The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Thursday that Katie Kapernaros joined as a subcommittee member on its Google mobile platform case in August, replacing Martin Coleman from September.
The change follows the CMA’s publication on 14 August of the responses to its consultation on a steering requirement for Google’s mobile platform, which it opened on 30 June.
The proposed rule, a conduct requirement (a binding obligation the CMA can impose on a designated firm), would let developers “steer” users out of an app, including to complete transactions on fair and reasonable terms.
The CMA said the proposal is meant to help developers communicate and transact with customers in their native apps, while increasing competition in app distribution. Will Hayter, executive director for digital markets at the CMA, said when Google was designated on 22 October 2025:
“Apple and Google’s mobile platforms are used by thousands of businesses right across the economy to market and sell products and services to millions of customers, but the platforms’ rules may be limiting innovation and competition.”
The consultation invited comments on any aspect of the proposal and on the CMA’s analysis of its effectiveness and proportionality. The regulator said it expected to publish non-confidential versions of responses.
Google confirmed that it would not use any confidentiality provision with a party to stop it responding to the consultation, the CMA said.
The steering proposal rests on the designation decision of 22 October 2025, which gave Google strategic market status (SMS) over its mobile operating systems, native app distribution and mobile browser and browser engine.
The CMA said it had heard from more than 150 stakeholders before that decision. It added that designation is not a finding of wrongdoing and introduces no immediate requirements.
The decision notice covers Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, Google Ireland Limited and Google UK Limited. The designation begins on 23 October 2025 and has effect until 22 October 2030, subject to extension or revocation under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
Steering is the second strand of work on Google’s platform after commitments on app review, app ranking and use of data, which the CMA published in final form on 1 April 2026.
Google and Apple were due to implement those commitments the same day. The CMA said in its response to stakeholder views that the majority of respondents did not support the commitments approach.
It nonetheless decided not to prioritise conduct requirements in that area at that time, and described the commitments as only the first step in its work on mobile platforms.
The CMA can impose conduct requirements at any point after a firm is designated, and the designation of Google’s mobile platform remains in force until 22 October 2030.
