TL;DR
- The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has experienced additional board exits, including members Dharmash Mistry and Cynthia Dubin, in the past few months.
- Their departures follow the ousting of chairman Marcus Bokkerink and have raised concerns over potential government interference, although both the CMA and government officials deny these claims.
- The CMA maintains its commitment to independence and decision-making free from governmental influence amidst these board changes.
Competition watchdog hit by further board departures | Money News
The UK competition regulator has been hit by another spate of boardroom exits less than a year after its chair was forced out by ministers as part of their efforts to spur economic growth.
Dharmash Mistry, a technology industry veteran, and Cynthia Dubin, who has decades of experience in energy and industrials companies, both resigned from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) board in the last few months.
Neither departure was formally announced by the watchdog, with Mr Mistry only having joined its board 18 months earlier.
Their exits – which were only apparent by the omission of their names from a current list of CMA directors – came months after Marcus Bokkerink was ousted as the regulator’s chairman by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, and Jonathan Reynolds, the then business secretary.
He was replaced on an interim basis by Doug Gurr, the former Amazon UK boss who is now expected to take the job for a longer-term stint.
One source claimed that concerns about government interference in the CMA’s work may have been a factor in at least one of the resignations – a suggestion denied on Tuesday by both the CMA and the Department for Business and Trade.
Neither Mr Mistry nor Ms Dubin, who had served on the board for about six years, could be reached for comment.
“We thank Dharmash and Cynthia for their work with the CMA,” a DBT spokesperson said, adding that it did “not recognise” the suggestion that either had been concerned about political interference.
“We remain committed to the CMA’s independence and want to see regulators supercharge the Economy with pro-business decisions that will drive prosperity and growth, and we look forward to continue to work with Sarah Cardell, Doug Gurr and the board to deliver on this ambition.”
A CMA spokesperson said: “Both former board members left due to other commitments and it is inaccurate to suggest otherwise.
“The CMA continues to take its decisions independently of government.”