Christian Salas, PhD

Christian Salas is a Manager in the Antitrust and Competition Practice at Bates White. Dr. Salas specializes in economic analysis of competition, including market definition, merger simulations, and damages estimation, as well as the analysis of single-firm conduct and monopolization. He has worked on merger, collusion, and monopolization matters involving the agriculture, chemical, energy, healthcare, and tech industries on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission, state Attorneys General offices, and private companies. In addition, Dr. Salas has applied economic theory to model the streaming music industry in order to determine royalty rates that align with the statutory objectives for reasonable terms and rates.

Dr. Salas has extensive experience applying causal-inference econometrics and game theory to study strategic behavior in markets. Prior to joining Bates White, he conducted research at Yale University, the World Bank, and the Catholic University of Chile. He has served as an instructor of Principle of Economics, Game Theory, and Econometrics and has published in peer-reviewed journals such as Antitrust Source, Energy Economics, Journal of Public Economics, and Public Choice.

PhD, Mathematical Economics, University of Chicago

MA, Economics, Catholic University of Chile

BA, Business and Economics, Catholic University of Chile

• Provided support for the testifying expert on behalf of Evonik in its litigation against the Federal Trade Commission, which had sought to block  Evonik's acquisition of PeroxyChem. The merger closed in 2020.
• Supported the expert on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in its efforts to block the formation of a joint venture between Peabody Energy Corporation and Arch Resources.
• Supported the testimonies of the expert in analyzing US sugar market for U.S. Sugar’s proposed acquisition of Imperial Sugar.
• In Determination of Rates and Terms for Making and Distributing Phonorecords, supported expert regarding appropriate mechanical royalty payments under Section 115 of the Copyright Act.
• Supported the expert providing analysis of the likely competitive effects of EnCap/XCL's acquisition of EP Energy and helped with the Second Request.
• Supported the expert on behalf of defendants in In re Thomas Jefferson University and Albert Einstein Healthcare Network as the Federal Trade Commission sought to enjoin their proposed merger.