Gina Cass-Gottlieb to become first female chair for Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

The consumer watchdog is set to have its first female leader after the federal government announced it will recommend lawyer Gina Cass-Gottlieb for the role.

Ms Cass-Gottlieb has more than 25 years’ experience in competition and regulation and is one of Australia’s pre-eminent competition lawyers.

As a senior partner she has advised on some of the largest and most complex competition matters in Australia and New Zealand.

She was appointed a member of the Reserve Bank of Australia Payment Systems Board in 2013, and a member of the Financial Regulator Assessment Authority in September 2021.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said in a statement Ms Cass-Gottlieb will be the government’s proposed head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for five years, commencing in March 2022.

The proposal will need the support of the states and territories before being recommended to the governor-general for appointment.

Mr Frydenberg thanked outgoing chairman Rod Sims who has been in the role for the past 10 years.

He said Mr Sims had helped advance “world leading” reforms, including in relation to digital platforms.