Culture Secretary John Whittingdale has confirmed Elizabeth Denham as the Government’s preferred candidate to become the UK’s next Information Commissioner.
Subject to a pre-scrutiny hearing by the Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee and final approval from Her Majesty The Queen, Ms Denham will take over from current incumbent Christopher Graham in summer 2016.
Ms Denham is currently the Information and Privacy Commissioner in British Columbia, Canada, and was selected for the role following an open and transparent recruitment process, overseen by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. She will serve a term of five years.
Information Commissioner designate Elizabeth Denham said:
‘I am honoured to be nominated for the position of Information Commissioner for the UK. I believe the rapid pace of technological change we face will continue to accelerate and present challenges to information rights – we must ensure access to information while maintaining high standards of data protection. The Information Commissioner’s Office has a global reputation for practical, innovative and responsive regulation. I look forward to contributing to this work.’
Elizabeth Denham has held senior leadership positions in the field of information rights in Canada over the last 12 years. Since 2010 she has been the Commissioner at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, Canada, where she is responsible for enforcing the Canadian Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), and the Lobbyists Registration Act (LRA). Previously (2007-10) she was the Assistant Privacy Commissioner of Canada in Ottawa; having been a Director at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (2003-7).
