Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has appointed Murdoch MacLennan as the first Chair of the Office for the Internal Market (OIM) Panel.
Mr MacLennan brings a wealth of knowledge to his new role as the OIM establishes itself to support trade between the home nations of the UK.
As Chair of the OIM Panel, Mr MacLennan will play a key role in ensuring expert and independent advice is provided to the UK government and devolved governments. He will also be a Non-Executive Director of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:
The independent Office for the Internal Market will ensure we can maintain the effectiveness of the United Kingdom’s internal market to ensure it continues to works for business and consumers.
With Murdoch MacLennan at the helm, I am confident the body will go from strength to strength as we bolster the benefits of trade to all parts of our great country.
Chair of the Office for the Internal Market Panel Murdoch MacLennan said:
The OIM’s latest analysis puts the value of the UK internal market at more than £190 billion annually, so it is vital that it works effectively.
I am delighted to be appointed as Chair of the OIM Panel and I look forward to working with each of the 4 governments.
Our mission is to establish the OIM as a trusted centre of excellence on the internal market which benefits the whole of the UK.
CMA Chair Jonathan Scott said:
The quality of this appointment reflects the importance of the OIM and its work.
Murdoch brings a wealth of experience of leading high-profile organisations across the UK and Ireland.
I am delighted to welcome him as both Chair of the OIM Panel and as a Non-Executive Director on the CMA Board. I look forward to working with him.
Biography
Murdoch MacLennan has a background in media having held a number of senior positions, the most recent of which included Group Managing Director of Associated Newspapers (1995 to 2004) and CEO of Telegraph Media Group (2004 to 2017).
He was a member of the Commission on Scottish Devolution, was appointed an Honorary Professor attached to the Adam Smith Business School at Glasgow University in 2018 and was the Chancellor’s Assessor on the Court of the University of Glasgow (2009 to 2017).
In addition to his role with the OIM, Mr MacLennan will continue to serve as Chair of PA Media Group, Chair of Mediahuis Ireland and Chair of the Scottish Professional Football League.
Further information
The OIM is part of the Competition and Markets Authority. The statutory objective of the OIM is to support, through the application of economic and other technical expertise, the effective operation of the internal market in the United Kingdom (see Part 4 of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 (‘the Act’).
The Act provides for an OIM panel, consisting of a panel chair and a number of panel members. The OIM panel chair may constitute OIM tasks groups to undertake the OIM’s work in line with authorisations from the CMA Board.
The OIM task groups must act independently of the CMA Board.
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