Our governance
CMA board
The CMA board will:
- ensure that the CMA fulfils its statutory duties and functions and that the principles of good corporate governance are observed
- establish the overall strategic direction of the CMA that fits within the policy framework laid down under the ERR Act 2013
- have regard to any opinions and reports of the CMA Accounting Officer and ensure that the CMA makes appropriate use of public funds
The board is also responsible for:
- deciding whether to publish a market study notice and whether to refer a market for a phase 2 investigation
- considering the proposals for the annual plan
- the annual performance and concurrency reports
- making rules of procedure for merger reference groups, market reference groups, and special reference groups.
The CMA board鈥檚 rules of procedures set out how often the board will meet, quorum, procedure at meetings, and other formal information.
The board has authorised the Chair, CMA staff, and the Panel Chair to carry out specific functions on its behalf. Please see the board authorisation document for detail.
The board has agreed a conflicts of interest policy for the CMA, which applies to board members, panel members, and members of staff. As part of this, a register of interests for board members has been developed and published on the CMA website.
Board members
- Joel Bamford (Executive Director for Mergers, Office for the Internal Market and Subsidy Advice Unit)
- Justin Basini (Non-Executive Director)
- Sarah Cardell (Chief Executive)
- Martin Coleman (Non-Executive Director and Panel Chair)
- Cynthia Dubin (Non-Executive Director)
- Juliette Enser (Executive Director for Competition Enforcement)
- Doug Gurr (Interim Chair)
- Will Hayter (Executive Director for Digital Markets)
- Dame Patricia Hodgson (Non-Executive Director)
- Daniel Lambauer (Chief Operating Officer)
- Murdoch MacLennan聽(Non-Executive Director and Chair of the OIM Panel)
- Cyrus Mehta (Non-Executive Director)
- Dharmash Mistry (Non-Executive Director)
Board advisors
- Dr Karen Croxson (Chief Data, Technology and Insight Officer)
- Jessica Lennard (Chief Strategy & External Affairs Officer)
- George Lusty (Interim Executive Director for Consumer Protection and Markets and adviser to the Board)
- Chris Prevett (General Counsel)
- Dr Mike Walker (Chief Economic Adviser)
CMA panel
Some functions of the CMA must be performed by the CMA panel. Panel members have clearly defined responsibilities and act as fresh decision-makers in phase 2 market investigations, merger inquiries and regulatory references and appeals. Panel members may also be appointed to antitrust (Competition Act 1998) case decision groups.
Members are appointed to the CMA panel by the Department for Business and Trade for up to 8 years. They are appointed through open competition for their experience, ability and diversity of skills in competition economics, law, finance and business.
The panel consists of 33 members and includes a small group of Inquiry Chairs. The CMA Chair, with the consent of the board, appoints a CMA Panel Chair who has overall responsibility for leading the panel, and who allocates Inquiry Chairs and panel members to each case. At least one panel member (usually the Panel Chair and one other Inquiry Chair) is also appointed to the CMA board.
The board鈥檚 oversight role does not extend into the substance of decisions by groups on phase 2 work. The groups make their decisions independently of the board. The board is kept informed about resourcing, efficiency, the application of CMA policy and the staff processes that support the work of the panel.
Panel Chair and Inquiry Chair
Inquiry Chairs
Panel members
- Jo Armstrong
- Humphrey Battcock
- Robin Cohen
- Maria Da Cunha
- Anne Fletcher
- Robin Foster
- Roland Green
- Ashleye Gunn
- Susan Hankey
- Ulrike Hotopp
- Paul Hughes
- Colleen Keck
- Juliet Lazarus
- Sheila McClelland
- Frances McLeman
- Cyrus Mehta
- Paul Muysert
- Jeremy Newman
- Sir Kenneth Parker
- Keith Richards
- Stephen Rose
- Karthik Subramanya
- John Thanassoulis
- Mark Thatcher
- David Thomas
- Claire Whyley
- Crispin Wright
More information about each of the members is available in the panel member biographies and disclosures of interest. The CMA also has a code of conduct for panel members that sets out their general obligations.
For any queries regarding the panel members, please email panel.members@cma.gov.uk.
CMA committees and advisory panels
Board committees
- The Nominations Committee (terms of reference) advises the board and Chief Executive on succession planning for executive and non-executive members of the board
- The Audit and Risk Committee (terms of reference) advises the Accounting Officer and the Board on the adequacy of audit arrangements and on the implications of assurances provided in respect of risk and control.
- The Remuneration Committee (terms of reference) reviews the performance of all SCS staff members and to award pay and bonuses in accordance with Cabinet Office rules.
- Executive Committee (terms of reference): focuses on the development of organisational strategy, performance and delivery of key Annual Plan objectives
- Case and Policy Committee (terms of reference): oversees cases and projects, ensures consistency of approach and offering advice on high level legal, economic or policy issues as they arise
- Subsidy Advice Unit Committee (terms of reference): assists the SAU in carrying out its functions, as set out in the Subsidy Control Act.
- The Digital Markets Board Committee (terms of reference) oversees and takes certain delegated decisions under the digital markets competition regime as established by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (2024).
Standing Counsel panel
To continue to make robust decisions and achieve successful outcomes in court, the CMA needs to be able to call upon a panel of highly specialist counsel who can:
- give priority to the CMA鈥檚 cases
- represent the CMA in court
- help provide bespoke training to CMA staff
The CMA first established its Standing Counsel in 2015 and has since been expanded to meet the CMA鈥檚 growing requirements. The panel now comprises 20 experienced members, each of whom brings a wealth of expertise across the CMA鈥檚 activities.
The panel includes 7 silks:
- Rob Williams KC of (appointed in 2015)
- Ben Lask KC of (appointed in 2017)
- Toby Riley-Smith KC of (appointed in 2021)
- Catherine Addy KC of (appointed in 2021)
- Josh Holmes KC of (appointed in 2021)
- Alexander Cook KC of (appointed in 2021)
- Tristan Jones KC of (appointed in 2021)
The panel also includes 13 juniors:
- Professor David Bailey of (appointed in 2015)
- Julianne Kerr Morrison of (appointed in 2021)
- Michael Armitage of (appointed in 2021)
- Daisy Mackersie of (appointed in 2021)
- Julian Gregory of (appointed in 2025)
- Anna Medvinskaia of (appointed in 2025)
- Anna Lintner of (appointed in 2025)
- Narinder Jhittay of (appointed in 2025)
- Thomas Sebastian of (appointed in 2025)
- Jennifer MacLeod of (appointed in 2025)
- Tom Coates of (appointed in 2025)
- Arnold Ayoo of (appointed in 2025)
- James Bourke of (appointed in 2025)
OIM panel
罢丑别听Office for the Internal Market聽(OIM) is part of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The OIM Panel assists the OIM in carrying out its functions, as set out in the UK Internal Market Act. The Chair of the OIM Panel, Murdoch MacLennan, sits on the CMA Board.