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Portrait ofJean-Francois Willems

Jean-Francois Willems

Of Counsel

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Cannon Place
78 Cannon Street
London
EC4N 6AF
United Kingdom
Languages French, English

Jean-Francois Willems is Of Counsel in the Antitrust, Competition and Trade Team at CMS London.

Jean-Francois specialises in EU and UK competition law and has significant experience advising clients on EU, UK and multi-jurisdictional merger and FDI filings, as well as EU and UK cartel investigations. He also advises clients on a regular basis on competition law aspects of their commercial arrangements and compliance programmes. 

He is qualified in the EU and the UK, and worked for several years in Brussels. Prior to joining CMS he worked at a prominent international law firm for more than 15 years. Jean-Francois also gained in-house experience, through secondments with the competition team of Novartis at their Basel head office and with the Paris-based competition team of TotalEnergies. 

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Relevant experience

  • Refinitiv and shareholder Blackstone on the acquisition of Refinitiv by the London Stock Exchange Group for USD 27bn.
  • GitHub in relation to the EC review of its USD7.5bn acquisition by Microsoft.
  • Total on its USD 1.5bn acquisition of part of the ENGIE LNG business.
  • Asahi on the EC review and purchaser approval of its acquisition of the SABMiller CEE business from Anheuser Busch for EUR 7.3bn.
  • Cargill in relation to the acquisition of the industrial chocolate business of Archer Daniels Midland.
  • Huntsman on the USD1bn acquisition of the titanium dioxide business of Rockwood Holdings.
  • Novartis in relation to its USD 38.5bn acquisition of eye care products manufacturer Alcon.
  • A large financial institution in relation to a CMA investigation into potential anti-competitive arrangements in the financial services sector.
  • A large financial institution in relation to the EC investigation regarding the secondary trading market of Supra-sovereign, Sovereign and Agency bonds denominated in US Dollars.
  • Novartis’ subsidiary Sandoz in relation to the EC investigation into an alleged agreement to delay market entry of generic pain-killer fentanyl.
  • A major multinational manufacturer of mass-consumer goods in the EC cartel investigation against producers of consumer detergents.

The above matters were handled prior to joining CMS.

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Education

  • 2008 - LL.M Columbia University, New York.
  • 2006 - LL.M in European Law, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
  • 2005 - Masters in Law, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.
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Feed

26/03/2024
CMS advises SEFE on all aspects of acquiring WIGA Group
Hamburg – SEFE Securing Energy for Europe GmbH (SEFE) has acquired all the shares in WIGA Transport Beteili­gungs-GmbH & Co. KG (WIGA) from its co-shareholder Wintershall Dea AG. The transaction is currently awaiting approval from the competition authorities. SEFE is wholly owned by the Federal Republic of Germany. WIGA owns regulated gas pipeline operators GASCADE Gastransport GmbH and NEL Gastransport GmbH, who operate one of the largest high-pressure gas networks in Germany with a combined length of around 4,150 kilometres. These networks have a key role to play in European energy security and the green energy transformation. The transaction will strengthen SEFE in its role of ensuring secure and reliable energy supply in Germany and Europe, as well as boosting its hydrogen ex­pert­ise.“With the full acquisition of WIGA as sole shareholder, we are strategically strengthening SEFE as an independent and autonomous midstream company,” commented Reinhard Gorenflos, Chairman of the SEFE Supervisory Board.“SEFE being the sole shareholder of WIGA will ensure that GASCADE can convert the existing high-performance infrastructure to hydrogen in the future. In this way, we can help drive forward the green energy transformation. Transportation infrastructure is a pivotal part of the future hydrogen value chain,” said Dr Egbert Laege, CEO of SEFE. “The two WIGA subsidiaries, GASCADE and NEL, will continue to operate independently and market their capacity in a transparent and non-dis­crim­in­at­ory manner.”SEFE CFO Dr Christian Ohlms highlighted the importance of WIGA with regard to the privatisation of SEFE, which is due to take place by the end of 2028: “With this transaction, which is expected to complete by summer 2024, we are strengthening SEFE’s asset base. Our aim is to continue the long-term development of SEFE on a stable financial footing.”A multinational CMS team headed by Hamburg-based partner Dr Holger Kraft advised SEFE on all aspects of acquiring WIGA. In addition to extensive due diligence on the entire WIGA Group, including GASCADE and NEL, which are regulated under energy law, this work covered negotiation of the share purchase agreement and separate agreements with the shareholders of Wintershall Dea AG. Alongside negotiating the transaction agreements, the advice focused on safeguarding the transaction through several W&I insurance agreements, including negotiating the policies, and handling regulatory issues relating to gas network operation and other public-law matters. CMS Germany worked closely with the CMS law firms in the UK and Luxembourg, and with US law firm Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. CMS previously advised the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in 2022 and 2023 around their trusteeship over SEFE and its subsequent nationalisation by way of corporate actions. The instructions for this transaction followed on from that successful cooperation. About SEFE:As an integrated midstream energy company headquartered in Berlin, SEFE Securing Energy for Europe ensures the security of energy supply in Germany and Europe and is driving the green energy transformation. SEFE is active in trading & portfolio management, sales, transportation and storage of energy and has its strongest presence in Germany and the UK. SEFE employs around 1,500 people and supplies over 50,000 customers, in particular industrial customers and municipal utilities in Germany and seven other European markets. With a sales volume of around 200 TWh of power and gas, SEFE plays a central role in stability of the energy supply in Germany and Europe. SEFE is owned by the Federal Government of Germany. CMS Germany Dr Holger Kraft, Lead Partner Dr Jan Schepke, Partner Matthias Sethmann, Principal Counsel Dr Dirk Baukholt, Principal Coun­sel Char­lotte von der Heydt-von Kalckreuth, Counsel Dr Stefan Kühl, Senior Associate Dr Paul Kintrup, Senior Associate, all Corporate/M&A Dr Rolf Hempel, Partner Dr Friedrich von Burchard, Partner Nicole Köppen, Senior Associate, all Regulatory Dr Hermann Müller, Partner Dr Arno Görlitz, Associate, both Public Commercial Law Dr Martin Mohr, Partner Dr Olaf Thießen, Principal Counsel, both Tax Dr Alexandra Schluck-Amend, Partner Manuel Nann, Senior As­so­ci­ate Pit-Jo­hannes Wagner, Associate, all Restructuring Dr Andreas Hofelich, Partner Dr Mario Brungs, Counsel Dr Lena Pingen, Associate, all Em­ploy­ment/Pen­sions Dr Fritz von Hammerstein, Partner Jan Gröschel, Senior Associate Heike Weyer, Senior Associate, all Public Law Dr Stefan Voß, Partner Tamara Bux, Associate, both Real Estate Dr Sebastian Cording, Partner Martin Krause, Partner Dr Shaya Stender, Associate Joel Coché, Associate, all Commercial Dr Julia Runge, Principal Counsel, Finance Dr Michael Bauer, Part­ner Chris­toff Henrik Soltau, Partner Dr Robert Bodewig, Senior Associate Luisa Thomasberger, Associate, all Antitrust, Competition & Trade CMS UK Russel Hoare, Partner Sam De Silva, Part­ner Jean-Fran­cois Willems, Of Counsel Jennifer Louch, Senior As­so­ci­ate Max­imili­an Weaver, Senior Associate Louisa Mottaz, Associate CMS Luxembourg Angelique Eguether, Senior As­so­ci­ate Guil­laume Flagollet, Managing Associate Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (USA) Mollie D. Sitkowski Inhouse at SEFE Securing Energy for Europe GmbH Dr Jörg Kammerer Jörn RimkePress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com
04/10/2023
CMS advises HICL on £204m portfolio disposal
International law firm CMS has advised FTSE 250 and London-listed investment company HICL on the c. £204m disposal of five assets to John Laing, an international core infrastructure investor. HICL has...
13/09/2022
CMS advises Compass Group plc on acquisition of Equinoxe Solutions
International law firm CMS has advised global food services business Compass Group plc on its acquisition of Equinoxe Solu­tions. Equi­noxe Solutions provides hospitality procurement, supply chain, systems...
05/08/2022
CMS advises consortium on acquisition of interest in world’s largest offshore...
International law firm CMS has advised a consortium comprised of GLIL Infrastructure and Octopus Energy Group on its agreement to acquire a 12.5% interest in the Hornsea One Offshore Wind Farm from Global...