Penkov, Markov & Partners advises on merger control clearance matters for high-profile mergers and acquisitions, most recently in the insurance sector for client Unilink S.A., who they represented before the Commission for the protection of Competition regarding the acquisition of SDI Group. The team is adept in all areas of unfair competition and procedural representation before Bulgarian courts. The team is jointly led by chairman Vladimir Penkov who has more than 20 years’ experience in the field of competition law and Smilena Hrusanova who is well versed in complex transactions and the related merger clearance proceedings. The team also includes key practitioner Vencislav Semkov .
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Compared to other companies I have worked with, the team is much wider and with expertise in every possible area. We have worked on many different projects and every time the support was on time and with strong expertise level. Communication is easy going and effective.’
‘Vladimir Penkov is a great leader taking participation in every project to ensure the quality and the scope of the preparation to be on the best possible level.’
‘Outstanding lawyers with great expertise and full commitment to the matter. Highly recommendable!’
‘Penkov, Markov are highly competent and try to stick to the agreed deadlines. They have a lot of experience in the Bulgarian market, so they know the specifics quite well. They provide highly practical suggestions to topics raised to them.’
‘Ivan Markov and Smilena Hrusanova are top experts in competition law.’
‘Very professional, very precise and very easy in the communication. A strength of the practice is that they have specialized people for the different fields of law and needs of the client.’
‘The level of proficiency is very high. One can fully trust the advice given by the people and the practice.’
‘The team of Penkov, Markov & Partners demonstrated exceptional qualities that set them apart in the legal industry. Some of their main strengths and key capabilities include their expertise and specialization, their client-centric approach and strong communication skills.’
Key clients
- Unilink S.A.
- Klett Bulgaria
- ENICOM-M
- Heineken Group and Bulgarian subsidiary Zagorka AD
- Pierre Fabre Bulgaria EOOD
- Mania Shops
- Correct Consulting Ltd and SM Control Ltd.
- Xella Bulgaria EOOD
- Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company Bulgaria AD
- EMKO EOOD
- MVB Truck and Bus Bulgaria AD
- Andreas Stihl EOOD
- Knauf Bulgaria EOOD
- Berlin Chemie AG
Work highlights
- Advising Unilink S.A. on the merger control clearance before CPC regarding the EUR 35,000,000 acquisition of SDI Group (the largest insurance broker in Bulgaria) by its Bulgarian subsidiary – Unilink Bulgaria EOOD.
- Advised Andreas STIHL EOOD on the competition aspects of the termination of its selective distribution agreement with one of its main distributors in Bulgaria with a potential exposure of circa EUR 1,470,000.
- Advising Berlin Chemie AG on a dispute with a Bulgarian company regarding parallel import of medicines where alleged artificial partitioning of the internal EU market is invoked by the parallel importer.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Vladimir Penkov, Smilena Hrusanova