We are very pleased that Ole Andenæs has joined Wikborg Rein. He has strong professional competence within the full spectre of the financial regulatory area, and will strengthen our team further in this field. Due to ongoing implementation of numerous new laws and regulations, it is crucial for the firm to have top notch legal competence. This is something Ole will contribute with, and his operative experience with updated knowledge of market practice is value adding for both new and existing clients going forward, says Dag Erik Rasmussen, head of the firm's Capital Markets practice.

The regulatory regime related to financial markets is complex and comprehensive and partly challenging to comprehend. EU-legislation has to some extent been implemented in Norwegian law at the expense of the legislation's accessibility. Dealing with such challenges requires the highest level of legal competence, industry leading expertise on current market practice and high level of service and accessibility. 

- The reason I decided to join Wikborg Rein is that it is an industry leading and modern law firm and exceptionally positioned going forward. I am very excited to be selected to lead the firm's regulatory practice, a practice in constant development and growth. Right now we are in a phase where there most likely will be less regulative initiatives from the EU, and more focus on implementation and follow up on compliance. My ambition for Wikborg Rein is to be able to offer market leading advice related to all kinds of businesses within the regulatory space, hereunder related to banking, insurance, investment banks, brokers, funds and property players, says Ole. 

Wikborg Rein advises and offers transactional services related to inter alia the following:

• Securities Trading – MiFID II, MAR, EMIR, CSDR
• Banking and capital adequacy – CRR/CRD IV
• Bank funding and other regulatory capital – covered bonds and MREL
• Insurance and pension – capital requirements and capital management, Solvency II and IDD
• Asset Management – structures for collective investments in real estate and miscellaneous funds (UCITS and AIF and the sub categories ELTIF, EuVECA, EuSEF and MMF)
• Payment Services – PSD2
• Anti-Money Laundering – 4AMLD 

- The financial sector counts for 1/6 of all added value in Norway, and this area is also one of our key strategic areas. Three out of our seven of our largest clients are financial institutions, thus we have a strong client base within this practise area, as well as great ambitions for growth going forward. A market leading regulatory practise is crucial in order for us to succeed and I am delighted that Ole will lead this focus area going forward, says Finn Bjørnstad, Managing Partner. 

Ole is 36 years old, and holds a law degree from the University of Oslo. Ole has worked 8  years for Thommessen within the financial regulatory, capital markets and corporate law area, as well as with disputes within these practise areas.