Dr. Rainer Nitsche Named Competition Economist of the Year for Second Time at Lexology Index Awards as BRG’s Brussels Team Wins Belgium Country Award
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Rainer Nitsche, Ph.D., a managing director at E.CA–a BRG company, has been named Competition Economist of the Year at the Lexology Index Awards 2026. He received the award for the second time in three years and is the first economist to win the award twice. BRG’s Brussels-based team was recognised with the Expert Country Award for Belgium.
The awards recognise both individual excellence and the strength of BRG’s growing Antitrust & Competition practice in Europe. They build on a record of recognition for the practice, including Prof. Kai-Uwe Kühn, who was named Competition Economist of the Year in 2023.
BRG acquired E.CA Economics in April 2026, bringing together two established economic consulting teams and strengthening BRG’s Antitrust & Competition and Regulation practices in Europe. Nitsche, who cofounded E.CA in 2007, joined BRG as part of the acquisition alongside the firm’s team of economists.
Nitsche advises clients on competition, litigation, regulatory and State aid matters before the European Commission and national competition authorities. He has over 25 years of experience in competition policy enforcement and specialises in cartel damages, abuse of dominance and merger control proceedings.
Commenting on the award, Nitsche said: “I am honoured to be recognised by Lexology as Competition Economist of the Year for a second time. This recognition reflects the dedication, expertise and collaboration of the exceptional team around me. Joining BRG has opened an exciting new chapter for us, and I look forward to continuing to build on what we have achieved together”.
The Expert Country Award for Belgium recognises BRG’s Brussels-based team of over forty economists led by seven managing directors, including Kühn, who work across competition and antitrust.
Konstantin Ebinger, a managing director in BRG’s Brussels office and co-leader of the firm’s Antitrust & Competition practice, said: “This award is a meaningful recognition of the strength of the team we have built in Brussels and our commitment to delivering outstanding outcomes for clients. Together with Rainer’s individual recognition, it underscores the depth of expertise across our Antitrust & Competition practice and our ability to help clients navigate increasingly complex competition and regulatory challenges”.
David Sunding, vice chairman at BRG and co-leader of the firm’s Antitrust & Competition practice, said: “We are immensely proud to see Rainer and our colleagues in Brussels recognised by Lexology. This has been a defining year for BRG’s growth in Europe, and these awards underline the exceptional calibre of the people now working together across the firm. We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to invest in the talent, expertise and collaborative culture that enable us to serve clients at the highest level”.
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