Government approves Elizabeth Denham as next information commissioner

The government has approved British Columbia’s privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham as the UK’s next information commissioner.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee has published its official report approving Denham as the successor for Christopher Graham, whose term of office ends on 28 June 2016.

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The report follows the pre-appointment hearing, during which the committee could have exercised a veto.

Only the Queen’s approval is required before Denham’s appointment can be confirmed.

Graham was appointed in 2009 on a five-year term that was extended for two years, but rules under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 mean he cannot be reappointed.

Commenting recently on his likely successor, Graham said Denham would be a “great leader” of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

“I know she will continue with the approach developed by Richard Thomas and carried on by me to make sure the ICO is an effective partner in delivering information rights in the UK, and an influential voice in Europe, to achieve the benefits of the digital era while retaining citizens’ rights, privacy and respect,” he said.

Denham’s approval by government has been welcomed by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), which has worked closely with the ICO to ensure marketers are adhering to data best practices

Chris Combemale, chief executive of the DMA Group, said Denham’s approval should be welcomed by the whole marketing sector.

“During her pre-appointment hearing, she discussed her proactive approach to enforcing the laws around data protection and her views on a range of other topics.

“We look forward to working together to build a framework for the industry that fits with GDPR [General Data Protection Regulation], Privacy Shield and the expectations of consumers, allowing them to do more than just be compliant, but also put their customers at the heart of what they do,” he said.