Gitte Holtsø
Gitte has extensive experience in European merger control and other transaction-related competition law issues. She has led some of the most significant merger control investigations involving Danish companies. She is also known for advising clients in investigations by the competition authorities in matters involving alleged anti-competitive behaviour within a wide range of industries.
Gitte also specialises in public procurement, advising both contracting authorities and suppliers, often on large-scale infrastructure tenders and tenders within the pharmaceutical industry. She has advised on high-profile procurement processes and complaint cases.
Gitte has a Master's degree in Law from the University of Copenhagen and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Cambridge. She is a qualified solicitor in the United Kingdom.
Gitte's counselling will always require a team effort, and collaboration with colleagues from the economics team is an important component of competition law advice. The work on large transactional projects in Plesner involves colleagues from almost all areas of expertise and requires a high degree of team discipline, a constant focus on the allocation of responsibilities, and efficient cooperation to secure the optimal result for the client.
Selected cases
- Assisted EMK Capital with acquisition of Heras Group, including merger clearance
- Advised Novonesis on merger with Chr. Hansen, phase I clearance with remedies in the EU
- Assisted Tryg with multi-billion-pound acquisition of parts of RSA Insurance Group
- Advised the Danish Ministry of Finance on investment in relation to reorganisation of SAS AB
- Successfully assised EY in the landmark "gun-jumping case" before the ECJ
- Advised Sampo on voluntary exchange offer to Topdanmark’s shareholders
- Assisted Faerch in the acquisition of PACCOR, including national competition clearances
- Assisted Rosendahl Design Group in case concerning resale price maintenance
- Advised Demant in sale of cochlear implant business, clearance in EU, UK, and Australia
- Defended Bjerregaard Sikkerhed, securing acquittal in a Danish cartel case
- Assisted the Danish Ministry of Finance on the sale of shares in DONG Energy (Ørsted)
- Assisted the Danish Ministry of Finance with IPO of DONG Energy (Ørsted)
"Gitte Holtsø is very knowledgeable and pleasant to work with. She provides clear answers and has a great feel for complex issues"
"She has an excellent grasp of Danish merger clearance"
"She has great business acumen and is very pragmatic in her advice"
"Gitte Holtsø is a very skilled, thorough advisor, who has a lot of experience in Danish antitrust matters"
"We have most recently worked with Gitte Holtsø who is highly skilled, has a great business acumen, is always pleasant to work with, very responsive and to-the-point in her advice"
"Gitte is very skilled and knowledgeable within the field, and provides commercial and to-the-point advice"
"She is a top-tier competition lawyer and our preferred choice"