in the Phase 1 mergers division of the UK CMA working on a number of Phase 1 UK CMA merger investigations.

• Raytheon Company on its combination with United Technologies in a merger of equals.
• Discovery, Inc. in relation to its agreement with BBC Studios Distribution Limited, pursuant to which it agreed to separate the 50/50 UKTV joint venture with BBC Studios Distribution Limited.
• Financial institutions in two ongoing European Commission cartel investigations in the financial sector
• Anglo American on the completion of Mitsubishi Corporation’s acquisition (by way of a primary share subscription) of an additional 21.9% equity interest in Anglo American Quellaveco S.A. (AAQSA), which owns the Quellaveco copper project in Peru.
• Bunge Limited on its acquisition of joint control of IOI Loders Crocklaan
• An interested third party in their successful opposition to the Deutsche Börse/London Stock Exchange merger which was prohibited by the European Commission on competition grounds in 2017 following a Phase 2 review.
• Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) on its Phase 2 investigation by the UK’s CMA regarding its acquisition of London-based Trayport, a provider of software to operate trading networks for over-the-counter (OTC) energy derivative markets.  The case was the CMA’s first prohibition decision of a completed acquisition.
• Société Générale on its acquisition of Kleinwort Benson Bank Limited and Kleinwort Benson Channel Islands Holdings Limited, the UK and Channel Islands’ wealth management business of BHF Kleinwort Benson Group S.A.
• Bridgepoint on its acquisition of Element Materials Technology from 3i Group
• Liberty Global plc on its acquisition of Cable & Wireless Communications plc
• Cargolux. The Air Cargo cartel, representing Cargolux in the UK damages action in the High Court
• Huntsman/Rockwood. The European Commission Phase II review of Huntsman’s USD 1 billion acquisition of Rockwood’s titanium dioxide business.  The acquisition was cleared with limited remedies
• Sun Pharmaceuticals on its acquisition of Ranbaxy Laboratories
• Viacom in respect of EUMR Phase I clearance for its acquisition of Channel 5