The Centre for Competition and Regulatory Policy at the Department of Economics at City St George's, University of London is hosting the third two-day workshop on the Economics of Competition and Regulation. The workshop is organised in collaboration with the Competition and Markets Authority and brings together academics, policy makers and industry practitioners to share their perspectives on key issues shaping markets today. This year the focus is on innovation, technology, industrial policy and economic growth.

We are grateful to Charles River Associates, Cornerstone Research, FTI Consulting, Keystone AI, Oxera Consulting LLP and School of Policy and Global Affairs for their financial support.

PROGRAM

Location: Oliver Thompson Lecture Theatre, Tait Building, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB

Tuesday, 17 June 2025

9:25-9:30 Welcome address by Xeni Dassiou

Session 1:  The Rise of Artificial Intelligence

9:30-10:10  Matthias Lux (Cornerstone Research)

On the Possibility and Likelihood of Algorithmic Collusion 

Discussant: Daniel Ershov (UCL)

10:10-10:50 Emilio Calvano (LUISS University)

Algorithmic Pricing

Discussant: Stefan Hunt (Keystone)

10:50-11:30 Andreea Antuca (Oxera Consulting LLP)

Regulation of LLMs

Discussant: Anja Lambrecht (London Business School)

11:30-11:50 Coffee break

Panel discussion

11:50-13:10 The Interplay between Regulation and Innovation

Moderator: Xeni Dassiou (City St George's)

Speakers: Catherine Batchelor (CMA), Giacinta Cestone (Bayes Business School, City St George's), Matthew Cherry (Payment Systems Regulator), Luis Correia da Silva (Oxera Consulting LLP), Siobhan Dennehy (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), Marc Ivaldi (Toulouse School of Economics), Martin Lodge (LSE)

13:10-14:00 Lunch

Session 2: Technology and Competition Policy

14:00-14:40 Stefan Hunt (Keystone)

The Role of Technology Experts in Competition Cases

Discussant: Ryan Stones (City Law School, City St George's)

14:40-15:20 Martino Banchio (Bocconi University)

Spontaneous Algorithmic Collusion

Discussant: Manuela Dal Borgo (Oxera Consulting LLP)

15:20-15:40 Coffee break

Session 3: Merger Policy and Regulation for Better Future

15:40-16:20 Nick Brooks (FTI Consulting)

Payment Systems Regulation: Past, Present and Future

Discussant: Helen Weeds (CRA)

16:20-17:00   Mats Koster (Central European University)

A Theory of Digital Ecosystems

Discussant: Gabriella Monahova (NERA)

17:00 -17:40   Oliver Latham (CRA) 

Competition Policy, Investment and Growth 

Discussant: David Stewart (Towerhouse LLP)

Wednesday, 18 June 2025

Session 4: Market Power, Reallocation and Returns to Scale

9:30-10:10  Joel Kariel (CMA)

Scale, Span and Scope: Under the Hood of Superstar Firms

Discussant: Stefano Fasani (Lancaster University) 

10:10-10:50   Tommaso Bighelli (Bank of England)

Ownership Changes, Competition and Product Reallocation

Discussant: Stan Lalanne (CMA)

10:50-11:10 Coffee break

Session 5: Industrial Policy 

11:10-11:50   Jakob Schneebacher (CMA)

Industrial Policy in the UK

Discussant: Esther Boler (Imperial College)

11:50-12:30 Catherine van der List (University of Essex) 

Reshaping the Economy? Place-Based Policies and Regional Reallocation 

Discussant: Rajssa Mechelli (CMA)

12:30-13:30 Lunch

Session 6: Regulation and Growth: Telecoms 

13:30-14:10   John Ivory (Ofcom)

Economic Regulation and Economic Growth

Discussant: Arina Nikandrova (City St. George's, University of London)

14:10-14:50   Rafael Jiménez-Durán (Bocconi University)

Non-User Utility and Market Power: The Case of Smartphones

Discussant: Robert Scherf (BRG)

14:50-15:10 Coffee break

Session 7: Technological Transformation

15:10-15:50   Laura Smart (Ofgem)

Net Zero and Consumer Energy Flexibility: the Demand Side

Discussant: Xeni Dassiou (City St. George's, University of London)

15:50-16:30   Marc Ivaldi (Toulouse School of Economics)

Market Structure, Investment, and Technical Efficiencies in Mobile Telecommunications

Discussant: Angelos Stenimachitis (Compass Lexecon)