Doug Gurr Appointed Interim Chair of CMA

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK has appointed Doug Gurr, the former Amazon UK boss and current director of the Natural History Museum, as its interim chair. This change comes after Marcus Bokkerink, who led the CMA since 2022, resigned to pursue another role. The move aligns with the UK government's plan to revamp the focus of national regulators like the CMA towards business growth. During a recent meeting with Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, government officials emphasized the need for regulators to support business development by reducing barriers and fostering economic growth. Doug Gurr expressed his commitment to guiding the CMA during this period, emphasizing collaboration with the leadership to encourage business investments and maintain effective competition and consumer protection. The Department for Business and Trade will soon reveal the process for appointing a permanent successor. The UK government is set to conduct a consultation on the CMA's new growth-oriented strategic direction, as part of their broader economic strategy indicated in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper and highlighted by the Prime Minister at the International Investment Summit.