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Dr. Christoph Wagner
Partner/Notary, Berlin
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christoph.wagner@hoganlovells.com

Christoph Wagner is Office Managing Partner in the Berlin Office of Hogan Lovells. His practice focuses on transactions, competition matters and regulatory issues in the media and telecommunications industries. He also serves as a co-leader of the firm's global telecommunications, media and technology industry sector team.

M&A is a strong focus of his practice in addition to other transactions and competition matters relating to the media and communications industry. Based on his experience and insight into the regulatory decision making, he frequently advises on the chances of media or cable mergers of getting approval already at a very early stage, and then handles all aspects of the transaction together with his team of lawyers experienced in media and telecom transactions, as well as on corporate and capital markets issues.

Prior to joining Hogan Lovells, Christoph worked with the Media Authority of Berlin, the European Commission and as an Expert Assistant with the European Parliament. He was a partner at a leading German firm from 1996 to 2000 where he among others focused on M&A work in connection with the privatization of the East German economy. From May 2002 through to April 2007, he served as an alternate member of the German Commission on Concentration in the Media (KEK).

Christoph has authored several essays and numerous articles in leading German publications, among others on foreign investments in Germany, media concentration, digitalization, piracy, platform access, cable carriage and cable consolidation.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
  • Lead counsel in a number of large media and telecom transactions, including News Corps acquisition and re-financing of Premiere AG, the privatization of the Babelsberg Film Studios; NewsCorp's acquisition of the TV stations Vox and Tm3, as well as the TV rights to the UEFA Champion's League; BSkyB's acquisition of a stake in the German pay platform Premiere; Studio Canal’s acquisition of Kinowelt, NBCU’s disposition of a TV channel, and a joint venture by Telefónica and Sonera in the field of 3G mobile telephony
  • Advised clients in major studio output deals and film financing projects including numerous transactions representing third parties and lenders or shareholders, such as the sale of Deutsche Telekom's broadband cable network, the Kirch/Bertelsmann Pay-TV venture, the Kirch insolvency, as well as the acquisition of Jamba! and Zanox.de AG
  • Advised on the Liberty Media acquisition, KDG's acquisition of other level 3 cable network operators, as well as the recent Tele Columbus and PrimaCom acquisitions by Orion Cable
  • Lead counsel to the Saban consortium that acquired control of Germany's largest broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG. In 2005, he advised on the proposed sale of the broadcasting group to Axel Springer and, in 2006, on the sale to KKR/Permira
  • Advised a Telefónica/Sonera consortium in acquiring a 3G mobile phone license and handled access and tariff disputes
  • Counsel to the Media Authority which accomplished the first complete switch-over worldwide from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting in Berlin-Brandenburg


Hogan Lovells Publications
March 2011 "Global Media and Communications Quarterly, Issue 2: Focus on Net Neutrality." GMC Quarterly, Hogan Lovells

October 2010 "Global Media and Communications Quarterly, Issue 1: Focus on Graduated Response." GMC Quarterly, Hogan Lovells

01 October 2004 "Cartel Office Blocks KDG's Level 3 Cable Consolidation - Lessons to Learn for Future Scenarios." Telecommunications, Media, and Entertainment Update, Hogan & Hartson LLP

Published Works
February 2012 "Anything goes?" ProMedia

11.01.2009 "The Digital Dividend - Actually for whom?" Promedia

01 June 2008 "Cartel Authority Allows Further NE3-NE4 Consolidation." Promedia

01 May 2008 "Digital Radio - A Protected Habitat in the Digital World?" Promedia

30 November 2007 "(Foreign) Financial Investors Eyed by Regulatory Institutions." Promedia

01 May 2007 "When will there be Progress on the Consolidation of Network Levels?" Promedia

01 November 2004 "Wie geht es im deutschen Kabelmarkt weiter?" Pro Media

January 2004 "Consolidation in the German Broadband Cable Market - Scenarios and Regulatory Challenges." Tolley's Communications Law, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2004, pp. 5-8

PRACTICES
Technology, Media and Telecoms
Mergers and Acquisitions
Corporate
Private Equity/Venture Capital
Antitrust, Competition and Economic Regulation
INDUSTRY SECTORS
Technology, Media and Telecoms
AREAS OF FOCUS
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Regulatory Issues
  • Competition Law
EDUCATION
Second State Exam, Berlin, 1991 Dr. iur., Freie Universität Berlin, 1990 First State Exam, Freie Universität Berlin, 1986
MEMBERSHIPS
    AWARDS / RANKINGS
    • Chambers Europe, 2012: He wins plaudits for his negotiation style, with one source saying "he is very calm, considerate and solution-oriented. He does not look for conflict but tries to reach the best solution for everyone."
    • Chambers Europe, 2012: "strong media industry knowledge and solid understanding of the regulatory environment."
    • • Best Lawyers, 2012, Lawyer of the Year, Mergers and Acquisitions – Berlin
    • • European Legal 500, 2010: "well connected within the market"
    • • European Legal 500, 2010: "highly professional who always plays fair"
    • • Chambers Global, Corporate/M&A and TMT: Media - Germany, 2008-2009
    • • The Legal 500 Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Corporate and M&A (mid-sized deals) - Germany, 2009
    • • European Legal Experts, EU and Competition and IT and Telecoms - Germany, 2008
    BAR ADMISSIONS / QUALIFICATIONS Berlin Notary, Berlin
    LANGUAGES German English Italian