International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed Brussels based antitrust, competition and trade partner Alan Ryan as global co-head of the firm’s Infrastructure and Transport (ITG) sector group.
Alan, who succeeds London finance partner Nick Bliss in the post, will take up the position from 1 May for a four year term and will work alongside current global ITG co-head Nils Koffka. Nick will continue to play an active role and his practice will continue to be focussed in the sector.
Having been a partner since 2001, Alan’s practice focuses on competition law. He has been particularly active in the infrastructure and transport sector and has co-led the firm’s sub-group which focuses on the aviation industry.
Commenting on the appointment, Ted Burke, Freshfields’ managing partner said: ‘We are extremely grateful to Nick for his outstanding contribution to the role. Alan is an exceptional competition lawyer with a wealth of experience in advising clients in the infrastructure and transport sector. This, and his commercial and strategic nous make him an ideal candidate for this key position within the firm.’
Commenting on his appointment Alan Ryan added: ‘As the world economy looks to infrastructure and transport as one of the key avenues for growth we expect activity in this sector to continue rising. Our objective is to continue to support our clients in delivering innovative solutions to their ground-breaking and business-critical challenges and, in doing so, crystallise our position as the leading legal adviser in the infrastructure and transport business.’
Profile:
Alan is a partner in Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s antitrust, competition and trade (ACT) group, based in the Brussels office focussing on competition law.
He spent three years in our Washington DC office, as one of the only EU lawyers based in North America at the time, practising European law for clients mainly based in North America.
He has handled numerous merger notifications and other competition cases, often in the infrastructure and transport sectors, which include representing the Irish Government in relation to the Ryanair bid for Aer Lingus; Continental in its merger with United; Swiss in its merger with Lufthansa; Iberia/Clickair/Vueling; Aegean-Olympic, P&O Princess Cruises on the proposed merger with Royal Caribbean and then Carnival and the Ferrovial-led consortium in its bid for BAA. Alan has also handled numerous competition investigations including Continental Airlines’ participation in the SkyTeam alliance and subsequently the A++ alliance; defending Dublin Airport Authority in several matters; a major cargo airline in the air cargo cartel case and several cases involving ferry operators and others.
(Press Release by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer)
