Tobias specialises in all aspects of European, German and international competition and antitrust law, with a particular focus on merger control, cartel work and follow-on litigation.
He has acted on a number of high-profile cartel investigations, merger control proceedings and abuse of dominance cases before the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office. He also advises clients before the EU courts.
Tobias is particularly experienced in leading on and co-ordinating global investigations and leniency applications working closely with counsel, for instance, in the US, Asia or Latin America.
Likewise, Tobias has been conducting antitrust compliance audits for clients almost everywhere in the world.
Tobias speaks German, English and some Swedish.
- Securing a landmark fine reduction by the General Court in Luxemburg for E.ON in E.ON/Gaz de France.
- Advising various clients - such as Bayer, thyssenkrupp, Continental, Pfleiderer, Stora and Takata - in cartel proceedings with the European Commission and the competition authorities in Germany, South Korea, Japan, Brazil and South Africa relating to, for example, citric acid, carbonless paper, rubber chemicals, synthetic rubber, chloroprene rubber, elevators and escalators, chipboard, sausages, water management products and car parts.
- Advising Continental on the spin off of its Powertrain Business, Vitesco, as well as the spin off of their Automotive business.
- Advising car parts supplier HELLA on its sale to Faurecia as well as the sale of their stake in HBPO to Plastic Omnium.
- Advising car parts supplier HUF on the sale of their lockset business to Sodecia.
- Advising car parts supplier KOSTAL on the acquisition of automotive charging solutions provider Compleo.
- Advising thyssenkrupp on the sale of its Mining Business to FLSmidth.
- Advising OQC Chemicals on its sale to Strategic Value Partners.
- Advising TAKKO Fashion on the merger control aspects of their comprehensive financial restructuring and refinancing.
- Advising Blackrock on the merger control aspects of the restructuring of SellerX.
- Advising Continental regarding their complaint with the European Commission against Nokia's SEP licensing practices ("automotive patent wars"); and, in referral proceedings with the European Court of Justice regarding fundamental issues of SEP licensing at the interface between IP and antitrust.
- Advising copper producer Aurubis on the later abandoned sale of its flat-rolled products business to Wieland-Werke; advising Aurubis on the sale of parts of its flat-rolled products business to KME; advising Aurubis in the FCO’s investigation into Schwermetall, a Joint Venture by Aurubis and Wieland-Werke.
- Advising Volvo/Renault on its defence against claims on the back of the EU Commission's 'Trucks' decision.
