Former Amazon boss set to be next CMA permanent chairman

Former Amazon executive Doug Gurr is poised to go nan imperishable president of nan UK’s title regulator, nan Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), pursuing his information by Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle.

Mr Gurr has served arsenic interim president since early past year, stepping successful aft Marcus Bokkerink's departure amid government strategy disputes.

During this period, he has supported authorities initiatives to boost economical maturation by reducing business reddish tape.

The CMA is besides overhauling its merger and acquisition scrutiny, responding to claims it antecedently hindered UK business growth.

Mr Kyle said: “Under Doug Gurr’s activity arsenic interim chair, nan CMA is playing a cardinal domiciled successful delivering nan Government’s pro-growth agenda, ensuring nan UK is simply a spot wherever businesses tin turn and put pinch confidence.

“I look guardant to Doug starring nan transportation of nan CMA’s three-year strategy to thrust economical maturation and amended family prosperity.”

Mr Gurr was Amazon’s state head for nan UK until 2020, erstwhile he near nan US unit tech elephantine to go a head of nan National History Museum.

He will look earlier Parliament’s Business and Trade Select Committee connected Tuesday earlier his assignment is officially ratified.

Gurr was appointed arsenic interim chair of nan CMA successful January 2025 and has now been selected to complete a afloat five-year word pursuing an unfastened title for nan role.

On Monday, Mr Gurr said: “The Government person been clear successful their committedness to delivering economical maturation and improving family prosperity.

“I person enjoyed my clip astatine nan CMA and tin spot a clear publication we tin make present done promoting title and protecting consumers.

“It would beryllium some a pleasance and a privilege to proceed this important work.”

A spokesperson said: “Free and adjacent title and effective user protection support maturation by putting money backmost successful people’s pockets and driving guardant innovation, productivity, investment.

“It comes disconnected nan backmost of nan astir caller GDP figures, which showed that nan UK was nan fastest-growing system successful Europe.

“This is down to nan economical scheme that has been delivered truthful far, by building a stronger, much unafraid economy; cutting nan costs of living; cutting nan nationalist debt; and creating nan conditions for maturation and investment.”