Nicholas De Decker

Nicholas De Decker is an Associate in the Competition Practice at Bowmans in Johannesburg, specialising in competition law, merger control, and competition litigation. His experience spans the full spectrum of competition law, including merger control, prohibited practice complaints, cartel and abuse of dominance investigations, market inquiries, exemption applications, and litigation before the Competition Tribunal, Competition Appeal Court, Supreme Court of Appeal, and Constitutional Court.

Nicholas has advised clients across strategically important sectors, including financial services, healthcare, mining, energy and chemicals, logistics and rail, education, online intermediary platforms, and fast‑food and consumer‑facing markets. He has assisted on high‑value merger proceedings, including advising the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition on Impala Platinum's acquisition of Royal Bafokeng Platinum, Remgro and MSC's ZAR 87 billion acquisition of Mediclinic, and multiple private equity and property transactions. He has also advised FirstRand Bank, Golden Fried Chicken (t/a Chicken Licken), Access Bank, and a major South African medical aid provider on competition investigations and litigation, and has represented one of Africa's largest banks in the widely publicised Sekunjalo Group litigation.

Nicholas holds a BA Law and an LL.B (with distinction) from the University of Pretoria, and a Certificate in Tech Law & Policy from the University of Cape Town. He is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and a member of the Association of Competition Law Practitioners of South Africa. He has been recognised by The Legal 500 as a key lawyer for dispute resolution, with particular reference to his experience in competition litigation.