Former CMA Antitrust Enforcer and ICO General Counsel Is Joining Covington

Former CMA Antitrust Enforcer and ICO General Counsel Is Joining Covington

October 14, 2024

LONDON-Claudia Berg, General Counsel at the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK data protection authority, and the former Senior Legal Director for Antitrust at the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA), will be joining Covington's global Antitrust/Competition Practice in London as a partner.

As General Counsel for the ICO since 2021, Claudia leads the ICO's Legal Service and advises the Information Commissioner, the ICO's Executive Team and Management Board.

Prior to 2021, and for more than seven years, Claudia served as head of Enforcement at the CMA where she was responsible for the legal oversight of the CMA's entire competition law enforcement portfolio, from the initial launch of an investigation through the CMA's decision and then any subsequent litigation before the Courts. Prior to the CMA, Claudia worked in private practice advising clients on all aspects of EU and UK competition law.

Johan Ysewyn, co-chair of Covington's global Antitrust Practice, commented: "Claudia's arrival will further strengthen the team's expertise relating to the interplay between antitrust, tech regulation, and privacy that is increasingly on our clients' minds as they seek to navigate complex global regulatory regimes."

Claudia said: "I couldn't be more thrilled about joining Covington after a very rewarding time of public service at the CMA and the ICO. Covington has a deep bench of superb former government lawyers globally, and I was drawn to its exceptionally strong culture of collaboration."

"The introduction of the UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act has undoubtedly brought a new level of complexity to antitrust enforcement in the tech sector," she added. "This expansive legislation creates another layer of obligations for companies with activities in digital markets. Recent digital regulation in Europe including the most recent UK legislation has brought new challenges and opportunities in the tech sector. Regulators and firms are conscious of the overlaps between these new laws. I am excited to be part of an incredible team seeking to help clients thrive in this new world."

Claudia earned her Master of Laws at King's College London and studied law as an undergraduate at the Universities of Bonn and Paris I (Panthéon Sorbonne). She is admitted to the bar in Germany and England & Wales and speaks English, French, and German fluently.