The government has named former Amazon executive Doug Gurr as its preferred candidate to become permanent chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), marking a leadership change aimed at aligning the regulator more closely with its pro-growth agenda.
Peter Kyle confirmed that Gurr, who has held the post on an interim basis since January last year, will be proposed for a full five-year term, subject to a non-binding hearing by the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee.
Gurr, 61, replaced Marcus Bokkerink after he was ousted amid government pressure to ensure regulators support economic growth and international investment. Rachel Reeves said at the time that the CMA needed leadership that shared the government’s “mission”.
Kyle said Gurr has been working with CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell over the past year to improve the pace and predictability of merger investigations and make the process more proportionate.
City sources said the move was widely expected, citing Gurr’s background in business leadership and the public sector. A former McKinsey partner, he was Amazon’s UK country manager until 2020 and is currently director of the Natural History Museum and chair of the Alan Turing Institute.
The appointment comes as the government consults on reforms aimed at speeding up merger approvals and overhauling the CMA’s decision-making structure. One proposal would replace the regulator’s independent merger panel with members of the CMA board who would be more directly accountable to Parliament.
Proponents argue that the changes will streamline checks and provide more certainty for companies. Critics warn that they could increase the risk of political influence on competition decisions.
In 2025, the CMA approved 36 mergers and blocked none, the first year without a ban since 2017. Six deals were conditionally approved, compared to seven in 2024 and 12 in 2023, according to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
Antonio Bavasso, head of the law firm’s European antitrust practice, said the figures reflected the government’s shift towards a more growth-oriented regulatory policy.
Ministers have rejected claims that the new approach weakens oversight of big tech companies, stressing that the UK must remain both competitive and robust in enforcement.
If confirmed, Gurr’s appointment would mark a new chapter for the CMA as it navigates the balance between encouraging investment and ensuring competition in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
