Oxera is delighted to announce that Peter Culham has joined as an Associate. Peter is an experienced regulatory and competition economist who has spent the majority of his career in the communications sector. He joined the Government Economic Service in 1979 and worked in a number of government departments, including Transport, Environment and Defence, before joining Oftel, the UK telecoms regulator, in 1986.

Peter became the Chief Economist at Oftel in 1998, a position he held until the formation of Ofcom in 2003. He joined Ofcom as the Director of Competition Economics, becoming Chief Economist in 2005—a position he held until his retirement in 2018.

Peter was a member of the Policy Executive (later the Policy and Management Board), the most senior policymaking body at Ofcom. He also had overall responsibility for all of the economics work conducted by the regulator.

Oxera Partner Felipe Flórez Duncan, Head of the Telecommunications, Media and Technology (TMT) team, welcomed Peter’s appointment:

‘Peter brings with him significant expertise from his time at Oftel and Ofcom, personally contributing to a number of landmark decisions that have shaped the communications industry in the UK and have helped establish Ofcom’s worldwide reputation for rigorous and evidence-based decision-making. Our clients and our staff will benefit tremendously from his insights.’

As an Oxera Associate, Peter will engage with a range of regulatory and competition matters. He will bring his first-hand experience to bear on projects in the communications sector (TMT and Post), in addition to working with Oxera’s clients in the Financial Services, Energy, Transport, and Water sectors.

Peter said:

‘I am delighted to join Oxera as an Associate and I am greatly looking forward to working with their high-calibre staff. In my career in regulatory and competition economics I have always held Oxera in high regard, and I am very pleased now to have the opportunity to work with them.’