Ministers have ousted the head of the competition regulator as they looks to cut red tape to boost economic growth.
Marcus Bokkerink, who became chairman of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in 2022, will step down despite not completing his five-year term. Doug Gurr, former head of Amazon’s UK business and a director of the Natural History Museum, will replace him.
Bokkerink’s exit followed an intervention from Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds after his department concluded the regulator was not sufficiently focused on growth, the FT reported. The CMA did not respond to a request for comment.
A wider shake-up at the regulator is also expected later this year as 11 members of its 33-strong merger panel, an independent group of experts tasked with reviewing whether any deals will harm competition, are set to retire in 2025.
Out: Marcus Bokkerink (pictured),CMA chairman since 2022
The Government will appoint their replacements, many of whom are expected to come from business backgrounds.
The ousting of the CMA’s chairman comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Reynolds wrote to the country’s regulators encouraging them to be ‘more pro-growth and pro-investment’.
Alex Haffner, a competition partner at lawyers Fladgate, said: ‘What stakeholders will now be assessing is how the new appointment translates into the CMA’s approach to enforcement.
‘Recent signs are that it has taken heed of criticism of previous decisions and is perhaps more willing to be flexible – the recent Vodafone / Three clearance decision being a case in point.
‘However, the new Chair also takes on the role at a time when the CMA has taken on significant new powers under the Digital Markets Competition and Consumer Act, particularly in relation to its oversight of big tech meaning the CMA will likely become more activist, albeit giving considerable attention as to how to enforce in a way which best stimulates competition and therefore economic growth.’
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