Dr John Small was appointed Chair in December 2022 and has been a Commissioner since June 2020. John is an economist with a background in academia and consulting.

He was previously the Head of the Economics Department at University of Auckland before establishing a consulting firm. John has been a lay member of the High Court of New Zealand, frequently called as an expert witness before courts, tribunals and commissions. He has extensive experience undertaking complex competition analysis in a wide range of sectors, including energy, transport, agriculture, telecommunications, payment systems, and construction.

In May 2024, John was appointed as an Associate Member of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.