Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10099 – Arch/Kelso/Warburg/Watford) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2021/C 71/12
Date: 2021-03-01
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, insurance, investment company, merger control








C_2021071EN.01006801.xml










1.3.2021   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 71/68






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.10099 – Arch/Kelso/Warburg/Watford)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2021/C 71/12)

1.   
On 23 February 2021, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


Arch Capital Group Ltd (‘Arch’, Bermuda),










—


Kelso & Company L.P. (‘Kelso’, United States),










—


Warburg Pincus LLC (‘Warburg’, United States), and










—


Watford Holdings Ltd (‘Watford’, Bermuda).




Arch, Kelso, and Warburg acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Watford.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






—


for Arch: insurance, reinsurance and mortgage insurance company active worldwide;










—


for Kelso: private equity investing in a range of industries, including consumer, energy, financial services, healthcare, industrial and services;










—


for Warburg: global private equity firm headquartered in New York whose portfolio companies are active in a variety of sectors, including consumer, industrial and business services, energy, financial services, healthcare, real estate, and technology, media and telecommunications; and










—


for Watford: global property and casualty insurance and reinsurance company with operations in Bermuda, the United States and Europe.






3.   
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


4.   
The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:
M.10099 – Arch/Kelso/Warburg/Watford
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu
Fax +32 22964301
Postal address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.