COMPETITION lawyer Gina Cass-Gottlieb on Monday commenced her term as chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Ms Cass-Gottlieb has more than 25 years of experience across complex competition matters. She has also been a member of the Reserve Bank of Australia Payment Systems Board, which is the regulator of access to payment systems, and the Financial Regulator Assessment Authority.

“We are pleased to welcome Gina to the ACCC. Gina is exceptionally well qualified and her broad experience across many industries will be an asset to the agency’s work,” ACCC chief executive Officer Scott Gregson said.

“We look forward to a smooth transition given Gina’s familiarity with our work and people, as well as the considered handover provided by Rod.”

Ms Cass-Gottlieb will become the first female chair of the ACCC since it was established as an independent statutory authority in 1995.

“The ACCC is a world-leading regulator with a high performing, capable and diverse team that is committed to the safety, interests and welfare of consumers and the maintenance of effective competition across the Australian economy,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

“This work provides important benefits to Australians. I start the role today fully aware of and ready for the responsibility that comes with leading the ACCC.

“I would like to thank my predecessor, Rod Sims, who has made an enormous contribution to the ACCC and who has left the organisation in very good shape,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

Mr Sims started as ACCC Chair in August 2011, and over his tenure successfully pursued much larger penalties for competition and consumer law breaches and undertook leading-edge digital platform reports and regulation.

“It has been an honour to be the chair of the ACCC for the last 11 years and I wish Gina all the best in her new role. I hope she will find the job as rewarding as I did,” Mr Sims said.

“I would also like to thank the ACCC staff for their hard work and dedication. I’ll miss working with such a committed group of people, but I know they will provide strong support to Gina and continue their excellent work.”