Competition lawyer leading in uncharted territory

Johannesburg – We’re sitting in one of the boardrooms at Norton Rose Fulbright, and Marianne Wagener, head of the antitrust and competition team as well as the life sciences and healthcare practice, orders her favourite “pink tea”. My curiosity is piqued, it’s actually “berry flavoured” green tea, she informs me.

The law practitioner is regarded as an “up-and-coming” lawyer in the field of competition law by various international legal publications, including Legal500 and Chambers Global. She was also listed as a recommended competition lawyer in Legal500, in 2015. She is soft-spoken, but her voice commands authority. I am in the presence of a leader.

Her passion and enthusiasm for competition law is evident. A pioneer in her field, her work involves investigating the abuse of dominance and cartels, dawn raids and regulatory compliance. Originally from Stellenbosch, she acquired her master’s degree in commercial law at the University of South Africa (Unisa), cum laude. Her eyes light up as she explains how her career in law began.