Ryan Hawthorne and Sha'ista Goga are providing advice to a large South African retailer in a market inquiry into the sector.
Posts tagged #South Africa
Economic analysis for an insurance merger for the Competition Commission of South Africa, 2016 - 2017
The Competition Commission briefed Acacia Economics to provide expert economic reports and testimony in relation to the Hollard, Regent and related mergers. Initially, the transaction was structured such that Hollard would acquire the underwriting business of Regent (owned by Imperial) which encompassed a number of products, including motor value-added products (VAPs) such as credit life and shortfall cover, warranties and scratch and dent cover. In addition, Motovantage, a jointly owned subsidiary of Hollard and FirstRand/Wesbank, would acquire the VAPs marketing, administration and retail businesses of Imperial. The Competition Commission prohibited the transaction based on its concerns around the parties' overlapping activities in the underwriting of VAPs as well as in downstream VAPS markets. The Commission also had concerns around the distribution arrangements through Imperial dealerships and the ability of Wesbank to influence Finance and Insurance Personnel ("F&Is") to direct customers to finance vehicles and VAPs through Wesbank at Imperial dealerships. Acacia Economics prepared an expert economic report for the Competition Commission which found that the merger could lead to a significant lessening of competition in the market for financial and mechanical VAPs. The merging parties put forward a remedy to the concerns raised which excluded MotoVantage and Wesbank from the transaction and instead meant that Imperial retained its VAPs businesses. The commitments made were sufficient to satisfy the Commission and Tribunal that the transaction would not substantially lessen competition and the revised transaction was subsequently approved by the Tribunal with conditions.
Economic advice and analysis of proposed policy interventions for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, 2017
Bowmans Attorneys briefed Acacia Economics to provide a series of expert economic reports on competition and economic regulation aspects of proposed government policy interventions for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). In addition to an overview of the likely impact of the proposed interventions on the sector, Simon Roberts, Ryan Hawthorne, Sha'ista Goga, Genna Robb, Pamela Mondliwa and Anthea Paelo provided detailed economic reports on a range of topics in relation to ICT policy.
Expert advice on the merger between Liquid Telecom and Neotel, 2017
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) briefed Acacia Economics to prepare a competition report in relation to the merger between Liquid Telecom and Neotel.
Economic analysis of a decision by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa in relation to infrastructure regulation, 2017
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH, attorneys for NERSA) appointed Acacia Economics to provide an independent expert economic analysis of one of NERSA’s decision in relation to the economic regulation of a large infrastructure provider.
Economic research and analysis for the Competition Commission of South Africa's Healthcare Market Inquiry, 2014 - 2017
Genna Robb, Sha'ista Goga and Ryan Hawthorne were part of a panel of consultants working on the South African Competition Commission’s private healthcare market inquiry. This included analysing the impact of the regulatory framework and previous competition interventions on the dynamics of competition in the sector.
Expert economic advice to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa in relation to a review of its spectrum auction decision, 2016
PPM Attorneys (attorneys for ICASA) briefed Acacia Economics to provide expert economic reports to the High Court in relation to the review of ICASA’s spectrum auction decision brought by the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal services. Acacia Economics provided economic analysis in relation to the concerns raised by the DTPS, including a review of international best-practice in spectrum auction design and an assessment of the possible competition implications of ICASA's proposed approach.
Expert economic advice in relation to a telecoms merger, 2016
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr briefed Acacia Economics to prepare independent competition and consumer protection reports in relation to a merger between two private entities in the telecommunications sector.
Expert economic advice on the Coca Cola / SAB (bottlers) merger for the Economic Development Department, 2015 - 2016
Werksmans Attorneys (attorneys for the Economic Development Department) appointed Acacia Economics to provide expert advice to the Economic Development Department in relation to the competition and public interest effects the merger between Coca-Cola and SAB (bottlers) in South Africa.
Expert economic advice in relation to a High Court review of a decision on piped gas tariffs by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, 2014 - 2015
Acacia Economics provided expert economic advice to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa in relation to a review of its decision on maximum piped gas prices as well as trading and transmission tariffs.
Economic experts for an excessive pricing complaint against Sasol Chemical Industries for the Competition Commission of South Africa, 2015 - 2016
Acacia Economics advised the Competition Commission of South Africa on the excessive pricing complaint in relation to polymers brought against Sasol Chemical Industries.
Review of Vodacom/Neotel and MTN/Telkom RAN sharing for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, 2014
ICASA briefed Acacia Economics to provide an analysis of the competition effects of the MTN/Telkom Radio Access Network (RAN) sharing transaction and the Vodacom/Neotel merger.
Expert economic advice on a potential complaint in the ICT sector, 2015
Nortons Inc briefed Acacia Economics to provide advice for a client on the competition effects of a firm’s conduct in the sector, including on the possible merits of bringing a complaint to the Competition Commission.
Expert economic advice on a complaint in the liquid fuels sector, 2014 - 2015
Acacia Economics advised a client on the competition effects of a firm’s conduct in the sector, including in relation to a complaint to the Competition Commission.
Expert advice to a client in relation to a potential merger in the clothing and textiles sector, 2014
Acacia Economics advised a client on the competition effects of a potential merger in the clothing and textiles sector.
Expert economic advice on a potential merger in the financial services sector, 2014
Acacia Economics advised a client in the financial services sector on the competition effects of a potential merger in the sector.