UK competition watchdog chairman 'ousted' amid claims he didn't focus on growth
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Marcus Bokkerink, the chairman of the UK's competition watchdog, has stepped down from his role amid claims that he was forced out by Government ministers for not prioritising growth enough. An insider confirmed on Tuesday that Mr Bokkerink is no longer at the helm of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The Financial Times initially reported the departure, citing sources who said Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds had stepped in on Monday evening.
It's believed the Department of Business and Trade told Mr Bokkerink that the regulator wasn't doing enough to promote economic growth. Appointed as chairman in 2022 by then-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, Mr Bokkerink previously held a senior position at consulting giant Boston Consulting.
CMA chairs typically serve up to a five-year term. Reports suggest Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum and former country manager of Amazon UK, has been appointed as the new interim chair. The watchdog has recently faced criticism, including from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, following complaints from businesses that it interferes too much with deals.
At an investment summit in October, Sir Keir stated the Government "will make sure that every regulator in this country, especially our economic and competition regulators, takes growth as seriously as this room does". The CMA faced public criticism from Microsoft after the watchdog initially blocked the tech firm's proposed acquisition of gaming behemoth Activision Blizzard. In 2023, Microsoft's president Brad Smith labelled the UK as "bad for business", although the deal was eventually approved.
