Disclosure of member’s
interest and staff members’ interests
Members
Professor Paul Geroski, the Chairman of the Competition Commission
(CC), has appointed Dame Barbara Mills, and Mr John Collings,
Members of the CC, to join the group that will be conducting
this investigation.
Dame Barbara's husband is the majority shareholder and managing
director of John Mills Ltd (JML), a company which imports
household, DIY and assorted products into the UK for sale
here or for export to other jurisdictions. As part of the
business, JML uses ferry and ocean shipping services, though
selection and appointment of shippers is managed by independent
shipping agents, Davies Turner Ltd. JML does not use ferry
services in the Western Channel. Dame Barbara is not and has
never been a shareholder or director of JML.
Mr Collings’s wife is the senior employee of an international
executive recruitment firm which serves clients across a wide
range of industries. Within the past two years the firm has
undertaken assignments for two clients involved in the supply
of ferry services in the Western Channel. During that period
it has also undertaken assignments for a freight customer
of those services. These assignments have not accounted for
a significant proportion of the firm’s total fee income.
None of her personal workload has been undertaken for clients
involved in the supply of ferry services.
The Commission is satisfied that the matters disclosed above
will not affect Dame Barbara Mills’s or Mr Collings’s
ability to act independently and impartially in discharging
the CC’s functions in this inquiry.
Staff
Chris Walters, the economic adviser to the inquiry group
worked as a senior consultant for Lexecon for three years
until July 2003. During that time Lexecon worked on the merger
between P&O Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruises.
He was not involved in that work. While at Lexecon he worked
for a client engaged in short-sea shipping of chemicals in
European waters.
Graham Brodrick-Webb, the accounting adviser to the inquiry
worked for RSM Robson Rhodes until July 2003. He understands
that the consultancy department was involved in some strategic
review work for P&O but is unaware of the nature of the
work and had no involvement in the project.
The CC does not believe that the matters disclosed above
in relation to the members of staff will affect their ability
to act impartially and independently in advising the Group.
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