Martina Castrén
Biography
Overview
Martina is a member of the Firm's EU law practice in Brussels and advises clients on all aspects of European and Finnish competition law.
Martina has represented clients before the European Commission in a number of merger control reviews, including complex investigations requiring divestitures. She regularly coordinates global and Nordic merger filings. Martina has also represented clients in cartel proceedings before the European Commission and regularly advises clients on the application of the abuse of dominance rules, especially in the technology sector.
Prior to joining White & Case in 2019, Martina worked for the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority, where her work as a senior advisor covered antitrust investigations and merger control in a broad range of industries, including financial services, construction, daily consumer goods retail and agriculture.
In addition to the public enforcement of competition law, Martina has in-depth experience in legislative work as a member of working groups preparing the reform of the Finnish competition rules and the national health care system.
Martina holds a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School and the University of Helsinki, where she is pursuing a doctorate. Martina regularly publishes in the field of competition law and policy.
Fulbright Scholar
Experience
Recent experience includes advising:
Georg Fischer AG on its €2.1 billion voluntary recommended public cash tender offer for all the issued and outstanding shares in Uponor. Based in Finland and listed on Nasdaq Helsinki, Uponor is a leading global provider of solutions that move water through cities, buildings and homes.
Bregal Milestone and other shareholders on the sale of Epassi Group Oy, a market leader in mobile payments for employee benefits in the Nordics.
Valmet, a global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries on its acquisition of Körber's Business Area Tissue, which specialises in converting and packaging technologies and services for the tissue industry, for an enterprise value of approximately €380 million.
F-Secure, a Finland-headquartered consumer cyber security company, on acquisition of mobile consumer security business from Lookout, Inc.
DNV AS on its voluntary recommended cash tender offer for all the issued and outstanding shares and stock options in cybersecurity services company Nixu.
Nexans SA, global cable manufacturing company, on its acquisition of Finnish Reka Cables Ltd from Reka Industrial Plc.
Synthos on the acquisition of Trinseo's synthetic rubber business. The transaction involved a referral up to the European Commission and required merger control approvals in several jurisdictions outside the EU.
Neste, a Finnish oil refining and marketing company, on the sale of its global base oils business to Chevron Corporation.
Legrand, a French industrial group, on the acquisition of Ensto Building Systems.
Neles, the global leader in flow control solutions and services, on its acquisition of Flowrox Oy's valve and pumps businesses.
DIC Corporation, a Japanese fine chemicals company, and its US subsidiary Sun Chemical Corporation, in connection with DIC's €1.15 billion acquisition of BASF's global pigments business, known as BASF Colors & Effects.
Valmet, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, on its acquisition of Polish PMP Group.
Nordic Capital on the acquisition of iLOQ.
"Economic Assessment of the Competitive Effects of Mergers in Bidding Markets", Defensor Legis 2019 (3), 373–391 (in Finnish, co-authors Riku Buri and Lauri Ojala)
"The Forthcoming Amendments of the Finnish Competition Act", in Kilpailuvirastosta markkinavirastoksi – Juhani Jokisen juhlakirja (From a Competition Authority to a Market Authority: The changing role of the FCCA – Book in honour of Juhani Jokinen), (ed. Martina Castrén), 2018 (in Finnish)
"Finnish Competition Act under Reform: Working Group Issues a Report Suggesting Several Amendments", European Competition Law Review, 2017 38(9), 407–409
Report by the Working Group Assessing the Rules of Competition in Social Welfare and Health Care, Reports by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, 30/2017 (in Finnish)
Report by the Working Group Reforming the Finnish Competition Act, Reports by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, 16/2017 (in Finnish)
"Commitment Decisions in the Enforcement of Competition Law in Finland", Defensor Legis 2017 (2), 250–272 (in Finnish)
"Directive on Antitrust Damages Actions – Towards Effective Private Enforcement of EU Competition Law", Defensor Legis 2015 (2), 381–398 (in Finnish, co-author Harri Puskala)
"The Admissibility of Modifications of Public Procurement Contracts", Defensor Legis 2014 (3), 448–464 (in Finnish)
