Sar Katdare Partner

Sar has over 20 years’ experience in being the “trusted advisor” to major multinational and ASX listed companies on cartels, mergers and day-to-day competition and consumer law matters.

He has acted for immunity applicants and defendants in landmark criminal and civil cartel cases; has defended clients in relation to misuse of market power, exclusive dealing, concerted practices and consumer law investigations and prosecutions; and is a leading expert in relation to access and regulatory matters.

Sar has successfully advised clients on obtaining ACCC clearance for significant transactions including Are Media, Pepsi, Qantas, Ruralco, Spotify, Unilever, Qantas and Yahoo!.

He is also the strategic advisor to Australia’s largest gas producers in relation to recent government and ACCC reforms.

Sar is regularly recognised as a leading lawyer in Chambers, Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal, Best Lawyers, Doyle’s Guide. GCR100 and Client Choice.

Key publications

ACCC Merger Report 2024

We are pleased to share with you the 8th edition of our report on recent trends in informal merger clearance decisions made by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).

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ACCC Merger Report 2023

We are pleased to share with you the 7th edition of our report on recent trends in complex informal merger clearance decisions made by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).

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ACCC Merger Report 2022

Sixth edition of our report on recent trends in complex informal merger clearance decisions made by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).

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Experience

Landmark competition cases

Criminal cartel - money remittance

First criminal cartel prosecution where individuals were sentenced to jail and including involving the Australian Federal Police.

Unilever

Immunity applicant in ACCC cartel proceedings against Colgate, Cussons and Woolworths (A$500 million).

Baxter Healthcare

ACCC proceedings for misuse of market power and exclusive dealing (first instance).

Mayne Group

ACCC proceedings for alleged price fixing (health industry) and DFE proceedings for alleged cartel conduct (transport industry).

Boral

ACCC proceedings for contravention of section 50 for the proposed acquisition of Adelaide Brighton (A$867 million).

Mergers & acquisitions

Domain

ACCC informal clearance for acquisitions of Insight Data Solutions and Realbase ($380m).

A2MC

Strategic partnership with Fonterra.

PLBY Group Inc

ACCC informal clearance for acquisition of Honey Birdette ($443m).

Unilever

Informal clearance for acquisition of Weis.

Yahoo!7

Agreement with Google.

Qantas

Competition approvals in Australia, Singapore, Japan, China, Taiwan and Vietnam for Jetstar Pan Asia Strategy (A$500 million).

Bauer Media

Informal clearance for proposed acquisition of Pacific Magazines ($40m).

Yahoo! Inc

Informal clearance from ACCC for global search engine deal with Microsoft Corp (US$500 million).

BHP Billiton

Informal clearance from ACCC for Rio Tinto offer – (iron ore component) (A$66 billion).

Ruralco

Informal clearance for proposed acquisition by Nutrien ($450m).

PepsiCo

Obtaining ACCC clearance for PepsiCo’s US$3.2 billion acquisition of SodaStream.

Spotify AB

ACCC informal clearance for acquisition of Whooshkaa.

Litigation & investigations

Immunity applicant

Vina Money criminal cartel (first case in which individuals sentenced).

Unilever

Immunity applicant in ACCC laundry detergent cartel (Colgate, Cussons Woolworths).

Bluescope

Advising current and former executives in ACCC investigation for cartel conduct.

Unilever

Successful defence of ACCC investigation into ice cream sector in Australia.

Smith’s Snackfoods, Pepsi, Unilever

7-Eleven class action.

Unilever, Smith's Snackfoods, CEO of Franklins

ACCC v Metcash.

Jetstar

ACCC proceedings in Airlines Terms and Conditions project.

Seven Network

Successful defence of ACCC investigation into OzTam.

Boral

ACCC proceedings for proposed acquisition of Adelaide Brighton (A$867 million).

Baxter

ACCC proceedings for misuse of market power and exclusive dealing (first instance).

Mayne Group

ACCC proceedings for alleged price fixing.

Access to infrastructure

BHP Billiton

Advising and acting on all aspects of FMG applications for rail track access under Part IIIA.

Flinders Ports

Advising in relation to re-certification of SA Ports Access Regime under Part IIIA.

Queensland Competition Authority

Competition advice.

Advisory & compliance

Advisory & compliance

Trusted advisor on all aspects of competition and consumer law for clients including 3M Australia, a2 Milk, Baiada, Blackmores, Domain, EG Fuel, Flinders Ports, flybuys, InvoCare, LexisNexis, Linktree, Obela, Pepsi, Rentokil, Spotify, Unilever, Volvo.

Product liability

Wesfarmers

Advising and implementing product recall.

Bunnings

Advising and implementing product recall.

Pan Pharmaceuticals

Advising on product recall and product liability issues.

Code of conduct

Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA)

Drafting and providing strategic and legal advice including engagement with Government and ACCC.

Various companies

Advising companies on the Franchising Code of Conduct, Food and Grocery Code, the Dairy Code and the Oil Code.

Recognition

Career & qualifications

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Flinders University
  • Master of Laws, Deakin University

International experience

  • Competition Commission Singapore
  • Ministry of Commerce People’s Republic of China
  • Japan Fair Trade Commission 
  • New Zealand Commerce Commission
  • Fair Trade Commission, Taiwan
  • Vietnam Competition Administration Department 

Memberships

  • International Bar Association
  • Law Council of Australia
  • Jury Member, Ad Standards

Insights Read more insight

Do you need to disclose an ACCC investigation to comply with your continuous disclosure obligations?

Recent cases have highlighted whether an ASX-listed entity must make a market disclosure to the ASX if it receives a confidential compulsory investigation notice under section 155 of the...

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Preliminary discovery – the neat trick that allows you to obtain another party's documents

In recent years, several cases have involved a party seeking preliminary discovery against another party to determine whether to commence proceedings against that party for conduct that breaches...

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A new prohibition against unfair trading practices

The Federal Government's proposed reforms to the Australian Consumer Law would prohibit a wide range of unfair trading practices, which are not adequately caught by existing consumer and...

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