CMA Appoints Cyrus Mehta as Competition Panel Chair as Membership Changes Take Effect
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has updated its panel membership register, with the most significant change being the appointment of Cyrus Mehta as Competition Panel Chair, replacing Martin Coleman. Mehta's appointment as Chair took effect on 18 September 2026. The register separately records the removal of Susan Hankey and Keith Richards at the end of their terms on 23 September 2026, the appointment of 12 new independent panel members on 1 September 2026, and, most recently, the removal of Martin Coleman from the panel entirely at the end of his term on 7 October 2026. The CMA's independent panel sits at the heart of Phase 2 merger and market investigations. Groups drawn from the panel, each led by an inquiry chair, take decisions independently of the CMA's executive team. The Panel Chair coordinates the panel's work and plays a central governance role. Mehta's appointment to this position while retaining his roles on the Digital Markets Board Committee, the Subsidy Advice Unit Committee, and as a Non-Executive Member of the Board represents a significant consolidation of senior oversight responsibility within a single individual. The updated disclosures of interest for sitting members are available on the CMA's website. No advisers are named in the source.
Why this matters
The identity of the CMA panel chair matters because that individual leads the governance architecture for Phase 2 merger and market investigation decisions, which are the most consequential regulatory outcomes the CMA produces. Mehta's simultaneous membership of the Digital Markets Board Committee is notable given the CMA's ongoing expansion of its digital markets enforcement powers. Leadership continuity and the profile of incoming panel members directly affect how Phase 2 groups approach complex cases, making this a development worth tracking for any firm with significant CMA merger or market investigation work.
On the Ground
This update is most relevant to competition law practices advising clients through CMA Phase 2 proceedings. Understanding who chairs the panel and the professional backgrounds of inquiry group members is standard preparation for Phase 2 engagement. A trainee in a competition team would maintain a profile database of CMA panel members, prepare summaries of new members' disclosed interests for potential conflict checks, and assist with regulatory notification drafting for matters likely to reach Phase 2.
Interview prep
Question you might get
“What is the role of the CMA's independent panel in Phase 2 merger inquiries, and why does the identity of the Panel Chair matter for parties involved in those proceedings?”
Sign up free to see the full answer
A model answer you can lift into an interview — how to frame this story for a partner.
Sign up freeSources
My notes
saved