Chris Charter

Practice Head, Director

Chris Charter is a Director and National Head of our Competition practice. Chris’ practice covers all aspects of the discipline from merger control to prohibited practices. On the prohibited practices side, bringing and defending complaints, writing opinions, corporate leniency and compliance work are all covered.

Chris has advised in mergers involving major South African listed companies and has advised a number of global companies in obtaining South African and African regulatory clearance in respect of multinational transactions. He and his team have extensive experience in a number of African jurisdictions including COMESA.

Chris Charter

About Chris

About Chris

After time spent at PriceWaterhouseCoopers London, Chris began his legal career as a Candidate Attorney at Cliffe Dekker (now Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr) in 2001. He became an Associate in 2003 and was promoted to Senior Associate in 2005. In 2007 Chris became a Director.

Credentials

Credentials

Education

  • Registered with the Legal Practice Council
  • BA, University of Stellenbosch
  • LLB, University of Stellenbosch
  • Year of admission as an attorney: 2003

Memberships

  • Member of the Competition Law Committee of the Council of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces
  • Co-Chair of the IBA Working Group on Unilateral Conduct

Languages

Languages

  • English

About Chris

After time spent at PriceWaterhouseCoopers London, Chris began his legal career as a Candidate Attorney at Cliffe Dekker (now Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr) in 2001. He became an Associate in 2003 and was promoted to Senior Associate in 2005. In 2007 Chris became a Director.

Credentials

Education

  • Registered with the Legal Practice Council
  • BA, University of Stellenbosch
  • LLB, University of Stellenbosch
  • Year of admission as an attorney: 2003

Memberships

  • Member of the Competition Law Committee of the Council of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces
  • Co-Chair of the IBA Working Group on Unilateral Conduct

Languages

  • English

News

Final revised Public Interest Guidelines: Commission doubles down on ownership requirements for mergers
Competition Law

Final revised Public Interest Guidelines: Commission doubles down on ownership requirements for mergers

On 20 March 2024, the Competition Commission (Commission) gazetted its final Revised Public Interest Guidelines relating to merger control (PI Guidelines). This followed an initial...

Many hands make ‘light’ work: Draft block exemptions for energy suppliers and users published
Competition Law

Many hands make ‘light’ work: Draft block exemptions for energy suppliers and users published

With (another) national state of disaster in place since 9 February 2023, on 8 March 2023 the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) published for public comment draft...

Robust intervention recommended in the Commission’s preliminary report on the online platform inquiry
Competition Law

Robust intervention recommended in the Commission’s preliminary report on the online platform inquiry

On 13 July 2022, the Competition Commission of South Africa (Commission) released for public comment its provisional report (Report) following a 14-month inquiry into the online platforms...

Practical considerations when enforcing pledges and cessions of shares
Dispute Resolution

Practical considerations when enforcing pledges and cessions of shares

When providing funding to a borrower, lenders will typically require some form of collateral or security as credit support for the funding to be provided. One form that the security...

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire: The Competition Appeal Court clarifies when you have exited bid-rigging cartel
Competition Law

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire: The Competition Appeal Court clarifies when you have exited bid-rigging cartel

On 10 February 2022, the Competition Appeal Court (CAC) in the case of Cross Fire Management (Pty) Ltd v The Competition Commission of South Africa Cross Fire Management ( Pty ) CAC...

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2019 - 2024 ranks Chris Band 1 in Competition/Antitrust. Between 2015 - 2017 Chris was rated Chris Band 2 and has been ranked since 2012 after being recognized in 2009 and rated as "Up and Coming" in 2011. Chambers Global notes Chris Charter stands out to many commentators for the quality of his practice, his excellent service level and his fast turnaround times.  One source added: "I'm always impressed by him."
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2017 - 2024 recommended Chris as a leading individual for competition.
  • FLR1000 2024 has ranked Chris as highly regarded as a leading lawyer in Aviation. 
  • FLR1000 2019–2023 recommended Chris as a highly regarded lawyer.
  • IFLR1000 2011–2018 recommended Chris as a leading lawyer. 
  • Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms 2017 to 2020 named Chris as a highly regarded leading lawyer for Competition.

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2019 - 2024 ranks Chris Band 1 in Competition/Antitrust. Between 2015 - 2017 Chris was rated Chris Band 2 and has been ranked since 2012 after being recognized in 2009 and rated as "Up and Coming" in 2011. Chambers Global notes Chris Charter stands out to many commentators for the quality of his practice, his excellent service level and his fast turnaround times.  One source added: "I'm always impressed by him."
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2017 - 2024 recommended Chris as a leading individual for competition.
  • FLR1000 2024 has ranked Chris as highly regarded as a leading lawyer in Aviation. 
  • FLR1000 2019–2023 recommended Chris as a highly regarded lawyer.
  • IFLR1000 2011–2018 recommended Chris as a leading lawyer. 
  • Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms 2017 to 2020 named Chris as a highly regarded leading lawyer for Competition.