Setting up a new government agency: The case of the Competition and Markets Authority

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Elections in the UK are often followed by major changes to the government landscape. New and returning ministers create organisations to deliver on their priorities; existing institutions are restructured and merged in an attempt to address perceived performance issues; and some bodies are scrapped in the belief that this will drive increased government efficiency.

As the 2015 election loomed, this event examined what structural reform feels like and means in practice, focusing on the question of how to set up a new public body and make it succeed. What are the costs and benefits of restructuring as a means of driving improvement? And where restructuring is employed, how can new institutions be set up to succeed?

Alex Chisholm is Chief Executive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which was established in April 2014 to promote competition for the benefit of consumers and aims to make markets work well for consumers, businesses and the economy. Alex shared his experience of leading the CMA through its start-up phase, highlighting what worked well and less well. He also reflected more widely on the issues that remained in the landscape of economic regulation and on broader lessons regarding how to lead organisational change in the public sector.

This event was chaired by Tom Gash, Director of Research at Institute for Government.