John Schmidt Weighs in on Whether Bharti/BT Deal Is Likely to Win UK National Security Approval in Global Competition Review

Partner John Schmidt, who leads the firm’s UK Competition team in London, was quoted in the Global Competition Review article, “Bharti/BT Deal Likely to Win UK National Security Approval, Experts Say.” The article discusses Indian conglomerate Bharti Global’s proposed acquisition of Altice’s stake in UK telecommunications company BT Group, which is anticipated to bypass significant national security obstacles based on previous cases.

Schmidt observed that the UK government’s prior review of the acquisition assessed its potential impact on the roll out of fiber cable in the UK. He indicated that Bharti should not encounter further significant issues, though the Cabinet Office will scrutinize the buyer’s identity for any potential concerns. Any issues that arise, however, are likely to be addressable through remedies like adjustments to corporate governance. Schmidt cited the UK government’s resolution of concerns about the strategic partnership between Vodafone and Emirates Telecommunications Group as a relevant example.

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