The economist is currently directing the Innovation Cluster of the Bank of International Regulations.
Le Monde with AFP
He was foreseen. The economist Benoît celebrated was proposed by Emmanuel Macron as President of the Competition Authority, announced Thursday, December 16, the Elysee in a statement. It is now for the National Assembly and the Senate, through their respective committees concerned, to decide on the appointment of Mr Cepetous, called to replace Isabelle de Silva, whose mandate has not been renewed this fall .
Benedict, 52 years old, is little known to the general public, but it is one of the most prominent French economists. Graduate of Polytechnics and the National School of Statistics and Economic Administration (ENSAE), he is currently at the head of the Bank’s International Regulations’ Innovation Center, nicknamed “The Central Bank of Central Banks”.
He has also held several positions in the French Treasury and was a member of the Management Board of the European Central Bank between 2012 and 2019. The Competition Authority, independent administrative authority, is responsible for ensuring respect for the right competition. Its president is appointed for five years. Usually, the function is devolved to profiles of lawyers rather than economists.
Several important folders on the table
At four months of the presidential election, several important files are on the table of the competition policeman. Among them, the merger of TF1 and M6, which presents crucial issues for the advertising market and audiovisual production, but also the weight of tech giants like Apple and Google, already sentenced to important fines.
While waiting for the appointment of a President of the Authority, it is his vice-president, Emmanuel Combe, who has been acting since the announcement of the non-renewal of Isabelle de Silva, whoever wanted to extend his mandate.