John Fingleton (economist) facts for kids
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John Anthony Fingleton, born on September 21, 1965, is an economist from Ireland and Britain. An economist studies how money, goods, and services are made and used. He used to be the boss of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). This was a UK government group that made sure businesses were fair. Today, he helps lead the Innovate UK Board. This group supports new ideas and technologies.
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Early Life and Studies
John Fingleton was born in September 1965. He loved learning about economics. He studied this subject at Trinity College Dublin and Nuffield College Oxford. He earned his PhD degree in 1991. His PhD is a very high university degree.
After finishing his studies, John Fingleton taught economics. He taught at the London School of Economics and Trinity College Dublin. While teaching, he suggested making some rules simpler. For example, he thought there should be fewer rules for taxis in Ireland. He also thought it should be easier to sell alcohol in shops.
Working for Ireland
In 2000, John Fingleton became the chairman of the Competition Authority of Ireland. This group works to make sure businesses compete fairly. They stop big companies from having too much power. He hired many important people to work with him there.
He also helped to bring in the Irish Competition Act 2002. This law helps to keep competition fair in Ireland. It makes sure that businesses play by the rules.
Leading the Office of Fair Trading
In 2005, John Fingleton became the Chief Executive of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). The OFT was a UK government group. Its job was to protect consumers and make sure businesses competed fairly.
While at the OFT, he led many important investigations. These looked into things like bank fees and how supermarkets compete. He also looked into credit cards and the market for Payment Protection Insurance (PPI). He even investigated UK airports. This led to a big company called BAA being broken up. This meant more competition for airports.
Some people thought his salary was very high. He earned a lot of money because his job was very important. He was one of the highest-paid civil servants in the UK.
John Fingleton left the OFT in 2012. Soon after, the OFT joined with another group. They formed a new organization called the Competition and Markets Authority.
What He Does Now
Today, John Fingleton runs his own company. He advises businesses that have problems with competition rules. He helps them understand and follow the rules.
In 2015, he suggested that two big companies, BT and Openreach, should split up. He thought this would make the internet market more competitive. In 2018, he wrote a report about government plans. He warned that new rules about company mergers could harm the UK economy.
In 2023, he was asked to join a special group in Australia. This group advises the government on how to keep businesses competing fairly.
Recognitions
John Fingleton is a board member of UKRI. This is a group that supports research and innovation in the UK.
He received a special award called the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He got this award in 2022 for his work in economics and helping new ideas grow.
