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Paul Culliford

Paul Culliford

Senior Associate

Brussels

T: +32 (0) 2 792 2424

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Biography

Paul is a New Zealand qualified Counsel and registered as a foreign lawyer with the Brussels Bar based in BCLP’s Brussels office, where his practices focuses on antitrust and competition law. Paul’s experience covers all the key areas of competition law, with a particular focus on merger control and foreign investment regulation. Paul holds a postgraduate qualification in EU competition law from King’s College London.

Paul regularly advises clients on multi-jurisdictional merger control and foreign investment, competition law compliance and regulatory investigations. Paul has advised clients across multiple sectors including technology, online platforms, retail, energy and entertainment.

Admissions

  • New Zealand

Related Capabilities

Antitrust & Competition Antitrust & Competition

Investigations Investigations

Litigation & Dispute Resolution Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Regulation, Compliance & Advisory Regulation, Compliance & Advisory

Real Estate Real Estate

  • Antitrust & Competition

  • Investigations

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution

  • Regulation, Compliance & Advisory

  • Real Estate

Experience

  • McWin-backed L’Osteria, a Germany-based casual dining restaurant group specialising in Italian cuisine, on its acquisition of Pizza Pilgrims from its founders, James and Thomas Elliot, along with several other shareholders.

Related Insights

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Insights
Jan 29, 2026

M&A Regulation in the EU (and UK) – What to Expect in 2026

Teresa Ribera has completed her first year at the helm of the European Commission’s competition directorate (“DG COMP”). It was a year in which DG COMP has been busy working on possible amendments to key competition policies and guidance. But it was also a year that ended with questions unanswered regarding DG COMP’s strategic direction for the next four years.2026 could be the year in which we gain greater clarity on major policies and priorities at DG COMP, in particular in the regulation of M&A. In this article, we examine the strategic decisions that could be taken over the next 12 months, looking ahead to the draft revised merger guidelines and at the evolving relationship between DG COMP and its major international counterparts, notably in the US. We also consider key updates regarding the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation – which is attracting greater political attention after a notable case in 2025. And, as an addition to our annual look-ahead article, we cast our eye to the recently-revised merger remedies guidance in the EU’s former Member State, the UK.
Insights
Oct 07, 2025

Spotlight on the UK’s NSI regime

It’s been over three years since the UK’s National Security and Investment (NSI) regime came into force. Since then, the regime has remained largely unchanged, with several attempts over the period to increase the transparency and clarity of the regime through the publication of Annual Reports and market guidance notes. On 22 July 2025, the UK Government announced three significant updates to the regime: A 12-week consultation on proposed reforms to the 17 sectors that give rise to mandatory notification; An announcement that certain types of transactions (notably in respect of internal reorganisations) would be removed from the scope of the NSI regime; and The publication of its fourth Annual Report on the operation of the regime. Together with the Government’s Industrial Strategy and National Security Strategy, these updates reflect the Government’s efforts to ensure that the NSI regime keeps apace with growing national security threats while at the same time promoting investment in line with the Government’s broader growth agenda. For investors and corporates active in the UK, these developments are important: they highlight where the focus of the Government is shifting, how the regime is operating in practice and the implications for deal execution. Below we consider the main reforms proposed and the impact for businesses.
Insights
Jan 30, 2025

Personalities, Politics and Priorities – What’s New for M&A and EU Competition Law in 2025

It’s all change at the European Commission. Teresa Ribera has taken over the stewardship of DG COMP from Margrethe Vestager, alongside a wider brief including  environmental and social policy that could conflict with competition law orthodoxy. This is set against a backdrop of intensifying political pressure for EU regulation to support the development and productivity of the flat EU economy and possibly the promotion of European champions. In this article, we consider the key EU competition law developments that are likely to impact M&A in 2025 within the world’s largest trading bloc.

Related Insights

Insights
Jan 29, 2026
M&A Regulation in the EU (and UK) – What to Expect in 2026
Teresa Ribera has completed her first year at the helm of the European Commission’s competition directorate (“DG COMP”). It was a year in which DG COMP has been busy working on possible amendments to key competition policies and guidance. But it was also a year that ended with questions unanswered regarding DG COMP’s strategic direction for the next four years.2026 could be the year in which we gain greater clarity on major policies and priorities at DG COMP, in particular in the regulation of M&A. In this article, we examine the strategic decisions that could be taken over the next 12 months, looking ahead to the draft revised merger guidelines and at the evolving relationship between DG COMP and its major international counterparts, notably in the US. We also consider key updates regarding the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation – which is attracting greater political attention after a notable case in 2025. And, as an addition to our annual look-ahead article, we cast our eye to the recently-revised merger remedies guidance in the EU’s former Member State, the UK.
News
Nov 10, 2025
BCLP advises McWin-backed L’Osteria on Pizza Pilgrims acquisition
Insights
Oct 07, 2025
Spotlight on the UK’s NSI regime
It’s been over three years since the UK’s National Security and Investment (NSI) regime came into force. Since then, the regime has remained largely unchanged, with several attempts over the period to increase the transparency and clarity of the regime through the publication of Annual Reports and market guidance notes. On 22 July 2025, the UK Government announced three significant updates to the regime: A 12-week consultation on proposed reforms to the 17 sectors that give rise to mandatory notification; An announcement that certain types of transactions (notably in respect of internal reorganisations) would be removed from the scope of the NSI regime; and The publication of its fourth Annual Report on the operation of the regime. Together with the Government’s Industrial Strategy and National Security Strategy, these updates reflect the Government’s efforts to ensure that the NSI regime keeps apace with growing national security threats while at the same time promoting investment in line with the Government’s broader growth agenda. For investors and corporates active in the UK, these developments are important: they highlight where the focus of the Government is shifting, how the regime is operating in practice and the implications for deal execution. Below we consider the main reforms proposed and the impact for businesses.
News
Sep 26, 2025
BCLP advises Safran Defense and Space on Attollo Engineering acquisition
News
Sep 25, 2025
BCLP Advises STRABAG:Equitix Consortium on first of a kind £2.9bn Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme
News
Sep 23, 2025
BCLP advises Canal+ on acquisition of South African media company MultiChoice
News
Jun 13, 2025
BCLP advised Dundee Precious Metals on cash and shares offer for Adriatic Metals
News
Jun 11, 2025
BCLP Recognized in Mergers & Acquisitions’ Top 2025 Middle-Market Deals of the Year for Role in New Era–’47 Transaction
Insights
Jan 30, 2025
Personalities, Politics and Priorities – What’s New for M&A and EU Competition Law in 2025
It’s all change at the European Commission. Teresa Ribera has taken over the stewardship of DG COMP from Margrethe Vestager, alongside a wider brief including  environmental and social policy that could conflict with competition law orthodoxy. This is set against a backdrop of intensifying political pressure for EU regulation to support the development and productivity of the flat EU economy and possibly the promotion of European champions. In this article, we consider the key EU competition law developments that are likely to impact M&A in 2025 within the world’s largest trading bloc.