Nota Bene Episode 161: Africa Update: What the Rapid Evolution of the Commercial and Enforcement Environments Mean for International Business, with Andreas Stargard of Primerio
In this episode, Andreas Stargard, a co-founding senior member of Primerio, joins host Scott Maberry to discuss recent international law and policy developments in Africa, including the competition for business on the continent, the anticipation of further AfCFTA integration, and the evolving antitrust enforcement environment.
What We Discussed In This Episode:
- With the United States, China, and Russia in a race for business on the continent, how would you describe the big picture?
- Where does the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) stand, and what are its implications?
- What's behind the recent meeting of African antitrust enforcers in Egypt?
- How does increased cooperation among African antitrust enforcers redefine the way we do business in Africa?
- What's the state of M&A approvals in African jurisdictions?
- What's the state of anti-corruption enforcement in Africa?
- What should we be watching in regards to digital markets and payments?
- Given the fallout from the FTX implosion, do you anticipate greater regulation of the crypto-verse in Africa?
- How might factors outside the sphere of traditional antitrust law impact Africa's enforcement regimes?
- What should businesses be doing to prepare for an evolving enforcement environment in Africa?
About Andreas Stargard
Andreas Stargard is a co-founding senior member of Primerio, a boutique law firm focused on the African continent. With two decades of experience in antitrust and competition law and commercial litigation, he serves as a legal, strategic, and business advisor to companies and individuals across the globe. His focus areas include antitrust and competition advice, white-collar counseling, contract litigation and negotiation, and resolution of global business disputes, including cartel work. Andreas also advises clients on corporate compliance programs that conform to local and global governance standards, and he has handled key strategic merger-notification issues, including evaluation of filing requirements, avoidance strategies, and cross-jurisdictional cooperation.
Andreas writes and speaks extensively on business litigation, antitrust, and competition-law issues. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of AfricanAntitrust.com and AfricanAntifraud.com, leading online resources on African competition law and anti-corruption matters across the continent.
About Scott Maberry
As an international trade partner in Governmental Practice, J. Scott Maberry counsels clients on global risk, international trade, and regulation. He is also a past co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group for the Washington D.C. office, serves on the firm's pro bono committee, and is a founding member of the Sheppard Mullin Organizational Integrity Group.
Scott's practice includes representing clients before the U.S. government agencies and international U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS), the Department of Commerce Import Administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of State Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the International Trade Commission (ITC), the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS), He also represents clients in federal court and grand jury proceedings, as well as those pursuing negotiations and dispute resolution under the World Trade Organization (WTO), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and other multilateral and bilateral agreements.
A member of the World Economic Forum Expert Network, Scott also advises the WEF community in the areas of global risk, international trade, artificial intelligence and values.
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