Overview
Carsten specialises in European and German competition law, advising clients on the competition antitrust law aspects of merger and acquisitions and distribution systems, as well as on antitrust-related litigation. He also advises on state aid cases and cartel proceedings.
Carsten has particular experience in the energy, logistics/postal and financial services sectors.
Carsten was seconded for six months to the firm’s London office in 2002 and for six months to the LECG economic consultancy in Boston in 2005.
Work highlights
Carsten has led on or been a key adviser in many major transactions. Those of significance where substantial involvement can be disclosed include advising:
- Daimler Truck: advising Daimler and Daimler Truck on the separation and proposed spin-off and listing of Daimler Truck.
- Vodafone and its subsidiary Vantage Towers: advising on the separation and proposed IPO of Vantage Towers
- Volkswagen and its 100% subsidiary TRATON: advising on the €1.55bn IPO of TRATON.
- ams, a leading worldwide supplier of high performance sensor solutions: advising on the €1.6bn rights issue to partially finance the €4.4bn takeover of OSRAM Licht.
- thyssenkrupp and its elevator business: advising on the €17bn IPO/trade sale process in relation to thyssenkrupp Elevator.
Professional experience
Carsten frequently writes in legal journals and compendiums. His recent articles include:
“Marktbeherrschung bei mehrseitigen Märkten und Netzwerken” (dominant positions in multi-sided markets and network industries ), in Kersting/Podszun (Hrsg.), Die 9. GWB-Novelle, 2017
“Die Rolle von Big Data bei der Anwendung des Kartellrechts” (The role of big data in competition law), WuW 2017, 363, with Jenny Nyberg
“Kommentierung zu Art. 101 Abs. 1 AEUV” (commentary on Article 101(1) TFEU), in: Loewenheim/Meessen/Riesenkampf/Kersting/Meyer-Lindemann (Hrsg.), Kartellrecht - Europäisches und Deutsches Kartellrecht, Kommentar, 2016, with Jenny Nyberg
“Kommentierung zu § 20 GWB (Verbotenes Verhalten von Unternehmen mit relativer oder überlegener Marktmacht)“ (commentary on Section 20 of the German Act against Restraints of Competition – enterprises with relative or superior market power), in: Jaeger/Kokott/Pohlmann/Schroeder, Frankfurter Kommentar zum Kartellrecht, 2015
Education and qualifications
Carsten studied law and economics at the University of Bonn, the University of Geneva, the University of Freiburg/Breisgau and the Open University of Hagen before passing a diploma in economics and completing a doctorate in law at the University of Bonn.
Carsten speaks German and English.
