Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
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Mandelson announces re-appointment of OFT Chairman
Secretary of State for Business Peter Mandelson today announced the re-appointment of Philip Collins as Chairman of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
Philip Collins was originally appointed Chairman on 1 October 2005.
Commenting on his appointment, Peter Mandelson said:
"I am delighted to announce the re-appointment of Philip Collins as the Chairman of the Office of Fair Trading.
"I am confident his strong competition law background and his excellent chairmanship has been and will continue to be of great benefit to the OFT."
Philip Collins said:
"I am honoured to be re-appointed to the post of Chairman of the OFT. The organisation continues to have a pivotal role to play in making markets work well for consumers and driving productivity in the UK economy. That role is even more important at times of economic turbulence which are challenging both for consumers and for business.
"The last three years has been a period of great change at the OFT which have improved its performance and its delivery of results. We have a focussed management and committed staff. I look forward to continuing to work with our Chief Executive, the other members of the Board and all OFT colleagues to build further on what has already been achieved. "
Philip Collins is a solicitor who practised in the UK and EU competition law field for more than 30 years, in London and in Brussels.
He was formerly a partner in Lovells where, in 1978, he was the first partner appointed to specialize in competition law and headed the firm's competition and EU law practice.
Subsequently, and until 30 September 2005, he was Senior Counsel at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP, based in Brussels.
He was one of the founders of the Competition Law Forum established at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law and a member of its Advisory Board from its foundation in 2002 until 2005. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the 'European Competition Journal'.
Notes for Editors
1. Philip Collins was appointed Chairman of The Office of Fair Trading of OFT on 1 October 2005. His original term of appointment will end on 30 September 2009. The re-appointment is for a further period of four years from 1 October 2009.
2. Further details of the organisation and work of the OFT can be found at http://www.oft.gov.uk.
3.. The original recruitment of the Chair was launched with advertisements in most national newspapers, and on websites, in November 2004. A total of 37 applications were considered by procedures based on Office of Commissioner for Public Appointments rules for "upper tier bodies".
4. The salary for the post is £174,506.
5. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. Philip Collins has not been politically active and does not hold any other public appointments.
6. OFT's overall mission is to make markets work well for UK consumers and the British economy. This has three central elements
* Empowering consumers and building their confidence in markets
and the market process, by encouraging business to compete fairly
and transparently, treating customers well. It uses guidance,
advocacy, enforcement against fraudulent and misleading behaviour,
and market wide studies and investigations.
* Ensuring
vigorous competition that makes firms more efficient and
competitively priced, by prosecuting price-fixing cartels,
preventing anticompetitive mergers and abuse of dominance, market
wide studies and investigations, and advocacy campaigns aimed at
business
* Supporting government to remove and not to
introduce disproportionate restrictions on competition.
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