The Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority (Authority) has recommended the appointment of two new Non-Executive Members to its Board, which were approved by Senator Lyndon Farnham, Minister for Economic Development on 15 October 2020.
The new Board Members are:
Dr Lara Stoimenova is a competition and regulatory expert, with deep understanding of competition economics including assessments of market power, merger clearances, abuse of dominance and collusion.
Dr Stoimenova has worked in senior roles both in the public and private sectors. She has applied her competition, economic and regulatory expertise across a variety of sectors, including private healthcare, technology, financial services and communications, and will bring her international knowledge and experience to her work, as appropriate, in Jersey.
Professor Ian Walden is an accomplished professional, experienced Board member and an academic of very high standing. He has a depth of knowledge and practical experience of the regulatory frameworks for which the Authority is responsible, particularly competition and telecommunications, as well as those areas of emerging concern to the Authority, including cyber security, consumer protection and data protection.
As an academic and solicitor, Professor Walden has a strong knowledge and understanding of the economics that underpin competition law and drive cost-based regulation. He is a past member of the UK Press Complaints Commission and current legal member of the Phone-paid Services Authority’s Code Adjudication Panel. He is also a member of the European Commission’s Multi stakeholder Expert Group to support the application of Regulation.
Stephanie Liston, Chair of the Authority said: “Lara and Ian will bring considerable experience and knowledge to an already strong Board. We will now have the right balance of skills and experience, diversity of gender and thought, as well as the appropriate local knowledge of Jersey to meet our objective of ensuring there is fair competition and consumer access to a wide choice of products and services on reasonable terms.
“As our economy evolves and becomes more complex, it is right that we recruit the best people in their fields to support us in our mission to focus the attention of the Authority in the best interests of Jersey and all of our stakeholders – Government, businesses, citizens and consumers. The addition of Ian and Lara to the Board gives us strength and depth in tackling the challenges experienced in our economy”.
Senator Lyndon Farnham, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport & Culture said: “I am very pleased to endorse the appointments and acknowledge the good progress made in moving the JCRA to full strength following the introduction of the new arrangements. Competition will play an important role in developing the economy and is an important element in controlling control inflation”.
The existing Board members of the JCRA are Stephanie Liston (Chair), Paul Masterton, Hannah Nixon, Tim Ringsdore (CEO) and Sarah Price (Company Secretary). Hannah Nixon will stand down from the Board in March as she is coming to the end of her term of office. Dr Stoimenova and Professor Walden are appointed for three and four year terms respectively and take up their roles immediately.
