ICO formally becomes the Information Commission as new board takes charge

The transition took effect on 30 September under governance arrangements introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA 2025), with the regulator's work now overseen by a new Information Commission Board. The Board's non-executive members formally took up their roles the same day. The body also opened its new headquarters in Manchester on the same day.

The DUAA 2025 provides for the abolition of the office of Information Commissioner and the transfer of its functions to the Information Commission. The change moves the regulator from a corporation sole to a collective decision-making Board. The legal entity is the Information Commission, while the organisation will be known as the Information Commission's Office, or ICO.

The Board takes collective decisions on the ICO's strategic direction and performance, is responsible for assurance on governance, risk management and internal control, and acts in line with the Scheme of Delegations. It is comprised of a Chair, non-executive directors and the Chief Executive Officer.

One of the Board's first actions was to appoint Maggie Carver as Deputy Chair. She will carry out the Chair's responsibilities while the government recruits a permanent Chair, a process expected to conclude in spring 2027. Carver was interim Chair of Ofcom from January 2021 to April 2022 and its Deputy Chair until 2024, and has chaired boards including ITN and the British Board of Film Classification.

The other non-executive directors are Laurie Benson, Stephen Cohen, Sukhvinder Kaur-Stubbs, Gary Kildare, Hilary Newiss and Scott McPherson. Arnold sits on the Board as interim Chief Executive Officer.

Arnold said: "As the Information Commission, we are building on more than four decades of experience while strengthening how we are governed and led. Our new Manchester office and our new governance arrangements are both part of the same ambition: to become more connected to the people and organisations we serve, more capable of meeting the challenges of a rapidly changing digital world, and more confident in the contribution we can make."

He added: "The day-to-day work that people rely on from us continues. We will continue to provide organisations with the guidance and certainty they need, support responsible innovation, and hold organisations to account when people's information rights are not respected."

Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock said the Commission "will continue to provide strong, independent oversight of data protection, while bringing together a range of expertise to ensure the regulator remains equipped to respond to future challenges and opportunities in a fast-changing digital world."

Carver said: "The new Board looks forward to supporting Paul and the executive of the ICO through this exciting time in its development."

The ICO said the governance change does not alter the Commission's core responsibilities, and that it will continue its regulatory work, guidance, advice and public services while preparing a new corporate strategy focused on AI, cyber resilience, children's privacy and public services.

The permanent Chair vacancy follows the resignation of John Edwards, who stepped down in June as both Information Commissioner and Chair-designate of the Information Commission after an independent workplace investigation. Edwards had been expected to chair the new body until his term ended in late 2026.

Details of the Information Commission Board are available at: https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/who-we-are/the-information-commission-board/