Pierre Zelenko

About me

Pierre advises on complex competition issues, including merger control, cartels, vertical restraints, abuses of dominant position, damage claims and State aid. Pierre’s experience spans many industry and business sectors, in particular the, energy, banking and food & beverage sectors.

As a former top civil servant and administrative judge, Pierre has a good understanding of the way regulators (particularly the French Competition Authority) work and enjoys good relationships with them.

Holding a PhD in Economics, Pierre also has in-depth understanding of competition economics.

Pierre worked in the firm’s Brussels office and continues to have in-depth knowledge of the European Commission (EC) as well as longstanding relationships with key DG Comp members to assist clients in their representations in competition matters.

Work highlights

Pierre has advised on the competition issues of many major transactions. Highlights include advising:

• ENGIE (formerly GDF Suez) in two abuse of dominance cases on confusion and predatory pricing alleged practices following Direct Energie’s complaints before the FCA in the context of the liberalisation of the energy sector, which led to two interim measures in September 2014 and April 2016, a landmark settlement decision in March 2017 and a commitment decision in September 2017
• Société Générale in the framework of the Libor/Euribor cartel case before the EC and in an unprecedented appeal of the EC settlement decision in the same case, having led to a 50% reduction of fine
• Nestlé in (i) the creation up of a joint venture with R&R (owned by PAI Partners) resulting in the combining of their ice cream businesses on a worldwide level; (ii) in complaints before the EC against the merger between two competitors in the coffee sector, DEMB and Mondelez; (iii)  in the framework of an appeal (before the Paris Court of Appeal and the Cour de Cassation) of the FCA’s decision concerning vertical price fixing in the pet food sector, and (iv) in the yogurt and poultry cartel cases
• Marilyn Agency, the leading French model agency in the model agencies cartel case, obtaining a reduction by half of their fine before the Court of Appeal
• Suez, the leading environment group, in getting dropped by the EC from its investigation in an alleged cartel in the water distribution sector
• Caisse des dépôts et consignations in the acquisition of joint control of La Poste
• GDF SUEZ (now ENGIE) (i) in the acquisition of sole control over competitor International Power;  (ii) in the acquisition of district heating competitor Ne Varietur and (iii) Suez in its landmark merger with Gaz de France to create the biggest utilities group in the world, GDF SUEZ