Mick Keogh

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Current ACCC Commissioner Mick Keogh has been appointed deputy chair from the end of May for a period of five years.

Current deputy chair Michael Schaper will be leaving the position on May 30.

Keogh will oversee the ACCC’s small business work in addition to his current role leading agriculture work.

“Mick’s vast experience working with small businesses in the agriculture sector will greatly assist him in his new role working with small business right across the economy,” said Rod Sims, chairman of the ACCC. “I look forward to working closely with Mick as deputy chair.”

Sims said Schaper has made an outstanding contribution to the ACCC as deputy chair over the past decade.

“Michael has been an invaluable advocate for small businesses and franchises throughout his service, and his passion, tenacity and advocacy will be greatly missed,” he said. “Michael has been an essential and effective conduit between the ACCC and a large number of business organizations across Australia.”

Cristina Cifuentes and Sarah Court also have been reappointed as commissioners of the ACCC for a further five years.

Cifuentes has been an ACCC Commissioner since 2013. Court was first appointed in 2008 and reappointed in 2013.

“Cristina has an extraordinary breadth of regulatory experience and her reappointment highlights that she’s one of Australia’s leading infrastructure regulators,” Sims said. “Cristina brings a deep knowledge, in particular, across all forms of infrastructure, banking and energy to the commission.

“Sarah’s reappointment is a testament to her dedication and effectiveness throughout the past 10 years at the ACCC, and to her wise counsel on so many issues. Sarah strategically and ably leads our enforcement activities, and plays key roles in many other areas such as mergers, financial services and agriculture.”