Dr. Reto Batzel
Attorney (Rechtsanwalt), Partner

Reto studied law at the University of Passau and the Humboldt University in Berlin. He holds a Doctor of Laws degree from the Humboldt University.

Reto served his legal traineeship (Referendariat) at the Higher Regional Court of Berlin (Kammergericht) with stations at Noerr LLP and the unit for competition law policy at the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs in Berlin. After being admitted to the bar in 2010 (Rechtsanwalt), he worked at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP in Cologne, where he advised national and international clients in all aspects of German and European Competition Law.

In 2012, Reto moved to METRO AG in Düsseldorf as Legal Counsel Competition. In 2017, he became head of the department METRO Competition & Compliance, with responsibility for all competition law matters, anti-corruption, anti-money-laundering and the group-wide compliance management system (CMS).

Reto Batzel ist Partner at MARCK since 2020. He is a member of the German Association of Antitrust Lawyers (Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht e.V.), the German Institute for Compliance (DICO - Deutsches Institut für Compliance e.V.) and the American Bar Association (Antitrust Section).

• National Instruments Corp. (NI) on merger control and antitrust issues regarding the acquisition of Kratzer Automation GmbH, a manufacturer of test systems and test bench solutions
• METRO AG on merger control and antitrust issues regarding the acquisition of the catering and canteen kitchen equipment supplier Günther Group
• The majority shareholder of GMC Group, a provider of electrical test and measurement solutions, regarding the acquisition by funds advised by KLAR Partners
• AON Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, on the acquisition of Karl Köllner GmbH and Karl Köllner GmbH & Co. KG Marine Insurance Brokers
• Various food retailers on issues of antitrust law and the law against unfair trade practices (AgrarOLkG)
• International retailer of pet supplies on various compliance issues, in particular on the optimization and internationalization of its compliance management system, whistleblower protection (HinSchG) and supply chain due diligence (LkSG)
• Food retailer on the implementation of a comprehensive antitrust audit to improve antitrust compliance
• Trade association in the area of food wholesale on antitrust issues and on the AgrarOLkG
• International cooperative active in fashion / textiles on the antitrust group privilege and other antitrust issues
• Several food producers on the compatibility of their returns-based business models with to the requirements of the AgrarOLkG and on the possibilities of alternative business models
• Purchasing cooperation in the beverage trade on antitrust law and the AgrarOLkG
• Ready-mix concrete producer on various antitrust and merger control issues
• Trade association in the health sector on issues of antitrust law and industry standards under the LkSG
• Manufacturer of meal kits on various antitrust compliance issues

• „Die Regulierung des Zugangs zu Erdgas mittels europäischen Wettbewerbsrechts“, Dissertation, published 2010, Nomos-Verlag, Publication series of the “Institut für Energie- und Wettbewerbsrecht in der Kommunalen Wirtschaft” (EWeRK)
• „Risiken identifizieren – Kartellrechtliche Audits in der Praxis“, presentation given November 5, 2014, on the Competition Law Summit of the German Association of Inhouse Counsel (Bundesverband der Unternehmensjuristen e.V.)
• „Rabatt- und Bonusgestaltung – Optionen für eine zukunftsorientierte und rechtskonforme Vertragsgestaltung im Vertrieb“, presentation on Februar 20, 2014 in Frankfurt, September 30, 2014 in Cologne und April 14, 2015 in Cologne, for the FORUM Institute, Co-presenters: Dr. Stefan Meßmer & Dr. Jochen Bernhard
• „Relevanz des Kartellrechts für die unternehmerische Praxis“, Chapter 2 im „Praxishandbuch Kartellrecht im Unternehmen“ (Editors Meßmer / Bernhard), published 2015, De Gruyter Verlag, in the publication series “De Gruyter Praxishandbuch”
• „Kartellrechtliche Schadensersatzverfolgung“, published October 2015, in Kölner Schrift zum Wirtschaftsrecht (KSzW), Verlag Dr. Otto Schmidt, Co-author: Dr. Michael Buch
• „Risikoskalierung und Audits“, presentation on April 18, 2018, 9. Anticorruption and Compliance Summit 2018 by DKN Networks in Frankfurt am Main
• „Vorüberlegungen zur Reform der Vertikalgruppenfreistellungsverordnung und Vertikalleitlinien“, presentation of Februar 15, 2019, at the Antitrust Lawyers Association meeting (Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht) in Brüssel
• „Herausforderung Online-Vertrieb“, presentation November 19, 2015, Publication series of the Handelsblatt Fachmedien-Verlag in Cologne, Co-presenters: Julia Amling & Dr. Gregor Schiffers
• „Compliance und die Strukturierung von Geschäftsprozessen – Das Beispiel Einkaufskooperationen“, presentation on März 26, 2019, Anticorruption and Compliance Summit in Berlin
• “Wie die Digitalisierung die Kartellrechts-Compliance verändert”, published in “Compliance - Die Zeitschrift für Compliance-Verantwortliche”, March 2021
• “Fair für alle” - Interview with Lebensmittel Praxis concerning the AgrarOLkG, LP 10/2021 pp. 124
• “Konkurrenten im Markt - Partner im Einkauf - Chancen und Risiken bei Einkaufskooperationen”, Co-author: Daniel Belka, Beschaffung Aktuell, November 2021
• “Gemeinsam geht’s leichter - Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichten”, Beschaffung Aktuell, April 2023
• “Die Gründung einer Einkaufskooperation aus Inhouse-Sicht - eine vierteilige Serie, published in “Compliance - die Zeitschrift für Compliance-Verantwortliche”, March - June 2023

• WirtschaftsWoche Top-Anwalt Kartellrecht 2022
• brand eins Beste Wirtschaftskanzleien 2022 - Kartellrecht
• Handelsblatt “Best Lawyers” Wettbewerbs- und Kartellrecht 2022

• Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht e.V.
• DICO - Deutsches Institut für Compliance e.V.
• Forum Investitionsprüfung e.V.
• American Bar Association (Antitrust Section)