Sanna Orkan
Biography
Overview
Sanna began her career in 2000 by serving at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Following an assignment at the Swedish Consulate in San Diego, USA, in 2001 she was appointed Desk Officer at the Foreign Ministry's Americas Department, handling Sweden's bilateral relations with several Latin American countries. During this period, Sanna also acted as one of Sweden's delegates at the Committee of Permanent Representatives in the EU.
Sanna has been extensively involved in some of the most high-profile Spanish antitrust legal cases in recent years. Noteworthy achievements include her participation in the successful representation of Fintonic, a prominent Spanish fintech/technology firm, in an appeal against the CNMC's decision to close an unfair competition/antitrust complaint, marking the first antitrust court appeal of this kind against a financial institution in Spain. Sanna was also part of the team handling a groundbreaking unfair competition lawsuit and two unfair competition/antitrust complaints against a leading international apparel and footwear corporation, also a first of its kind in Spain. Additionally, she was part of the team that defended Snap-on Incorporated's Spanish subsidiary in one of Spain's first follow-on antitrust collective actions, resulting in the client's dismissal from the lawsuit without any damages paid. Sanna is also involved in successfully assisting Snap-on Business Solutions in follow-on claims related to a cartel fined by the CNMC, with no damages granted by any court to date.
Described as a 'highly experienced in the area of antitrust and cartel investigations', Sanna wins praise for her 'total commitment to her clients and great reactivity' (Global Competition Review/Who's Who Legal). Her expertise and dedication to her field have earned her recognition as one of the leading antitrust/competition partners of her generation. Sanna is the first foreign female ever recommended by The Legal 500 for EU and competition law in Spain and has also been recognized by Global Competition Review (GCR) and Who's Who Legal.
Sweden
Sweden
Spain
Sweden
Experience
M&A deals subject to merger control
- Represented Hailo before the Spanish competition authority in the merger-control clearance following its projected merger with mytaxi, a Daimler group subsidiary and its direct competitor in the taxi apps market. The parties received international authorization to close their deal while the closing in Spain remained suspended until the final clearance was received, marking a first-of-its-kind decision in Spain.
- Represented American Express Global Business Travel before the Spanish competition authority in the merger-control clearance following its projected acquisition of Barceló's minority shareholding in their Spanish joint venture.
- Represented Genzyme Corporation (Sanofi group) before the Spanish competition authority in the merger-control clearance following its projected acquisition of AstraZeneca's proprietary product marketed as Caprelsa®.
- Represented Eurowag before the Spanish competition authority in the merger-control clearance following its projected acquisition of a group of companies active in the retail business of selling motor fuels in Spain.
- Assisted SAREB (the Government owned company responsible for managing assets transferred by the four nationalized Spanish financial institutions) in connection with the EU and competition aspects of a high-profile corporate transaction regarding the sale by SAREB of its majority interest in Témpore Properties to a vehicle company belonging to TPG.
- Assisted a leading Spanish private bank in the Spanish and EU antitrust aspects of a pivotal moment in its history, as its controlling shareholder made their exit and a new company founded by the minority shareholders acquired a majority shareholding package in the bank.
- Represented Elan Corporation before the Spanish competition authority in challenging the lack of merger-control notification in Spain of Royalty Pharma's hostile takeover bid.
* Experience prior to joining White & Case.
Cartel investigations
- Represented Snap-on Incorporated's wholly owned Spanish subsidiary SBS before the Spanish competition authority in Case No. S/0482/13, Car Manufacturers.
- Represented the leading winery González Byass before the Spanish competition authority in Case No. S/0091/08, Sherry Wines.
- Represented Munters group before the Spanish competition authority in Case No. S/0423/12, Munters.
- Represented Solidal and Quintas and Quintas before the Spanish competition authority in Case No. S/DC/0562/15, Low and Medium Voltage Cables.
- Represented Nidec Leroy-Somer Holding and its Spanish subsidiary Nidec Industrial Automation Iberia before the Spanish competition authority in Case No. S/DC/0612/17, Industrial Assembly and Maintenance.
- Represented Cartonajes La Plana before the Spanish competition authority in Case No. S/0469/13, Corrugated Cardboard Manufacturers.
* Experience prior to joining White & Case.
Other antitrust assignments
- Assisted Electrolux in designing a fully tailored, first-class EU competition law program and subsequently delivered training sessions to more than one hundred executives and employees through a series of successful virtual video conferences.
- Assisted Snap-on Incorporated in designing a fully tailored, first-class antitrust and EU competition law program, and subsequently delivered training sessions to their Spanish, Portuguese and LATAM executives and employees.
- Assisted the Spanish Association of Automobiles and Trucks Manufacturers (ANFAC) in updating and modernizing their competition compliance program in Spain, and subsequently delivered a training session to their board members, executives, and employees in Madrid, Spain.
* Experience prior to joining White & Case.
