Photo_SG_Joshua Seet.jpg (1)

Joshua Seet

Partner

Practice Area:

Competition & Antitrust and Trade
Consumer Protection
E-Commerce

LLM (Competition Law), King’s College London
LLB (Hons), National University of Singapore
Advocate & Solicitor, Singapore
Solicitor, Hong Kong (non-practicing)

T +65 6232 0104
E joshua.seet@rajahtann.com

Joshua is Partner in the firm's Competition & Antitrust and Trade practice. 

Joshua has deep competition law experience firmly rooted in Asia. Having worked in top-ranked law firms in Singapore and Hong Kong over the last decade, he has handled merger filings, competition investigations and competition disputes for some of the largest international companies and private equity firms in South-east Asia, Mainland China and Hong Kong.

He is also experienced in trade matters in Singapore including advising on import/export requirements, trading in strategic goods, product recall, government procurement and customs violations. He has dealt with various regulatory applications and inquiries from Singapore Customs and other authorities.

Joshua maintains an active interest in writing and has published widely in various national and international publications. His works have been nominated for the Antitrust Writing Awards.

He has been recognised by Asialaw as a notably practitioner in competition/antitrust.

Holding an LLM from King’s College London and an LLB from the National University of Singapore, Joshua is dual-qualified to practice in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Experience

Merger Control

  • Acted for Mediterranean Shipping Company on the Singapore regulatory clearance aspects of its acquisition of RimorchiatoriMediterranei.
  • Acted as global coordinating counsel for IHH Healthcare in its acquisition of various hospitals and clinics in Malaysia.
  • Advised Link REIT on the competition law aspects of its US$1.6 billion acquisition of shopping mall assets in Singapore. This was the largest Singapore real estate transaction in 2022.
  • Acted for Korean Air Lines on the Singapore competition law aspects of its joint venture with Delta Air Lines.
  • Acted for Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa in obtaining Singapore clearance for their airline JV.
  • Acted for ADB BVBA in obtaining Singapore merger clearance for its acquisition of Safegate International AB.
  • Acted for Airbus Asia and Singapore Airlines in obtaining Singapore merger clearance for their pilot training JV. Acted for Illinois Tool Works to obtain Chinese merger clearance for its acquisition of MTS Systems’ Test & Simulation business. This was one of three Chinese remedy cases in 2021.
  • Acted for Mylan N.V in obtaining Chinese merger control clearance for its US$12 billion acquisition of Pfizer Inc’s generics drug business.
  • Acted for Maxim in obtaining Chinese merger clearance for its US$68 billion sale to Analog Devices, Inc.
  • Acted for Dana Incorporated in obtaining Chinese merger clearance for its US$2.3 billion global acquisition of Modine Manufacturing Company’s thermal-management business.
  • Acted for Apollo Global Management in obtaining Chinese merger clearance for its US$7.1 billion acquisition of Tenneco Inc.
  • Acted for DuPont in obtaining Chinese merger clearance for its US$2.3 billion acquisition of Laird Performance Materials.
  • Acted for CPPIB in obtaining Chinese merger clearance for its acquisition of control in Axel Springer.
  • Acted for Rhône Capital, The Chatterjee Group and McDermott International in obtaining Chinese merger clearance for their US$2.7 billion acquisition the latter’s Lummus technology business.
  • Acted for Warburg Pincus and Goldman Sachs in obtaining Chinese merger clearance for their investment in a leading India-based student accommodation provider.
  • Successfully represented Apollo and Gemdale Properties in rectifying a series of real estate related transactions that failed to be notified in China. 

Investigations & Disputes 

  • Acted for Google in an antitrust investigation into Google Play in Indonesia.
  • Acted for a poultry processer in a cartel investigation in the fresh chicken market in Singapore.
  • Acted for an S&P 100 healthcare company in relation to a market study into the supply of formula milk in Singapore.
  • Acted for a multinational bank in relation to rate rigging investigations in Singapore.
  • Acted for a Japan-based bearings manufacturer in CCS’s first international cartel investigation in the ball bearings manufacturing industry.
  • Acted for a food delivery platform in an investigation into the use of exclusivity and price parity provisions in Hong Kong.
  • Acted for a major TFT LCD manufacturer in its abuse of dominance lawsuit against a non-practicing entity in China.
  • Acted for a global entertainment company in an investigation into collusion and exclusivity practices in the Chinese music streaming market.
  • Acted for a consumer electronics company in its abuse of dominance lawsuit against a patent assertion entity in China.
  • Advised a global semiconductor chip company on strategies in China to respond to a patent assertion entity’s wave of litigation globally.
  • Advised a Japanese capacitor manufacturer in responding to damages claims from a Chinese industry association for alleged losses suffered by its members.
  • Acted for a global biotech company in an investigation into excessive pricing allegations in China.
  • Acted for a global music publishing company in an investigation into price gouging and price discrimination in its licensing of publishing rights to music streaming platforms in China.
  • Acted for a major real estate developer in a Hong Kong investigation into price fixing in the hospitality sector.
  • Acted for a Hong Kong listed conglomerate in an investigation into the use of restrictive car warranty terms in Hong Kong.

Trade

  • Acted for a wholesaler in successfully resisting Singapore Customs’ claim for duties over certain imported foodstuff.
  • Assisted an FTSE 100 company through a voluntary disclosure to Singapore Customs for various trade document and HS code declaration errors.
  • Assisted a major retailer on the product recall of certain contaminated foodstuff in Singapore.
  • Advised a global alcohol manufacturer on restructuring its distribution model in various Southeast Asian countries to ensure compliance with trade and competition laws.
  • Assisted a major automotive and arms manufacturer on various government tender and procurement issues. 
Selected Publications
  • "Ancillary Restraints in Mergers and Acquisitions: A Competition Law Perspective”, SAL Practitioner (October 2023)
  • “Competition Law Treatment of Joint Ventures - China”, Concurrences (November 2022)
  • “Disgruntled Employee; Exposed Company? Implications of the Hong Kong Competition Commission’s Revised Leniency Framework”, Hong Kong Lawyer (May 2020)
  • “Antitrust Enforcement in the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Industry in China”, CPI Antitrust Chronicles (March 2020)
  • “Understanding the Appreciability Requirement under Singapore Competition Law”, Journal of Antitrust Enforcement (26 August 2019)
  • “Understanding the Legality of Bid-rigging and Joint Tendering under the Competition Ordinance” Hong Kong Lawyer, (December 2018)
  • “Developing Object Restrictions in Singapore Competition Law”, World Competition 41, no. 1 (2018): 101–128
  • "Attribution of Liability between Parent and Subsidiary within a Single Economic Entity: The Singapore Experience", [2017] Singapore Journal of Legal Studies 124