Seven non-executive members have been appointed to the new Information Commission, which takes over the functions and responsibilities of the Information Commissioner's Office later this year.
The Information Commission was established by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 to succeed the ICO as the UK’s independent data protection supervisory authority.
The new governance model will see it move from being led by a single information commissioner to a system of shared collective responsibility for strategic leadership and decision-making.
The Information Commission will be led by a board made up of a chair, chief executive and seven non-executive directors. This new structure will be similar to other regulators such as the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority.
The non-execs bring a broad range of experience from across business, technology, regulation, governance and public service and includes Scott McPherson, a former senior civil servant who was a director general at four UK government departments.
McPherson spent more than 25 years in the civil service, including DG roles at the UK Health Security Agency and Ministry of Justice. He has led multi-billion-pound programmes in health, justice and policing, shaping strategic policy and driving large-scale organisational transformation.
The other NEDs appointed are:
- Laurie Benson, a former international media executive and experienced board director who has held senior leadership roles at organisations including Time Magazine, Bloomberg Media, CNN, HGTV and Oxygen Media.
- Maggie Carver, who was deputy chair of Ofcom until 2024 and has served on the boards of over 18 public, private and not-for-profit companies and chaired five boards, including ITN, the Racecourse Association, and the British Board of Film Classification.
- Stephen Cohen, an experienced investor, board chair and governance specialist with more than 45 years’ experience in global asset management, investment strategy and corporate governance.
- Sukhvinder Kaur-Stubbs, an experienced NED with expertise in governance, regulation and public policy. She is currently on the board of the Regulator of Social Housing, and chairs the Independent Customer Challenge Group at Thames Water.
- Gary Kildare, an experienced international business leader and NED who is a former member of IBM’s global leadership team and currently an independent non-executive director of Crowe.
- Hilary Newiss, an experienced chair and NED with experience across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, particularly in science, health, and innovation. She was previously an IP partner in a law firm.
They will assume their roles when the transition to the new Information Commission takes effect later this year and have been appointed for an initial three-year term, with pay of £25,000 per year.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the appointments "will help shape the Information Commission’s strategic direction, guide it through a fast-moving regulatory landscape and drive delivery of its ambitious agenda".
Paul Arnold was appointed as the first chief exec of the Information Commission a year ago to serve a two-year term to lead the transition. He also recently took over the responsibilities of the information commissioner following an investigation into the conduct of John Edwards, who subsequently resigned when the probe found his behaviour "fell short of the conduct expected from a public official".
Edwards is now planning to take legal action against a woman at the ICO who raised concerns about his conduct, according to science secretary Liz Kendall.
Kendall has also announced an independent review into the culture, accountability and governance of the ICO.
Alongside the NED appointments, DSIT has today launched a campaign to recruit the first chair of the Information Commission. The successful candidate will lead the board, working alongside the chief executive and other members to set the strategic direction of the Information Commission, ensuring it continues to protect individuals’ personal data while supporting responsible innovation and economic growth. Applications close on 19 August.
Kendall said: "The Information Commission must be an organisation that people trust – and trust starts with culture. That means strong leadership, clear values, and a board that upholds the highest standards of conduct and accountability where staff at all levels are treated with respect and dignity.
"I’m delighted to welcome seven new non-executive members who bring the breadth of experience needed to build that culture from the ground up. Together they will work with the leadership team to help shape an organisation that is open and accountable, building public trust in the responsible use of data.
"Today we are also launching the search for a new chair to lead the commission and set its tone from the very top. This is a significant role at a significant moment, and I look forward to announcing the transition to the Information Commission in due course."