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CMA board meeting minutes: 25 March 2026

Published 11 September 2026

© Crown copyright 2026

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-board-meeting-minutes-march-2026/cma-board-meeting-minutes-25-march-2026

Meeting date: 25 March 2026

Venue: In the Cabot, London, and online

Members present

  • Doug Gurr (Chair)[footnote 1]
  • Joel Bamford
  • Justin Basini [footnote 2]
  • Sarah Cardell (CEO)[footnote 3]
  • Emma Cochrane, Executive Director for Consumer Protection
  • Martin Coleman
  • Juliette Enser
  • Will Hayter
  • Dame Patricia Hodgson
  • Daniel Lambauer
  • Cyrus Mehta
  • Will Hayter

Advisers present

  • Karen Croxson, Chief Data & Technology Insights Officer
  • Jenny Haydock, Interim Chief Economic Adviser
  • Chris Prevett, General Counsel
  • Jessica Lennard, Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer[footnote 4]

Apologies

  • Murdoch MacLennan

CMA staff present

  • Kate Bridge, Director of the Executive Office
  • Chief of Staff
  • Committee Secretary, Minutes

Teams

The meeting was attended by teams from across the CMA including from Strategy, Comms and Advocacy.

Minutes

1. Introduction

The Chair welcomed members to the meeting.

2. Microsoft Ecosystem: SMS investigation proposal

The Board received an update on the SMS designation investigations. The Board agreed to launch an SMS investigation to decide whether to designate Microsoft as having SMS in respect of its business software ecosystem and agreed the proposed approach to governance, engagement and communications.

3. Chair’s reflections

The Board approved the appointment of Cyrus Mehta as Panel Chair, with delegation of the CMA Chair’s Panel functions to take effect from September 2026.

The Board approved the minutes of the Board meetings held on 25 February 2026.

The Board noted the approval, by correspondence on 19 March 2026, of a market study into heating oil. Approval of the launch documentation was delegated to the Chair and CEO.

Strategy, risk and portfolio

4. CEO update

The Board was updated on and discussed recent developments in the CMA’s portfolio and risk profile. It also reviewed the external guidance tracker and the finance update for January (P10).

5. Civil engineering

The Board received an update on the Civil Engineering market study. The Board noted the planned approach to finalising the report.

6. Childcare

The Board received an update on potential work relating to the early years childcare sector. The Board noted the planned next steps.

7. Mergers 4Ps implementation and portfolio update

The Board received an update on mergers work, including performance and portfolio developments. The Board noted the strong progress made on the delivery of the 4Ps.

8. Direct consumer enforcement: approach to concurrency

The Board received an update on the CMA’s policy support to Government on industrial strategy and growth. The Board noted the planned approach for developing this area of work.

9. Audit and risk assurance committee (ARAC) update

The Board was updated on recent ARAC meeting.

Any other business

Publication of pay gap reports

The Board received an update on the CMA’s pay gap reporting.

  1. Doug Gurr declared a potential conflict of interest in relation to item 2 and was recused from the discussion and decision. ↩

  2. In the absence of the Chair, Justin Basini chaired the discussion of item 2. ↩

  3. Sarah Cardell was not present for item 7. ↩

  4. Jessica Lennard was not present for item 7 and 8. ↩

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