FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez Announces Resignation

Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez announced her resignation from the FTC, effective February 10, 2017. Ramirez became Chairwoman on March 4, 2013, and has served as an FTC Commissioner since April 5, 2010, following her appointment by President Barack Obama. Chairwoman Ramirez prioritized protecting consumers and promoting competition in the technology and healthcare sectors, safeguarding consumer privacy and data security in the online world, and protecting diverse communities from deceptive and unfair practices and scams.

Under her leadership, the FTC brought nearly 400 law enforcement actions covering a range of consumer protection issues and approximately 100 enforcement actions challenging anticompetitive mergers and business conduct in major sectors of the economy, including the healthcare provider, pharmaceutical, retail, and energy markets. A priority for Chairwoman Ramirez has been expanding the FTC’s role in studying markets and emerging trends, and issuing reports that provide best practice recommendations to companies. For example, the FTC has issued reports on a wide range of key topics, including patent assertion entities, the sharing economy, the Internet of Things, and big data, among other topics.