Ray specialises in EU and competition law and has experience in the IT, insurance/reinsurance, public transport, food and beverage, brewing, spirits and wines, oil and gas, retail and retail banking sectors.
He regularly deals with the OFT, the Competition Commission and the European Commission on behalf of companies under investigation, merging companies and complainants.
Ray has also advised in relation to a case heard before the Court of First Instance of the European Communities.
Credentials include advising:
- Websense on obtaining UK merger control clearance in relation to its $400 million acquisition of SurfControl PLC
- Atmel Corporation on merger control and competition law aspects of its acquisition of Quantum Research Group
- BSkyB on obtaining EC merger control clearance for its investment in KirchPayTV and acting in its subsequent intervention in an ultimately unsuccessful third party appeal to the CFI against the Commission's approval decision
- Fortune Brands/Jim Beam Brands, on obtaining EC merger clearance and co-ordinating worldwide national merger control clearances in relation to its acquisition of various brands and assets of Allied Domecq and Pernod Ricard following the acquisition and break up of Allied Domecq
- Arriva on the OFT and subsequent Competition Commission merger investigation into the proposed acquisition of Sovereign Bus & Coach Company and obtaining unconditional clearance
- Governor and Company of Bank of Ireland on the competition law aspects of the creation of a financial services joint venture with the Post Office
- Swiss Re on obtaining EC merger control clearance in relation to its acquisition of GE Insurance Solutions
- a UK client in relation to its involvement in an OFT investigation into resale price maintenance in the retail sector
- a UK client in relation to its involvement in an OFT cartel investigation into sharing of price information