The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma has appointed Jonathan Scott interim chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK body responsible for strengthening business competition and preventing and reducing anti-competitive activities.

Mr Scott - previously a senior independent member of the CMA board - will take on the role of chair while a recruitment round is carried out to find a permanent replacement for Rt Hon Lord Tyrie, who stepped down last month, as announced in June.

The primary role of the CMA is to make markets work well for consumers, businesses and the economy. It is responsible for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries as well as enforcing competition and consumer law.

Mr Scott was originally appointed a non-executive director of the board on 1 October 2016 and has served as chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. His appointment as interim CMA chair takes effect on 9 October.

Mr Scott has been a leading practitioner in the legal profession. He previously served as Senior Partner and Chair of Herbert Smith and, post-merger, Herbert Smith Freehills, a leading global law firm.

He is also a Non-Executive Director of the Press and Assessment Board at the University of Cambridge, and earlier this year completed a term as Gambling Commissioner.

Mr Scott will occupy the role of interim chair for a period of up to one year. A permanent chair will be recruited and announced in due course.