About

Frode Lillebakken was general counsel of Tele2 in Norway when it merged with Swedish telecommunications company TeliaSonera in 2015 and played a big part in overseeing the merger and subsequent integration. The deal saw TeliaSonera buy Tele2’s Norwegian assets for approximately $540m and involved tough negotiations with the Norwegian Competition Authority (NCA) in order to obtain regulatory approval. Upon completion of the deal, Lillebakken took on the role of vice president legal for Telia Norway and has since continued to advise on a number of hugely significant transactions, including the recent acquisition of Norwegian operator Phonero in a deal worth approximately $280m and involving negotiations with the NCA. One company source said the deal ‘will strengthen Telia’s position in the Norwegian enterprise segment and expects to generate annual cost synergies of approximately NOK 400 million’. Two months later, The Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway, Finanstilsynet, announced its approval for Telia to sell its credit management services and debt purchase business Sergel to Marginalen, a privately-owned bank and financial services company. Before joining Tele2 Norge in 2011 as legal director, Lillebakken spent 10 years at law firm Kvale and between 1998 and 2001 was a partner at Hellerøy & Co. He graduated in law from the University of Oslo in 1997.