Dr. Willard Mwemba is the CEO, COMESA Competition Commision. He began his career in Competition Law at the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission in Zambia.
He quickly rose through the ranks at the Competition Authority in Zambia, eventually becoming the Director of the Mergers and Monopolies Department. During his tenure there, Willard handled numerous high-profile cases and initiated investigations into significant cartels.
In January 2013, Willard joined the COMESA Competition Commission, where he assumed the role of the first head of the Mergers and Acquisitions Department. Currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer, he plays a pivotal role in advancing competition and consumer protection laws across Member States.
Willard is instrumental in developing enforcement tools such as laws, guidelines, and operational manuals, not only within COMESA but also in supporting other Regional Economic Communities.
He advises governments on the importance of maintaining competitive markets and the ramifications of market distortions. Willard serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Competition Training Centre for the Middle East and Africa, contributing to capacity building in competition law enforcement.
Throughout his career, he has assisted several countries in strengthening their competition laws and enforcement, including Ethiopia, Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Madagascar, and Eswatini. He has also supported the East African Community Competition Authority in regulating competition at a supra national level.
An esteemed author and speaker, Willard has written extensively on competition law and is a frequent guest lecturer at universities and colleges worldwide.
His academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and an LLB from the University of Zambia, a Masters degree in European Union Competition Law from King’s College London, University of London, and a PhD in Competition Law from the University of Cape Town.
