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Meeting date: 12 December 2023 

Venue: In the Cabot, London, and by video conferenceÌýÌý

Members present

• Marcus Bokkerink (Chair) 
• Kirstin BakerÌýÌý
• Sarah Cardell (CEO) 
• Martin Coleman^{[footnote 1]}ÌýÌý
• Cynthia Dubin 
• Amelia Fletcher 
• Michael GrenfellÌýÌý
• Murdoch MacLennan 
• Erik Wilson (COO)

Advisors present 

• Jessica Lennard, Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer 
• Chris Prevett, Interim General Counsel 
• Mike Walker, Chief Economic Adviser 

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Lucy Robbins, Senior Director, People, Capability and Culture (PCC)

CMA staff present 

• Kate Bridge, Director of Executive Office, Security, and PropertyÌýÌý
• Assistant Legal Directors, Governance 
• Board Secretary (minutes) 

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»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp meeting was attended by teams from across the CMA, including the DMU, Markets, Consumer and PCC teams.

Minutes

Introduction

1. Introduction 

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Chair welcomed the Board members to the meeting, noting that this will be Amelia Fletcher’s last meeting as a Non-Executive member of the CMA Board. 

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board approved the minutes from the meetings of the Board on 22 November 2023, with no changes. 

Major developments in the external environment in which we operate 

2. CEO and Chair comments 

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board discussed recent external engagement and recommended that a new international and broader external engagement strategy be set and reviewed annually.ÌýÌý

Strategy, Portfolio and Risk Management

3. CEO update including Resource, Portfolio and Pipeline Committee update 

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board was updated on and discussed recent developments in the CMA’s portfolio and risk profile and the outcomes from the recent RPPC meeting of 11 December. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board also reviewed the corporate risk register, the external guidance tracker and the monthly Finance update.ÌýÌý 

4. Digital Markets Unit 

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board discussed four elements of the implementation and governance of the Digital Markets competition regime envisioned by the draft Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill: 

• Decision-making in the Digital Markets Regime: Board and Board Committee decisions   Â�

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board considered the options and plans for decision-making by the Board under the new regime, in light of the draft DMCC Bill. It aligned on specific proposals for the Board and Board Committee’s roles in the different decisions and provided steers on putting these into practice.ÌýÌý

• Monthly update Â�

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board was updated on the latest developments in preparing the CMA for the new regime.ÌýÌý

• Digital Markets competition regime implementation: Conduct Requirements Â�

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board considered principles and approaches for setting conduct requirements on designated firms with Strategic Market Status, evaluating the potential impacts, and guided on the approach to be adopted.ÌýÌý

• Overview of the CMA’s proposed approach to implementing the Digital Markets competition regime Â�

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board provided steers on the messages and content of a draft public communication document setting out the CMA’s approach to this regime. 

Policy and cases 

5. Accommodation

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board considered two programmes of CMA work in the accommodation sector: 

• Housebuilding market study Â�

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board reviewed the progress of this study, noting that there will be an extraordinary Board in February at which the Board will review and decide on a final draft report. 

• Accommodation Consumer update Â�

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board reviewed the work of the consumer team in the accommodation sector, noting its particular areas of focus and providing steers on the next steps. 

6. CEO update 

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp CEO updated the Board on recent developments in the CMA’s case and policy work. 

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7. CEO updateÌýÌý

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp CEO updated the Board on opportunities, challenges and initiatives relating to the CMA’s people.ÌýÌý

8. Annual people survey � Initial highlight analysis �

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board provided reflections on the results from the recent staff survey.ÌýÌý

9. Governance update �

• New Board member induction Â�

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board discussed how best to induct new Board members, providing steers in anticipation of welcoming new members in 2024. 

• Committee membership changes Â�

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Board noted that Cynthia Dubin will become the new Senior Independent Director, and that Martin Coleman will temporarily chair the Remuneration Committee, when Amelia Fletcher retires from the Board on 31 December 2023.ÌýÌý 

10. AOB 

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Chair thanked Amelia Fletcher for her hugely positive contribution to the CMA both externally and internally and reflected on her championship at the Board â€� and through the wider CMA â€� of excellence in economics, competition in digital markets, and inclusion, diversity and equality in how the CMA operates.

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Chair then reviewed the meeting and thanked the Board, wishing all members and staff a very happy festive period.