Frans Muller
Biography
Frans Muller is a partner in the Amsterdam Competition & Trade Practice Group of Baker McKenzie. Frans has more than 15 years of experience in antitrust and foreign investment reviews. He advises on obtaining merger control clearances, investigations and compliance in relation to cartel laws and abuse of dominance as well as national security and foreign investment controls. Frans has extensive experience across a wide variety of industries and sectors and has dealt with a variety of national and international regulatory authorities. He has also worked in Brussels and Paris.
Practice Focus
Frans has extensive experience in all areas of EU and Dutch competition law. He advises on multijurisdictional merger control and national security/foreign investment reviews, antitrust compliance and distribution/commercial agreements, cartel investigations, abuse of dominance and state aid.
Representative Legal Matters
- Advised ABN AMRO, ING and Rabobank on antitrust and FDI aspects of EPI's planned acquisition of iDEAL, to create a new pan-European digital payments solution.
- Advised Royal DSM on merger control and FDI aspects of the sale of its engineering materials business for an enterprise value of EUR 3.85 billion.
- Advised Royal DSM on merger control and FDI aspects of the sale of its protective materials business to Avient Corporation for an enterprise value of EUR 1.44 billion.
- Advised Rivean Capital (previously Gilde Buy Out Partners) on merger control aspects of the merger of its portfolio company albelli with Photobox, creating a leading online European photo products and gifting business.
- Advised Digital Infrastructure Vehicle (DIV) as newly established and independently managed tower business with Deutsche Telekom and Cellnex as anchor investors.
- Advised a syndicate of banks in negotiations with KLM and the Dutch State in relation to the EUR 3.4 billion support package for KLM.
- Advised Sanoma on merger control aspects of its divestment of Sanoma Media Netherlands to DPG Media.
- Advised a major music streaming services provider on various interactions with the Dutch Consumers and Markets Authority.
- Advised a large global pharmaceutical company on various investigations by the Dutch Consumers and Markets Authority.
- Advised a large global pharmaceutical company on an investigation by the European Commission.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Dutch Bar Association (NOvA)
- Dutch Association for Competition Law (VvM)
Admissions
- Amsterdam~The Netherlands (2008)
Education
- King's College London (LL.M. Competition Law) (2008)
- Leiden University (Master, Law) (2007)
Languages
- Dutch
- English
- French
Baker & McKenzie Amsterdam N.V. is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.