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Linklaters

Linklaters

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Belgium

2

Industry focus: IT and telecoms

Linklaters advises clients on strategic IT and telecoms projects across key sectors, notably financial services and technology. The team primarily represents clients in complex supplier negotiations, managing risk and securing tailored outcomes. It provides full-spectrum support on outsourcing, cloud, software and infrastructure-as-a-service arrangements, alongside deep regulatory expertise in electronic communications. Guillaume Couneson leads on IT and telecoms matters, advising major Belgian and international clients on both transactional and regulatory issues.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Technically very competent, ability to work under pressure and short deadlines, assemble cross-practice team, leverage their experience into antitrust to work on novel tech regulation (eg DSA) under the European Commission supervision. Our go-to team for complex and sensitive tech regulatory work in the EU.'
  • ‘Working with different Brussels law firms in IT and telco, Guillaume Counesson offers the highest level of expertise. I also appreciate his availability, efficiency, strategic thinking, calmness and composure in all circumstances. He always has a solution-minded approach without sugar coating the risks. This combination of qualities makes him the best legal support I could wish for.’
  • ‘Well-informed of new legislation and proximity to Brussels plays a role. Pragmatic approach and close attention.’
  • ‘Proactive advice that is structured, timely and creative.’

Key clients

  • Proximus
  • SD Worx People Solutions
  • Tasco NV
  • Sofina SA
  • Isabel Group
  • Hg Capital
  • Vodafone Group
  • Belgacom International Carrier Services (BICS)
  • Strada Partners
  • Intel

Work highlights

Advising Vodafone Group, one of the largest telecommunications groups, on the €8bn sale of its Italian business to Swisscom, which is active in Italy through its subsidiary, Fastweb. The transaction will combine two complementary businesses in mobile and fixed telecommunication markets and create a leading player with a convergent offering.
Advised Intel in its history-making successful appeal against the European Commission’s Intel decision, which had fined Intel €1.06 billion in 2009 (the then-highest antitrust fine ever imposed), before the EU General Court (Case T-286/09 RENV).
Assisted Hg Capital in their investment in €4.7 billion in group team.blue. team.blue - a major European digital solutions provider with headquarters in Belgium, and which operates in multiple countries.
Practice head

Guillaume Couneson; Eric Pottier; Filip Lecoutre; An-Sofie Van Hootegem; Annamaria Mangiaracina; Henk Vanhulle; Caroline Borgers; Bernd Meyring; Gerwin Van Gerven; William Leslie; Etienne Dessy; Florence Danis

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