The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has appointed Doug Gurr, a former Amazon boss, as its interim chair for up to 18 months.
Gurr took the helm on January 21, taking over from former boss Marcus Bokkerink, who had held the role since September 2022. While currently serving as the director of the Natural History Museum, Gurr was previously country manager of Amazon UK - as recently as November 2020 - and president of Amazon China.
In the coming weeks, the recruitment process for a permanent chair will begin.
Gurr said: "I am honored to be asked to chair the CMA at this crucial time. I look forward to working with the strong leadership team to help deliver business investment and economic growth in a framework of effective competition and consumer protection."
The selection of someone with close ties to Amazon is interesting, given the ongoing investigation into the cloud computing market of which Amazon subsidiary Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the largest operator.
The appointment of Gurr also comes just before the first outcomes of the cloud investigation are set to be released, with a provisional report expected to arrive as soon as this month.
Gurr is chair of a board that is separate from the team overseeing the cloud market probe.
Nicky Stewart, senior adviser to the Open Cloud Coalition said of the appointment: "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.
“The cloud industry can only flourish when there is a level-playing field, and as outlined in our position paper, meaningful intervention is essential to unlocking innovation and investment across the sector.”
It is unclear if the appointment could represent a conflict of interest. DCD has reached out to the CMA for comment.
A report from The Guardian demonstrates wide industry criticism.
“Replacing the CMA’s chair with a former Amazon executive, at a time when a handful of US tech monopolies are tightening their grip over AI, is a major strategic blunder that will harm, not help, growth and innovation in the UK,” said Max von Thun, the director of Europe and transatlantic partnerships at Open Markets Institute, an anti-monopoly think tank.
Current Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves herself has previously described Amazon as a "monopoly of platform capitalism" that "block competitive markets, avoid taxation and impose oppressive control over their employees.”
The previous head of the CMA, Marcus Bokkerink, left his role somewhat unexpectedly.
The resignation followed Labour ministers announcing a new direction for the CMA focusing on "growth." Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathon Reynolds, said: "This Government has a clear Plan for Change - to boost growth for businesses and communities across the UK. As we’ve set out, we want to see regulators including the CMA supercharging the economy with pro-business decisions that will drive prosperity and growth, putting more money in people’s pockets."
CMA chairs typically serve for at least five years. The government announcement states that Bokkerink will "continue to make a contribution to public life in a new leadership role, the details of which will be announced in due course."
