American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has announced that the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has “provisionally concluded” that it has no concerns about GBT’s planned acquisition of CWT, a global business travel and solutions provider.
The CMA is expected to make a final decision by March 9, 2025.
In a statement released on February 18, American Express Global Business Travel said, “If the deal goes ahead, it will speed up investment and innovation in business travel, offering more choices and value to customers and suppliers, and creating more opportunities for CWT employees.”
However, the company is still facing a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in January 2025. The DOJ is seeking to block the deal with an injunction.
GBT views the CMA’s provisional conclusion as a major step forward in securing the acquisition. It believes the CMA’s updated findings highlight flaws in the DOJ’s lawsuit, which GBT claims takes a narrow, outdated view of competition and overlooks the growing number of competitors in the business travel sector.
GBT first announced its agreement to acquire CWT on March 25, 2024, with the transaction subject to meeting regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.
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