Dr. Wolfgang Hellmann Special Counsel

Wolfgang has over 25 years' experience in competition law with an emphasis on domestic and global merger control and cartel cases and antitrust compliance. He has also extensive experience in foreign investment regulation.

Wolfgang regularly advises multinational corporations on Australian merger control issues in the context of global acquisitions and represents clients in complex merger clearance reviews by the ACCC. He also regularly represents domestic and international corporations in large ACCC investigations, including cartel conduct and misuse of market power matters.

Wolfgang has extensive experience in global cartel and merger control matters which require coordination between a multitude of firms across a large number of jurisdictions. Wolfgang’s industry expertise includes agriculture, automotive, crop science, digital, energy (oil, gas & electricity), FMCG, food & pet food, health care & life sciences, infrastructure & project management, media & telecommunications; mining & resources and transport & freight.   

Prior to relocating to Australia in 2000, Wolfgang practised European and German competition law for over 5 years in Düsseldorf and Brussels in two leading international competition law practices.

Wolfgang is the firm’s representative at the German-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and manages our relationships with our German clients, both in Australia and in Germany. He is admitted to practice in Australia and Germany.

Wolfgang is recognised as one of Australia's leading competition lawyers in Who's Who Legal: Competition since 2014 and Best Lawyers in Australia: Competition Law since 2015.

Experience

Mergers & acquisitions

Bayer AG

Seeking ACCC clearance for the US$66 billion global acquisition of Monsanto Company.

BHP Billiton

Obtained ACCC clearance in relation to its takeover bid for Rio Tinto.

China Minmetals

Obtained ACCC clearance for the $2.6 billion acquisition of OZ Minerals.

Continental AG

Obtained ACCC clearance for the US$1.9 billion global acquisition Veyance Technologies Inc.

Google

Obtained ACCC clearance for the US$3.1 billion global acquisition of DoubleClick.

Invocare

Obtained ACCC clearance in relation to its acquisition of Bledisloe Group, including negotiating court enforceable undertakings.

Unilever

Obtained ACCC clearance for the acquisition of Alberto Culver’s VO5 hair care assets in Australia.

Cartels

Domestic cartel

Assisted with immunity application to ACCC relating to price fixing and market allocation conduct in the agricultural and industrial equipment sectors.

Global cartel

Assisted with immunity application to ACCC relating to market allocation and bid rigging conduct in the power equipment sector.

Major international freight company

Assisted with immunity application to ACCC relating to price fixing in various freight markets.

Mobil

Representation in an ACCC investigation into alleged price fixing conduct in the domestic petrol industry.

Visy

Representation in the ACCC’s investigation into the corrugated cardboard cartel with Amcor.

Compliance & competition law audits

Major international corporations in automotive and foods industries

Conducted extensive competition law audits and risk assessments.

Domestic and international corporations and organisations

Designed bespoke competition law compliance programs and conducted competition law compliance training.

Misuse of market power

Leading agribusiness company

Successfully defended in several ACCC investigations into alleged anti-competitive conduct, including misuse of market power.

Global food company

Successfully defended in ACCC investigation into anti-competitive conduct, including misuse of market power and exclusive dealing conduct.

Recognition

Career & qualifications

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws, University of Cologne, Germany
  • Master of Laws, University of Pennsylvania, United States
  • Doctorate, University of Cologne, Germany
  • Legal Studies (Admission to Practice in Australia), Melbourne University

Memberships

  • Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht e.V. (German Antitrust Law Association)
  • German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce

International experience

  • 5 years as a German lawyer in Düsseldorf and Brussels practicing in European and German competition law in two leading international competition law practices
  • Admitted to practice in Germany (since April 1997)

Insights Read more insight

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