Rachel Merelie appointed to new Senior Director role

The UK Internal Market Act establishes an independent OIM under the umbrella of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The OIM will carry out a set of advisory, monitoring and reporting functions to support the development and effective operation of the internal market. It will provide impartial objective advice to each of the UK administrations and it will report to all 4 legislatures.

Rachel will oversee the creation of this new function from April. It will be separate from the CMA’s existing responsibilities and is expected to take on its responsibilities formally later this year. Rachel will be joining the OIM from her current role at NHS Test and Trace as Director, Laboratories Projects. She has also held several senior roles at both the CMA and its predecessor, the Competition Commission, including in respect of sector regulation, markets and mergers.

Rachel brings a wealth of leadership and delivery experience to the role and will be joined by team members with delivery, economist, legal and business advisory skills who will work on OIM functions. The team will be based in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London.

BEIS will be launching the recruitment for the OIM panel members and Chair in due course.