Event Synopsis: The Tech Antitrust Conference 2024

On 11 January, Compass Lexecon partnered with Clifford Chance and Concurrences to host the second Tech Antitrust Conference in Palo Alto, California. Senior Consultant, Jon Orszag, gave the welcoming remarks, and Executive Vice Presidents Aren Megerdichian, Neil Dryden and Erica Benton moderated panels on various topics, detailed below.

This synthesis was originally published by Concurrences and is available on their website (subscription required). The views expressed are those of the authors only and do not necessarily represent the views of Compass Lexecon, its management, its subsidiaries, its affiliates, its employees, or clients.

Panel 1 – Digital Regulations: Americas, EU, UK & Asia

Aren Megerdichian moderated the first panel, alongside Stavroula Vryna (Antitrust Partner, Clifford Chance London). The discussion focused on several main topics including the goal of antitrust authorities in the digital market, the necessary antitrust changes in digital markets, the impact of economic analysis on antitrust rules for tech companies, the recent legislative changes in this area and the international coordination between antitrust agencies.

Panel 2 – Merger Control & FDI

Neil Dryden and Leigh Oliver (Antitrust Partner, Clifford Chance Washington DC) moderated the second panel on merger control and FDI. Speakers discussed theories of harm in tech-related mergers, key trends in alignment or divergence when multiple agencies are looking at the same merger, and implications of foreign direct investment reviews.

Panel 3 – Digital Competition Enforcement: In-House Counsel Perspectives

Erica Benton moderated the final panel with Dieter Paemen (Antitrust Partner, Clifford Chance Brussels). Discussions centred around three key topics: how in-house counsel manage compliance amid digital regulation challenges, the specific concerns of emerging companies dealing with digital regulation, and broad issues for companies navigating emerging digital regulations and antitrust enforcements.

At the conference, Neil Dryden also joined David Tudor (Group General Counsel at Prosus Group), on an episode for Concurrences ‘Antitrust Code’ podcast, discussing a range of topics including the current tech in antitrust landscape, changes in the merger control regime of digital markets and compliance issues as businesses evolve. Listen to the podcast here.

Read the full synthesis here (subscription required)