Gerrit Oosterhuis

Attorney-at-law | Partner

Gerrit heads the Brussels office of Houthoff. He advises on Dutch and EU competition law as well as foreign direct investment screening (FDI).

Gerrit’s competition law practice encompasses merger notifications, cartel investigations and stand-alone competition litigation as well as the international coordination of such practices. He also advises on complex behavioural practices such as distribution systems, creating joint ventures and compliance programs.

In the field of investment screening, Gerrit has been involved in the most complex high tech cases in the Netherlands and regularly coordinates multijurisdictional filings.

Gerrit represents clients from a wide range of sectors, specifically high tech, energy and food.

Recent Work

Advised Volvo Cars on the European divestment of its ‘Care By Volvo’ subscription business. The business was sold in the Netherlands to Ayvens, a French fleet managing and operational car leasing company owned by Société Générale.

Advised on the acquisition of IGPC, the second largest Canadian bioethanol production plant, by Alcogroup and Vanden Avenne Commodities, establishing Alcogroup as a global player active on three continents. Houthoff coordinated the merger clearance from the European Commission and the Canadian Competition Commission.

Advised Angelo Gordon on the acquisition of shares and membership rights in 26 entities, resulting in the acquisition of a real estate portfolio consisting of 86 buildings with 2,946 residential units and commercial spaces by a group of investors led by TPG Angelo Gordon for an amount of approximately EUR 700 million.

Assisted Nexperia in relation to the Dutch Investment Screening Bureau's (BTI) retroactive investigation into the already completed acquisition of NOWI.

Advised Platinum Equity on the sale of Landal GreenParks, operator of holiday parks in Europe, to Roompot.

Advised Bridgepoint Advisers II Limited as a local counsel on its acquisition of the SK AeroSafety group, specialising in maintenance, repair, overhaul and the design and manufacture of aerospace systems and components.

Advised the (future) 50/50 joint venture between Sasol and Topsoe on the establishment and signing of a joint venture agreement solidifying both parties' commitment to produce sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and contribute to global efforts in combating climate change.

Advised Titan, a leading independent liquified biomethane (LBM/bio-LNG) and LNG supplier to the maritime and industrial sectors, on a successful funding round leading to InfraVia obtaining (through one of its investment vehicles) a 45% equity stake in Titan.

Advised Bridgepoint Advisers II Limited on its acquisition of the DataExpert group, a leading provider of products and services to combat cybercrime and fraud and deliver forensic and incident response solutions.

Assisted the AMC and VUmc hospitals in obtaining the required approval from the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) for an administrative merger. The approval enables the two Amsterdam-based university medical centres to cooperate on patient care, research, education and training without limitation. This will create the biggest university medical centre in the Netherlands.

Advised the shareholders of Trymax Holding B.V., a specialist in plasma-based and UV-based process equipment and solutions for semiconductor manufacturers, on the sale and transfer of all shares in the capital of Trymax to Accuron Technologies.

Advised Bridgepoint a leading private asset growth investor, on the acquisition of the entire share capital of NMi Topco B.V. (NMi) from the American private equity fund Levine Leichtman Capital Partners.

More recent work

Qualifications

LL.M. International Law (cum laude) (Utrecht University)
LL.M. Dutch Law (cum laude) (Utrecht University)
Diploma (University College London)
Diploma EU Competition Law (King’s College London)
Admitted to the Bar in the Netherlands in 2000

Languages

Expertises

EU

EU law has a huge impact on almost all sectors and businesses. In many sectors, fair competition in the internal EU market is ensured through highly detailed and complex regulations relating to market access, production processes and products and services offered on the market.

Competition

We advise and assist national and international companies, institutions and governments in procedures before the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets, the European Commission, foreign competition authorities, and the relevant (specialised) courts.

Foreign Direct Investments

The European Union is the largest destination for Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs): whether by private investors from abroad, or by State Owned Entities. Amid growing concerns about countries using those SOEs for geopolitical purposes, however, further and stricter rules for screening FDIs are being introduced, both by the EU and its individual Member States and by countries such as the US and the UK.

EU

Competition

Foreign Direct Investments

Expert based abroad in Belgium

Chambers Europe

Competition/European Law: Lawyers Based Abroad (2025 Edition)

"Gerrit Oosterhuis is a very good communicator, a pleasure to work with, a pleasant man and extremely competent."

Chambers Europe

Competition/European Law: Lawyers Based Abroad (2025 Edition)

“In particular, Gerrit Oosterhuis and Jori de Goffau stood out for their knowledge and their ability to manage shifting priorities without losing focus on the bigger picture. Their proactive communication and ability to engage constructively with regulators were crucial assets.’”

Legal 500

EU and Competition (2025 Edition)

Recommended

Legal 500

EU and Competition (2025 Edition)

Publications

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17 December 2024

Competition Outlook 2025. Houthoff.

15 November 2024

International Comparative Legal Guide to: Foreign Direct Investment Regimes 2025, 6th edition. Global Legal Group.

7 June 2024

Netherlands: Big tech under security amid stricter merger control. Global Competition Review.

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