New Information Commissioner announced

Elizabeth Denham has been selected by John Whittingdale MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, as the Government’s preferred candidate to become the UK’s next Information Commissioner.

The appointment is subject to a pre-scrutiny hearing by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. Final approval must ultimately be given by HM The Queen. Ms Denham will take-over from the present Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, this summer.

Ms Denham is currently the Information and Privacy Commissioner in British Columbia, Canada. She will be appointed to hew new post in the UK to serve a term of five years.

Ms Denham is highly regarded in Canada. She has led several reviews into noteworthy privacy breaches. She is also seen as a strong advocate for the data access rights of British Columbians. She is therefore an interesting appointment and would appear to be well placed to deal with the challenges facing the ICO over the coming years, including the introduction of the EU General Data Protection Regulation.

Christopher Graham has led the ICO with considerable skill and has also contributed to the development of UK data protection law. He will be missed.

If you would like to discuss this in further contact Adam Chapman or view our Public Law pages here.