India antitrust body names Ansuman Pattnaik as new head of investigations

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Thursday (December 21) appointed Ansuman Pattnaik as the new head of its investigations unit, signaling a significant reinforcement of the country's antitrust efforts. Pattnaik steps into the role with a distinguished career spanning 28 years in various capacities within the Indian government.

Pattnaik, a seasoned official with a wealth of experience, replaces Atul Verma, concluding his term as the Director General of Investigations at the CCI in November. The appointment comes at a crucial juncture for India's antitrust landscape, where regulatory scrutiny of global corporations is on the rise.

During his earlier tenure at the CCI from 2014 to 2019, Pattnaik earned acclaim for overseeing investigations into major companies, including Alphabet Inc's Google. His role was pivotal in examining cases related to the abuse of market power by Google and probing allegations of price collusion involving global beer corporations.

His keen understanding of complex market dynamics and a track record of handling high-profile cases make him a valuable addition to the CCI's leadership.

Since 2019, he has been working in India’s income tax department. He will take up his role at the CCI in January, as per reports.

Pattnaik's LinkedIn profile offers insights into his leadership style, showcasing his supervision of officers during investigations into price collusion cases and instances of companies abusing dominant positions.

Pattnaik's reentry into the antitrust domain coincides with the CCI's ongoing investigations into several high-profile global companies, including Amazon, Walmart’s Flipkart, Google, and liquor giant Pernod Ricard.