Stibbe expands EU/competition practice with new partner Sophie Van Besien
Brussels, 9 December 2019 – Stibbe welcomes EU law, competition, and regulated markets lawyer Sophie Van Besien as a new partner in its Brussels office. Her expertise will enhance Stibbe’s service offering in the Benelux and contribute to the further development of its EU/competition and regulated markets practice. Sophie joins Stibbe on 9 December 2019.
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Sophie Van Besien’s technical expertise and international experience allows Stibbe to reinforce its Benelux EU/competition and regulated markets practice and to expand its service offering. Sophie focuses on the entire spectrum of EU and national competition work, notably complex merger filings, cartel infringements, damage claims and litigation, abuse of dominant position, and state aid. She has a strong track record in handling matters in highly regulated environments, including financial services, e-commerce, and postal services. Prior to joining Stibbe, Sophie was a senior lawyer in EU competition and regulatory and, subsequently, director at one of the most prominent Belgian state-owned companies.
Wouter Ghijsels, Managing Partner of Stibbe Brussels, comments: “We are excited to have Sophie on board at Stibbe. Sophie is an outstanding next-generation lawyer who will bring a wealth of in-house experience in a highly regulated environment to the benefit of our clients. Having spent a large portion of her career practising in foreign jurisdictions, she will add valuable international expertise and business know-how to our EU competition team.”
Sophie Van Besien adds: “I’m delighted to join a tier-one firm as Stibbe and become part of its reputable Benelux EU competition team. I look forward to expanding the practice and to working with colleagues to assist our clients in overcoming the challenges of competition law and to help them deal with the regulatory tsunami they are facing across various sectors.”
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About Sophie Van Besien – Sophie started her career as a lawyer in 2007. Before joining the Brussels office of Stibbe, she spent 3 years in senior and management positions in the legal department of a major state-owned, listed Belgian company, where she oversaw all competition and regulatory matters. Prior to that, she was a competition lawyer in the Brussels and Washington D.C. offices of a global law firm, where she undertook several secondments in some of the world’s leading multinationals. Sophie holds a master’s degree in law from Ghent University and a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) from Columbia University School of Law. She is a member of the Brussels and New York bars.
