Christopher Kok practices in the Competition and Regulatory team advising local Australian corporates and international clients on complex merger clearances, cartel and JV issues, industry collaborations and regulatory investigations.
He is a trusted ‘go-to’ advisor with a proven track record working with major ASX corporates, sponsors, investment banks, private equity funds and international clients who value his consistent, commercially focussed and high-quality advice. He is described as providing “advice [that] is technically excellent and also commercially practical to implement” and “able to provide either complex written advices or more casual sounding board advice.”
Christopher brings a unique perspective to the Australian market having previously worked at top-tier law firms in South Africa. This perspective has enabled him to play a leading role in advising clients as Australia moves to a mandatory merger clearance regime. His ability to combine local perspectives and previously having extensive experience in a mandatory merger control jurisdiction enables him to provide unique insights and advice to his local and international clients.
Christopher Kok is a member of the Law Council of Australia and his expertise is particularly evidenced by his work on the following matters:
- Qatar: proposed equity investment of up to 25% in Virgin Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, including obtaining authorisation to engage in conduct under an integrated alliance
- Lendlease: competition clearance for the acquisition by Stockland of Lendlease’s Masterplanned Community business
- EQT/Icon: advising on ACCC aspects of its growth strategy in radiation oncology and other areas (some of which have been subject to public review by the ACCC)
- AusPayNet: advising on applications for authorisation, including the Australian Paper Clearing System and Advanced Encryption Standard and related advice
- Electricity Generation and Retail Corporation, trading as Synergy & Energy Networks Association Limited: advising the applicants regarding an application for authorisation (and related advice) to participate in phases of activity required to establish, and give effect to, national energy Public Key Infrastructure for the management of Consumer Energy Resources
- Hancock Prospecting: on its joint bid with Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A of the acquisition of Azure Minerals Limited
- Allkem: on it’s $15 billion merger with Livent Corp
- Alumina: on its $3.3bn sale to Alcoa
- A2B: on its sale to ComfortDelGro
