Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has appointed Stephen Ridgeway as an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Commissioner for a term of five years.

He replaces Roger Featherston, who stepped down this month after five years with the competition watchdog.

Mr Ridgeway is a former Australian government solicitor, acting as a legal adviser to the ACCC. He joined the private commercial practice sector after leaving public service in 1997, according to his LinkedIn profile.

From 2016 until last year he was an executive member of the business law section at the Law Council of Australia.