Calum
Warren
Partner
Calum Warren is a partner in the Competition and Regulation Group in Dublin. Prior to joining Matheson, Calum worked at leading international law firms in Brussels and London.
With over 15 years’ experience, Calum is a leading advisor on all aspects of Irish and EU competition and regulatory law, including M&A regulatory clearances, competition compliance, investigations and litigation, sectoral regulation and general EU regulatory law, public procurement and State aid.
Areas of Expertise
He is also at the forefront in advising clients on newer regulatory regimes including the new Irish foreign direct investment (FDI) screening regime, the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) regime and new EU digital regulations including the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act. Calum co-leads Matheson’s Foreign Investment Screening group and is a key member of cross-departmental Matheson’s Digital Economy Group.
His experience spans a range of sectors including financial services, technology, media and telecommunications (TMT), agri-business, energy, manufacturing, healthcare, food & beverages and transport.
Calum is consistently ranked in the leading legal directories including as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ by Legal500 and ‘Up and Coming’ by Chambers and Partners, and has received strong praise for his technical expertise and commercial and solution-focused approach.
Calum contributes articles to leading international legal publications, is regularly consulted and quoted as an industry expert and speaks regularly on Irish and EU competition and regulatory issues.
Calum is member of the board of the Irish Society of European Law, serves as a non-government advisor to the Irish competition regulator (CCPC) and is currently Vice-Chair of Compliance & Ethics Committee of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Antitrust Law Section – the only Irish competition lawyer holding a leadership position of this kind in the ABA’s Antitrust Law Section and one of a small number of EU competition lawyers holding such position.
Experience and Education
Merger Control / FDI Screening / EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation
- Advising Pandox AB on the merger control and FDI aspects of its c. €1.4bn recommended cash offer for Dalata Hotel Group plc, including advising on its acquisition finance facilities and on a framework agreement with Pandox’s long-term partner, Scandic Hotels Group AB, to be an operating partner for the existing Dalata portfolio from completion of the acquisition.
- Advising Windward Management and Emerald Investments on the merger control aspects of its in-depth Phase 2 review before the CCPC.
- Advising various multinational groups in a standing counsel role on the application of the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation in both the M&A and public procurement contexts, including notifications arising from same.
- Advising Smurfit Kappa on the EU merger control and foreign subsidies approvals and other merger control approvals across the globe in respect of its multi-billion value merger to form Smurfit WestRock.
- Advising Aon plc on the Irish merger control and FDI aspects of its acquisition of global insurance broker, NFP.
- Advising Macquarie Asset Management in relation to its agreement to acquire the Beacon Hospital in Dublin.
- Advising Bank of Ireland on the CCPC’s full Phase 2 investigation into the proposed acquisition of the assets of KBC Bank Ireland, including the agreement of commitments with the CCPC to secure approval.
- Advising AIB plc on the merger control, State aid and regulatory aspects of various transactions including its establishment of a life insurance joint venture with Irish Life, its establishment of the ‘Yippay’ mobile app joint venture with the other retail banks and the establishment of the ‘Nifti’ car leasing joint venture with Nissan Ireland.
- Advising Link Group on the CCPC’s Phase 2 investigation into the proposed acquisition of sole control of Pepper Ireland.
- Advising Goodman Group on the Irish merger control aspects of its creation of Ireland’s largest private hospital group, the Blackrock Healthcare Group.
Competition Enforcement, Litigation and Compliance
- Advising on the compliance with, and defending against enforcement of, the Digital Markets Act, the Digital Services Act and various other EU digital regulations.
- Advising Brokers Ireland on the CCPC investigation into the private motor insurance sector, which lasted from 2016 to 2021 and involved witness summonses and extensive information requests.
- Advising a multinational investment bank on its participation in a European Commission investigation into alleged anti-competitive conduct, including advising on related regulatory considerations vis-à-vis the UK Financial Conduct Authority.*
- Advising on dawn raids by EU and other national regulators, including attending a 2015 national regulator raid of a media advertising business in the UK and advising on identifying and mitigating risk after the raid.*
- Advising a multinational conglomerate on multiple European Commission competition law investigations and appeals against European Commission fining decisions before the EU courts, including a successful appeal against the European Commission’s CRT fining decision leading to a €28 million reduction in fines.*
- Advising a wide rage of clients on competition law compliance and dawn raid training, including dawn raid simulation exercises.
State aid / Procurement
- Advising on State aid issues associated with obtaining State funding for clients, including in crisis situations and through obtaining European Commission approval.*
- Advising Sport Ireland on its development of the National Indoor Arena.
- Advising the national postal operator on a wide range of procurement and State aid law issues, including its own procurement tenders, including most recently its roll-out of electric vehicles and related charging points and engagements with a disappointed bidder.
- Advising numerous third parties across sectors on procurement law challenges against tender competitions run by various State authorities and Semi-State bodies.
Sectoral Regulation / EU Regulatory Law
- Advising the national postal operator on a range of regulatory and competition law issues.
- Advising in relation to investigations and litigation involving the Irish aviation regulator.
- Advising a range of clients on registration, compliance and contentious issues under various product regulatory regimes including in the batteries, toys, chemicals, payment terminals and general manufacturing sectors.
- Advising companies subject to audit investigations by EU agencies, including audits of grant funding by the European Commission and the EU Anti-Fraud Agency (OLAF).
* Matter undertaken at previous firm
- Qualified as a solicitor in Ireland
- King’s College, London (Post-Graduate Diploma in Economics for Competition Law)
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), Munich (LL.M. in European and International Business Law)
- Trinity College Dublin (LL.B. in Law and German, First Class Honours)
