Sheppard Mullin has added another two partners to its EU competition and regulatory practice in Brussels.

Isabelle Rahman and Wim Vandenberghe both join the firm from Dechert. Rahman acts on cartel and merger control matters in the aviation, chemicals, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and consumer products sectors; while Vandenberghe advises on EU regulatory, competition and energy law.

While at Dechert Rahman acted for clients such as Eurazeo on its acquisition of Colisée Group; US Airways on the filings for its merger with American Airlines; and Peabody Energy in connection with the formation of a joint venture with China’s Shenhua Trading Group.

Vandenberghe has a clear focus on the energy sector and advised The Belgian Federal Government (Minister of Energy) on competition issues with regard to the merger of GdF and SUEZ. He has also advised various energy companies on regulatory and state aid matters.

The moves come a few months after the firm established its EU competition practice through the hires of Jacques Derenne from Hogan Lovells, Robert Klotz from Mayer Brown, counsel Chris Guirado, who joined from an in-house role at Fusion Energy, and fellow counsel Yaniss Aiche (October 2015).