Our Curious Amalgam

What is happening in competition enforcement in Australia and New Zealand? Luke Woodward, Commissioner at the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), joins Lexi Michaud to discuss the ACCC's distinctive joint competition and consumer protection mandate, the ACCC's role in deregulation as a way to unlock innovation, growth, and productivity, and where the ACCC is focused to keep pace with changing markets. Next, Luke Becker, Chief Legal Counsel of Competition at the New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC), speaks with Anora Wang on the NZCC's approach to digital markets, enforcement priorities, and the application of traditional regulatory tools in evolving market contexts. Join us for a look at how Australia and New Zealand are steering competition enforcement across the Asia‑Pacific, the key developments to watch in 2026, and what these shifts mean for businesses and practitioners.

With special guests:
Luke Woodward, Commissioner, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission and Luke Becker, Chief Legal Counsel (Competition), New Zealand Commerce Commission
Related Links:
Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)
New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC)
Hosted by:
Lexi Michaud, Fried Frank and Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter

Can competition laws keep pace with the AI race? Blanche Savary de Beauregard, General Counsel at Mistral AI, joins co-hosts Anora Wang and Clémence Coppin, in collaboration with the New York State Bar Association, to discuss how a European AI company competes against U.S. and Chinese makers of AI foundation models, the strategic logic behind Mistral's major industry partnerships, and why Europe's regulatory fragmentation makes scaling uniquely difficult for emerging AI champions. Blanche offers a candid take on why both under- and over-enforcement are genuine risks in a market that can foreclose before regulators have fully mapped it. Listen to this episode for a rare industry perspective on AI competition policy in 2026.
With special guest:
Blanche Savary de Beauregard, General Counsel, Mistral AI
 
Related Links:
Mistral AI
Hosted by:
Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter and Clémence Coppin, Latham & Watkins

What has competition enforcement looked like in Italy and Portugal over the past year? Saverio Valentino, Board Member of the Italian Antitrust Authority, joins Jaclyn Phillips to discuss AGCM's 2025 enforcement record, an ongoing digital sector investigation into Meta, and a whistleblower platform that has generated over 600 complaints since 2023. Next, Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, President of the Portuguese Competition Authority, speaks with Jeny Maier about a creative hospital merger remedy, AdC's research on AI and competition, and a consumer outreach initiative that took the authority beyond Lisbon. Listen to this episode to hear how two of Europe's most active competition agencies are approaching enforcement and advocacy in 2026.

With special guests:
Saverio Valentino, Board Member, AGCM (Italian Antitrust Authority) and Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, President, AdC (Portuguese Competition Authority)

Related Links:
Italian Antitrust Authority (AGCM)
Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC)
Hosted by:
Jaclyn Phillips, Proskauer Rose and Jeny Maier, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider

Algorithmic and AI-driven tools are increasingly shaping how employers set employee compensation. But how can employers avoid compliance pitfalls when use of these tools raises competition and other regulatory concerns? Economist Rose Healy joins Anora Wang and Subrata Bhattacharjee to discuss the legal and economic risks, as well as practical tools such as bias audits and event studies. Listen to this episode to learn how wage-setting algorithms are being used today—and what may lie ahead as these technologies evolve.
With special guest:
Rose Healy, Director, Resolution Economics

Hosted by:
Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter and Subrata Bhattacharjee, Borden Ladner Gervais

What is happening in competition enforcement in Malaysia and Hong Kong? Iskandar Ismail, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysia Competition Commission (MYCC), joins Anora Wang to discuss MYCC's actions against bid-rigging, ongoing market reviews of the digital economy, and Malaysia's broader plan to consolidate competition oversight over regulated sectors like energy, with phase one targeted for completion in 2026. Next, Teenie Yu, Of Counsel at the Hong Kong Competition Commission (HKCC), speaks with Anora on the HKCC's landmark case against a bid-rigging syndicate in the building maintenance sector, HKCC's ongoing effort before the Court of Appeal over the applicable standard of proof in competition proceedings, and the agency's creative advocacy campaign regarding information exchange. Listen to this episode to learn about enforcement developments in two of Asia's fastest developing competition jurisdictions and what practitioners should be watching in 2026.

With special guests:
Iskandar Ismail, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Competition Commission (MYCC) and Teenie Yu, Of Counsel, Hong Kong Competition Commission (HKCC)
Related Links:
Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC)
Hong Kong Competition Commission (HKCC)
Hosted by:
Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter