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Joseph Simons, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) since May 1, 2018, has announced that he would resign effective January 29, 2021. Following Chairman Simons out of the FTC are, among others, Bureau of Competition Director Ian Conner and Bureau of Competition Deputy Directors Gail Levine and Daniel Francis. These individuals played key roles in the FTC’s enforcement efforts in the health care industry.
In addition, Commissioner Rohit Chopra was recently nominated by President Biden to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), and is also expected to soon leave the FTC. Commissioner Chopra, who brought a layman’s perspective to antitrust enforcement, has a history with the CFPB and would appear well suited to run that agency.
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As expected, on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, Makan Delrahim, the Assistant Attorney General (AAG) for the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), stepped down and Joseph Simons, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced that he would step down from the Commission entirely on January 29, 2021, clearing the way for President Biden to appoint new leadership at both Federal antitrust agencies. In addition, Chairman Simons announced the departure of a number of other senior staff from the FTC, including General Counsel Alden F. Abbott; Bureau of Competition Director Ian Conner; Bureau of Competition Deputy Directors Gail Levine and Daniel Francis; Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Andrew Smith; Bureau of Economics Director Andrew Sweeting; Office of Public Affairs Director Cathy MacFarlane; and Office of Policy Planning Director Bilal Sayyed.
Joseph Simons
FTC Chairman Joseph Simons said in a statement he will step down Jan. 29. Sworn in at the position in May 2018, Simons called his time leading the agency “a great honor.”
Other senior staff at the FTC announcing their resignations are General Counsel Alden Abbott, Bureau of Competition Director Ian Conner, Bureau of Competition Deputy Directors Gail Levine and Daniel Francis, Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Andrew Smith, Bureau of Economics Director Andrew Sweeting, Office of Public Affairs Director Cathy MacFarlane, and Office of Policy Planning Director Bilal Sayyed.
On Monday, Biden announced the nomination of FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but he has not yet announced who will take over as chairman at the FTC.