Transparency data

CMA board meeting minutes: 15 October 2024

Published 28 November 2024

Meeting date: 15 October 2024

Venue: In the Cabot, London, and by videoconference

Members present

• Marcus Bokkerink (Chair)
• Joel Bamford
• Justin Basini
• Sarah Cardell (CEO)^{[footnote 1]}
• Martin Coleman
• Frank Dangeard
• Cynthia Dubin
• Will Hayter
• Dame Patricia Hodgson
• Cyrus Mehta
• Murdoch MacLennan
• Dharmash Mistry

Advisers present

• Juliette Enser, Interim Executive Director for Competition Enforcement
• Jessica Lennard, Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer^{[footnote 2]}
• George Lusty, Interim Executive Director for Consumer Protection and Markets
• Chris Prevett, General Counsel

Apologies

• Mike Walker, Chief Economic Adviser

CMA staff present

• Karen Croxson, Chief Data & Technology Insights Officer^{[footnote 3]}
• Daniel Lambauer, Chief Operating Officer^{[footnote 4]}
• Jennie Halliday, Senior Director, Advocacy, Public Policy and International3
• Anthony Wright, Interim Senior Director of Communications^{[footnote 5]}
• Kate Bridge, Director of Executive Office, Security, and Property
• Sukhinder Lalli Legal Director, Governance
• Board Secretary, Minutes

Teams

The meeting was attended by teams from across the CMA.

Minutes

The Board approved the minutes from the meeting of the Board on 25 September 2024, with no changes.

Introduction

1. Introduction

The Chair welcomed the Board members to the meeting.

2. Major developments in the external environment in which we operate

The Chair and CEO updated the Board on recent stakeholder engagement.

Strategy, Portfolio and Risk

3. CEO Update

The Board was updated on and discussed recent developments in the CMA’s portfolio and risk profile and the Chair’s and CEO’s discussions with the new Government’s ministers. The Board also reviewed the corporate risk register and the external guidance tracker.

4. Spending Review, Budget and Resource Position

The Board was updated on the emerging Spending Review 2025 position for the CMA, and considered the likely implications for staffing, operations and the portfolio of work. The Board welcomed Daniel Lambauer as the CMA’s new Chief Operating Officer.

5. ARAC and Risk update

The Chair of ARAC updated the Board on the items discussed at its meeting on 14 October, and on plans to review the CMA’s risk assurance framework.

Policy and Cases

6. Digital Markets Board Committee update

The Chair updated the Board on the items discussed at the DMBC on 10 October 24.

7. Digital markets competition regime guidance

The Board noted the responses to the public consultation, and the amendments made to the guidance as a result, and gave steers on the drafting of certain such amendments. It decided that this guidance can be submitted for approval to the Secretary of State, subject to addressing the Board’s comments. It agreed to delegate final sign off of these documents, incorporating this feedback, to the CEO.

8. AOB

DMU update October 24

The Board noted this update presented for information.

Final versions of CMA4 and CMA6

The Board decided that the final drafts of this guidance should be submitted for approval to the Secretary of State. It agreed that final changes to this guidance, which has been updated to reflect changes in the CMA’s powers resulting from the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024, should be delegated to the General Counsel.

Updated Guidance for the ‘Markets’ Regime

The Board decided to consult on a package of draft updated CMA guidance which consolidates and refines the existing suite of the CMA’s markets guidance. It also outlines  the changes introduced by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 to the markets regime. Unless major changes were proposed, the Board delegated sign off of the final document to the CMA Case and Policy Committee.  

The Chair thanked the Board for the meeting.

1. SC left the Board during item 6, returning part way through item 7. ↩

2. JL left the meeting after item 4. ↩

3. KC and JH joined the meeting for item 3. ↩

4. DL left the Board after item 6. ↩

5. AW joined the meeting for items 3, 4 and 5. ↩