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The chair of the UK’s competition regulator has been removed from his role by the government, amid its push for growth.
Marcus Bokkerink, the head of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has been removed from his post by the business secretary.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves met with regulators last week to impress upon them the centrality of economic growth to their activities.
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The CMA oversees deal-making and briefly paused the high-profile merger of Microsoft and gaming giant Activision-Blizzard.
Mr Bokkerink, a former senior partner at one of the world’s biggest consulting firms Boston Consulting, was appointed in 2022 by then business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. He could have served a five-year term.
A government source told Sky News: “This is a signal that we’re serious about changing the culture of regulation in order to get growth. The government wants to show it is serious about investment.”
The removal of the CMA chief comes as Ms Reeves and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, who took the decision, arrived in Davos to court overseas investors at the annual World Economic Forum.
The CMA is one of Britain’s most important economic regulators with the power to examine, intervene and compel business practices.
Last week it launched an investigation into Google.
Reported to be replacing Mr Bokkerink is Doug Gurr, who will serve as interim chair. Mr Gurr is the director of the Natural History Museum and the former country manager of Amazon UK.
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