Vovo was a member in the Secretariat of Indonesia Competition Commission (Komisi Pengawas Persaingan Usaha or KPPU) before co-founding a boutique competition law office with HMBC Rikrik Rizkiyana, known as Rizkiyana & Iswanto. In this capacity, he specialized in Competition Law, Consumer Protection, Public-Private Procurement, and Antitrust Litigation. He later joined Assegaf Hamzah & Partners following a merger between the two firms in October 2013. Vovo obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Indonesia and a Master of Laws (LL.M) from Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam.
Vovo has successfully handled a series of lengthy competition law cases, predominantly involving cartel issues and abuse of dominant positions across various industries, including pharmaceuticals, construction, entertainment or media, and automotive. He has also provided competition law compliance reviews, particularly related to sales and distribution agreements, to multinational companies as well. To date, he has assisted numerous companies operating in various sectors relating to merger review and notification, such as property, financial services, chemicals, infrastructure, digital market, and automotive industries. Vovo has provided competition law-related advice and training for numerous businesses and institutions. Recently, he has assisted clients in completing registration of competition compliance program to KPPU.
Vovo also specialises in consumer protection law. He has provided clients with advice relating to consumer complaint handling system, user manual or agreement, product recall, and other consumer protection law-related issues.
Vovo has contributed and continues to contribute to many publications of both international and local publishers. He is ranked as recommended competition lawyer by Who’s Who Legal and acknowledged as one of key lawyers for antitrust and competition by The Legal 500.
EXPERIENCE
Advisory & Audit
- Provided competition law-related advice regarding the design and implementation of new projects (digital economy) for multinational Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company.
- Provided competition law-related advice regarding the design and implementation of new projects for multinational automotive companies.
Merger Review & Notification to KPPU
- Assisted multinational coal mining company in mandatory post-closing notifications.
- Assisted financial service company in mandatory post-closing notification.
- Assisted GIC Group in mandatory post-closing notifications.
- Assisted state owned enterprise in mandatory post-closing notification.
- Assisted multinational oil company in mandatory post-closing notifications.
- Assisted multinational agrobusiness company in mandatory post-closing notifications.
- Assisted multinational chemical company in mandatory post-closing notifications.
- Assisted multinational telecommunication company in mandatory post-merger notifications.
- Assisted aviation company in mandatory post-closing notification.
- Assisted multinational automotive company in mandatory post-closing notifications.
Competition Law Litigation
- Assisted travel technology companies in investigation of abuse of dominance case.
- Assisted national water transport company in investigation of abuse of dominance case.
- Assisted multinational company in internal investigation of possible violation of competition law by its employee.
- Assisted national chemical company in a case of collusive tendering.
- Assisted automotive product manufacturer in investigation and examination related to cartel practices.
- Assisted national pharmaceutical company in investigation and examination related to cartel practices.
- Assisted national pay tv company in investigation of abuse of dominance case.
Consumer Protection
- Providing legal advice on product labelling of processed products under Indonesia Consumer Protection Law for multinational food and beverage company.
- Providing legal assessment on the launch of a new campaign under Competition and Consumer Protection Law for multinational food and beverage company.
- Conducted consumer law-related compliance assessment for textile and retail businesses, PT.
- Provided legal review relating to the user agreements of electrical household products and financial services under Indonesia Consumer Protection Law for multinational companies.
- Provided legal advice regarding obligations of e-commerce company under Indonesia Consumer Protection Law for multinational companies.
- Provided legal advice regarding advertising based on Indonesia Consumer Protection Law for multinational company.
MEMBERSHIPS
- Membership of Indonesian Advocates Association / Perhimpunan Advokat Indonesia (PERADI)
- Membership of Indonesian Competition Lawyers Association (ICLA)
PUBLICATIONS
- Co-Author of Law Business Research: The Public Competition Enforcement Review, 13th edition, Indonesian Chapter, 2021
- Co-Author of Getting the Deal Through – Merger Control Indonesian chapter, 2020
- Co-Author of Getting the Deal Through Market Intelligence – Cartels Indonesian chapter, 2019
- Co-Author of Getting the Deal Through Market Intelligence – Cartels Indonesian Chapter, 2018
- Co-Author of Getting the Deal Through – Merger Control Indonesian Chapter, 2018
- Co-Author of The International Series: Merger Control, Indonesian Chapter, Thomson Reuters Sweet & Maxwell, 2017