Tue, 21 Jan 2025

Government ousts UK competition watchdog chair

Marcus Bokkerink is leaving as the government signals it is serious about growth, the BBC understands.
The UK government has ousted the chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Marcus Bokkerink, over concerns that the regulator was not prioritizing economic growth. The move is seen as a signal from the government that it wants to promote business investment in the country. Bokkerink will be replaced on an interim basis by Doug Gurr, a former Amazon UK boss. The CMA had recently blocked a merger between Vodafone and Three Mobile Networks, but was eventually overruled. Government sources say they wanted more convincing from the regulator on how to stimulate growth. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been pushing for regulators to "tear down" red tape and focus on driving business investment. Bokkerink's replacement is seen as a bid by the government to shift the CMA's priorities. The regulator will also be undergoing changes in its merger panel, with 11 members due to step down later this year.
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