FTC appoints new antitrust head

Conner, whose appointment received unanimous approval from the Commission, assumes the role from Bruce Hoffman, who previously announced his intention to depart the agency in November after more than two years in his position. At the time of the Hoffman announcement, Conner was selected by FTC Chairman Joe Simons to be the intended successor to the role.

With Conner transitioning out of the deputy director position he has held at the Bureau since September 2017, the FTC also announced the appointment of Daniel Francis as a deputy director to take his place. Francis will join Gail Levine in the role; fellow deputy director Marian Bruno is retiring at the end of the year and will be replaced at a later date.

“I’m confident that this team will continue the Bureau of Competition’s vigorous enforcement efforts, building on multiple significant merger and conduct challenges over the past two years, which have resulted in wins at the district court, administrative, and appellate levels,” said Simons in a news release. “This Bureau leadership is dedicated to ensuring that the FTC protects consumers from antitrust violations and promotes competitive markets.”

The shakeup at the Bureau comes amid a recent push by the U.S. government into the potential antitrust actions of Big Tech companies such as Facebook, Google, and Amazon. Facebook, in particular, is under the microscope of the FTC, the social media giant confirming as much in a second-quarter filing this year.