The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has appointed Doug Gurr, the former head of Amazon UK, as the interim chair of its board. This change comes as the CMA approaches the release of provisional findings from its investigation into the UK cloud market.
On January 21, 2024, the CMA announced Gurr’s appointment, following the resignation of Marcus Bokkerink, who has chaired the CMA since 2022. The timing of Bokkerink’s resignation is unclear, but it coincides with the UK government’s push for regulators to adopt a more pro-growth stance.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds met with top regulators recently and emphasized the need to remove barriers to business growth and focus on promoting economic expansion. Reynolds stated that efforts are already underway to find a permanent successor for Bokkerink. He remarked, “The government has a clear plan for change—to boost growth for business and communities across the UK,” and he expects the CMA to support this goal through effective, business-friendly decisions.
Gurr, who also serves as the director of the Natural History Museum, expressed enthusiasm for his new role. He said, “I am honoured to chair the CMA at this crucial time,” and he looks forward to collaborating with the leadership team to drive economic growth while maintaining competition and consumer protection.
Gurr steps in just days before the CMA is set to announce findings from its investigation into the cloud infrastructure services market, which scrutinizes potential anti-competitive practices by Amazon’s cloud division. It’s notable that Gurr’s role does not directly oversee this investigation, as that team operates independently from the CMA board.
Nicky Stewart from the Open Cloud Coalition commented on Gurr’s appointment, stressing the importance of maintaining the CMA’s commitment to fostering competition in the cloud market. She stated, “We urge the regulator to stay the course and take decisive action to create a fairer, more competitive cloud market that benefits businesses, consumers, and the wider digital economy.” She highlighted that the cloud industry thrives on a level playing field and that significant intervention is necessary for future innovation and investment.
Computer Weekly reached out to the CMA to inquire if Gurr’s new position could raise potential conflict of interest concerns, but there was no immediate response.