Transparency data

CMA board meeting minutes: 28 September 2023

Published 26 October 2023

Meeting date: 28 September 2023

Venue: In Erskine House, Belfast and by videoconference

Members present

• Marcus Bokkerink (Chair)

• Kirstin Baker

• Sarah Cardell (CEO)

• Martin Coleman

• Cynthia Dubin

• Amelia Fletcher

• Michael Grenfell

• Murdoch MacLennan

• Erik Wilson (COO)

Advisors present

• Lucy Robbins, Senior Director, People, Capability and Culture

• Chris Prevett, Interim General Counsel

• Mike Walker, Chief Economic Adviser

• Jessica Lennard, Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer ^{[footnote 1]}

Apologies

• None

CMA staff present

• Kate Bridge, Director of Executive Office, Security, Property and Performance

• Anthony Wright, Director of Communications

• Committee Secretary (minutes)

Teams

The meeting was attended by teams from across the CMA, including the Digital Markets Unit and the Consumer, Legal, CA98, the People, Capability and Culture team, and the Property team.

Minutes

1. Introduction

The Chair welcomed the Board members to the meeting.

Minutes

The Board approved the minutes from the meetings of the Board on 19 July 2023, with no changes. The Board acknowledged the committee minutes received.

2. Reflections on stakeholder engagement

The Board discussed the feedback and lessons from their stakeholder engagement sessions and associated meetings the previous day and provided steers on future engagement.

Major developments in the external environment in which we operate

3. CEO and Chair comments**

The Board was updated on recent external developments impacting the CMA. The Board reviewed the corporate risk register and the external guidance tracker.

Strategy, Portfolio and Risk Management

4. CEO update

The CEO updated the Board on recent developments in the CMA. The Board shared views on the approach to external communication in relation to international cooperation and cases.

5. Resourcing, Portfolio and Pipeline Committee (RPPC) update

The CEO updated the Board on the RPPC meeting held on 12 September 2023.

Policy and Cases

6. Update on AI Foundation Models

The Board discussed the recent report released on AI Foundation Models, and how markets for Foundation Models could evolve, opportunities and risks for competition and consumer protection and proposed principles to guide the market towards positive outcomes.

7. Digital Markets Unit (DMU) update

The DMU team provided an update on the digital markets workstreams.

8. Sustainability guidance

The Board considered the proposed approach taken to the final draft of the guidance on the application of the Chapter I prohibition in the Competition Act 1998 to environmental sustainability agreements, which takes account of the CMA’s public consultation on the draft guidance. The Board approved the publication of the guidance.

9. Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Consumer Reform update

The Board discussed the update on consumer reform and the potential impact of the Retained EU Law Bill, along with the substantive consumer law changes in the DMCC Bill, jurisdiction and extraterritoriality and the DBT consultation on price transparency and shared perspectives.

People and Operational

10. Implementation of diversity targets at the CMA

The team provided an update on the progress towards implementing diversity targets at the CMA, with a fuller discussion taking place at a later date.

11. Property Transformation Programme update

The Board was updated on recent developments in relation to the CMA’s property transformation programme.

12. Shaping the Future Programme – Empowerment

The team updated the Board on further building empowerment at the CMA, which will support the organisation in delivering its strategy and priorities; the Board shared steers on the approach.

13. AOB

The Chair reviewed the meeting and thanked the Board.

1. Present for items 2,3,4,8,10 and 14 ↩