Heavyweight Brussels EU antitrust and trade specialist Van Bael & Bellis (VBB) has named competition lawyer Andreas Reindl as its next managing partner.  

Reindl will take over 1 February from Philippe De Baere, who became sole managing partner of the 90-lawyer firm in 2019 as part of a leadership restructuring that also saw firm co-founder and co-managing partner, Jean-François Bellis, become chair. De Baere will continue to practise as a member of the firm’s EU and international trade law group after stepping down as managing partner.  

For his part, Reindl joined VBB as a counsel in 2016 from Baker Botts, where he was a consultant. Earlier in his career he also practised at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom.  

In 2019 Reindl became a partner and for the past two years has held a senior management position in the firm’s competition team. He has also played a key role in developing its diversity programme.  

Reindl has more than three decades of experience of working on competition matters, including major EU merger control cases and behavioural investigations. Notable cases include advising Halliburton in the EU merger control filing and review of its proposed $34.6bn acquisition of Baker Hughes, as well as advising on the London Stock Exchange’s merger with Deutsche Börse, and Boeing’s proposed merger with Embraer. 

Alongside his time in private practice, which has involved working in both Brussels and Washington DC, Reindl has served as director of the Fordham Competition Law Institute at Fordham Law School in New York and as a principal administrator at the OECD’s Competition Division in Paris.  

“It is a privilege to be appointed to this role and I am excited about the opportunity to lead the firm,” Reindl said.  

“During Philippe’s stewardship, the firm has grown hugely. Philippe spearheaded the successful launch of our London office in 2020 and was instrumental in strengthening our transactions practice. I am looking forward to collaborating with my colleagues to drive the continued growth and success of our firm.” 

Bellis added: “The firm and our clients are in excellent hands under Andreas. He is a trusted advisor to several of our key clients and has the vision and energy to take forward our growth strategy, building upon Philippe’s outstanding contribution to the firm’s success to date. On behalf of all of us, I would like to thank Philippe for his dedication and leadership.” 

VBB’s London office, its third after its Brussels headquarters and base in Geneva, has grown to house six lawyers since it was launched in response to Brexit. Among them is partner Michelle Linderman and senior counsel Ross Denton, who joined last year from Crowell & Moring and Ashurst respectively to set up an international trade team.