ZYREWITZ – Competition & FDI

WHAT I HAVE TO OFFER

SERVICES

My practice focuses on competition law and FDI advice for M&A, PE and VC transactions. M&A law firms regularly retain me as external specialist counsel to take responsibility for the competition law and FDI aspects of their transactions worldwide. I work closely with the M&A team to integrate any regulatory requirements into the wider transaction process, with clear responsibilities and efficient communication. In addition, I act as local counsel to international competition law teams and advise investors and sellers directly. Beyond transactions, my practice also covers all other aspects of competition law.

More on transaction advice

My transaction advice ranges from targeted assessments of individual issues through to supporting the entire transaction process. Getting me involved at an early stage helps address regulatory requirements in good time and avoid delays to the transaction through the following measures:

Assessing merger control and FDI filing requirements
Structuring options to avoid filing requirements
Transaction timeline planning in view of clearance periods
Preparing and managing the necessary clearance procedures
Competition law-compliant information exchange
Providing the necessary input on transaction documentation

More on general competition law advice

In my general competition law practice, I focus on day-to-day business – such as in particular the competition law aspects of distribution agreements and cooperation projects – as well as providing competition law training (in person or online).

In addition, I also assist clients with requests for information from competition authorities and complaints against competitors and represent them in competition-related administrative fine proceedings and damages actions.

WHERE I'VE LEARNT THIS

EXPERIENCE

For more than seven years I have specialised in competition law. From 2019 to 2023, I worked in the German competition law team of a US law firm (Milbank) advising primarily on transactions worldwide, as well as on all other aspects of competition law. Since 2024, I have been working in the competition law department of a major German media group (ProSiebenSat.1) advising its core media business and numerous digital businesses across the full spectrum of competition law. Since 2025, I have also been practising as an independent competition law & FDI lawyer advising through my firm ZYREWITZ Competition & FDI in particular on all competition law and FDI aspects of M&A, PE and VC transactions.

Selected matters from my transaction practice

VC transactions: Series B financing round for a leading provider of location-based in-car platform solutions; seed financing round for an operator of multi-brand bicycle repair workshops

Buy-side M&A: Altor on its acquisition of a majority share in VTU Group (process engineering); PeopleCert on its acquisition of Axelos (best practice methodologies)

Sell-side M&A: EQT on its divestiture of Apleona (facility management); OTTO Group on its divestiture of shares in Hermes DE, Hermes UK and Mondial Relay (parcel delivery)

Public takeovers: EQT on its acquisition of shares in zooplus (pet food and supplies) and va-Q-tec (temperature-controlled transport solutions); CURA on its acquisition of shares in Deutsche EuroShop (shopping centres)

Restructurings: Lenders on the restructuring of Schur Flexibles (packaging solutions)

Selected matters from my general competition law practice

Distribution agreements: Ongoing advice on competition law-compliant distribution setup for a global mobile telecommunications provider and a leading German media group

Competition law training: Competition law training for a leading German podcast advertising sales company and a leading German online beauty retailer

Compliance audits: Competition law compliance audits for a global automotive group

Competition law infringement proceedings: Defending a specialized construction company in competition law infringement proceedings; assistance with competition law complaints against global US technology companies

Competition damages actions: Advising plaintiffs against global US technology companies and a defendant in abusive conduct proceedings

WHAT SETS ME APART

ALL-IN-ONE

A broad perspective

I combine the high-quality, efficiency-focused advice of a private practice lawyer with the commercial perspective of in-house counsel. This produces solutions that are legally sound, strategically considered, practical to implement and communicated clearly.

A cost-efficient structure

My lean, efficient structure enables me to deliver consistently high-quality advice at an attractive hourly rate. Consequently, I offer the legal expertise of big law – without its costly infrastructure.

An approachable adviser

I am open, empathetic and good-humoured – qualities I love to show not just in my private, but also in my professional life. If you are looking for a committed, straightforward and approachable adviser, you have come to the right place. If you prefer a more formal, traditional approach, we might not be the best match.

HOW TO GET IN TOUCH

CONTACT

Alexander Zyrewitz

MERGER CONTROL