UK to name former Amazon boss Gurr as permanent CMA chair - Sky

UK to name former Amazon boss Gurr as permanent CMA chair - Sky

The UK government has confirmed the appointment of Doug Gurr, former Amazon UK and China executive, as the permanent Chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), marking a significant shift in regulatory leadership. Gurr, who previously served as interim chair since January 2025, will assume the role following a government-led review aimed at aligning the CMA with its Plan for Change growth agenda.

Gurr's extensive experience in the technology sector, including his tenure as Amazon UK's country manager (2016–2020) and Amazon China's president (2014–2016), has been cited as a strategic asset to drive pro-business reforms. The government emphasized his ability to "supercharge the economy with pro-business decisions" while balancing competition enforcement and consumer protection. This follows a meeting of regulators with Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who urged a refocus on growth over regulatory barriers.

The CMA, which gained expanded powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act in 2025, is currently investigating major tech firms, including Amazon and Google, for potential antitrust violations. Critics, however, have raised concerns about perceived conflicts of interest, with trade unions and consumer advocates arguing that Gurr's Amazon background undermines the CMA's independence. The GMB union called the appointment a "slap in the face to workers", while anti-monopoly groups warned of a "strategic blunder" that could weaken enforcement against tech monopolies.

Outgoing chair Marcus Bokkerink, who served from 2022, oversaw key reforms, including the appointment of CEO Sarah Cardell and a unified strategic framework for the CMA. His departure followed government pressure to prioritize growth, with Reynolds stating that regulators must "tear down barriers hindering business".

The CMA's new strategic direction will be shaped by a consultation on a "growth-focused Strategic Steer", as outlined in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper. While the government maintains that the CMA remains operationally independent, stakeholders will closely monitor how the regulator balances its enforcement role with the government's pro-business agenda.

This leadership change underscores the UK's broader push to position itself as a competitive, tech-driven economy, even as debates over regulatory impartiality persist.