CCPC welcomes Brian Kennedy, Senior Counsel, as Chief Adjudication Officer
March 28, 2025
Mr. Brian Kennedy, Senior Counsel, has been appointed as Chief Adjudication Officer at the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), by Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
Mr. Kennedy has practiced as a barrister in Ireland for over 27 years and was called to the Inner Bar (Senior Counsel) in 2012. He has significant experience in general civil law practice with an emphasis on commercial, regulatory, competition and public law, including European Union law. Mr. Kennedy will continue his practice at the Bar of Ireland.
The Chief Adjudication Officer role was created via the Competition (Amendment) Act 2022. The 2022 Act establishes a landmark new administrative enforcement regime in Ireland for breaches of EU and Irish competition law. It creates a new administrative adjudication regime under which the CCPC has the power, through independent adjudication officers and subject to court approval, to make decisions concerning alleged infringements of competition law and to impose administrative financial sanctions of up to €10 million or 10% of total worldwide turnover.
Commenting on the appointment, Brian McHugh, Chairperson of the CCPC said:
“I am pleased to welcome Brian Kennedy SC as Chief Adjudication Officer for the CCPC. He will play an important part in ensuring that the Irish competition regime delivers for consumers and the Irish marketplace.”
“Competition is critical to the success of the Irish economy and the CCPC plays a central role in setting the conditions for it to flourish. For many years the CCPC argued for increased enforcement powers in order to deliver for consumers. Now we have those powers and can impose administrative financial sanctions for breaches of Irish and EU competition law, subject to Court confirmation. The role of the Chief Adjudication Officer is absolutely key to delivering this new regime.”
Speaking about his appointment, Brian Kennedy said:
“I am delighted to be appointed as the CCPC’s first Chief Adjudication Officer. The role presents a unique opportunity to build and lead a new administrative enforcement regime that will safeguard competition in Ireland.”
“The new adjudication function within the CCPC will provide independent decision-making on alleged infringements of competition law and play a key part in developing the organisation.”
The CCPC is the statutory body responsible for enforcing and promoting compliance with competition, consumer protection and product safety law and has a mandate to promote competition and consumer welfare across the whole of the economy. The Commission aims to make markets work better both for consumers and businesses.
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