Management Board

Christopher Graham became Information Commissioner in June 2009. The Information Commissioner is appointed by HM The Queen and has independent status, reporting directly to Parliament, with a range of responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Data Protection Act 1998 and related laws. The functions of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) include promoting good practice, ruling on complaints and taking regulatory action.

Christopher’s career began at the BBC as a radio and TV journalist. Most recently he has been:

• Director General of the Advertising Standards Authority;
• Chairman of the European Advertising Standards Alliance; and
• Secretary of the BBC.

He was a Non-Executive Lay Representative of the Bar Standards Board and a Non-Executive Director of Electoral Reform Services Ltd. He studied History at Liverpool University and his interests include media, music, singing, history and writing.

Vicky Best joined the ICO in April 2006, and is Director of Organisational Development, which includes Human Resources, Learning and Development, Talent Management and Facilities.

Previously, Vicky was Human Resources Manager at First Choice Homes in Oldham. Her work there included implementing new approaches to sickness absence management, undertaking job evaluation and developing competency based recruitment practices.

Vicky is a chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and graduated from Salford University. She also has a Master's degree (LLM) in Law and Employment Relations from Leicester University.

Simon Entwisle, Director of Operations, joined the ICO in October 2004. He is responsible for all the ICO’s operational functions. The Operations Directorate includes the following divisions: Customer Contact, Case Resolution, Enforcement and Good Practice. Simon is also the board member responsible for the ICO’s offices in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast.

He was previously the Change & Development Manager for the Office of the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman. His work there included promotion of the Change Programme, improving complaint-handling techniques, procuring a new casework management system, re-designing business processes and improving management information. Prior to that, he was Operations Manager for the Legal Services Ombudsman and held various positions within the Court Service.

Susan Fox, Director of Corporate Affairs, joined the ICO in 2004. She directs the ICO’s communications activities, raising awareness of information rights, and the organisation’s corporate governance and business planning. Previously, Susan worked with the Environment Agency as Corporate Affairs Manager in the North West region. Prior to that, she was Customer Communications Manager at GUS Home Shopping, and Public Relations Manager at Unilever. She has also worked in advertising, local radio and with the BBC.

Susan is a CIPR Chartered PR Practitioner, and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the RSA. Susan has a BA in German with English from Exeter University, holds a postgraduate diploma in Information Studies and a certificate in Communications, Advertising and Marketing.

David Smith is Deputy Commissioner and Director of Data Protection for the ICO. His role is to ensure that the ICO meets its goal of 'strengthening public confidence in data protection by taking a practical, down-to-earth approach - simplifying and making it easier for the majority of organisations who seek to handle personal information well, and tougher for the minority who do not'. As well as providing data protection leadership across the ICO, David has specific responsibility for its Data Protection Practice and Data Protection Development Divisions.

Prior to his appointment as Deputy Commissioner in January 2006, David undertook a wide range of responsibilities as an Assistant Commissioner. These covered the setting up of a new Regulatory Action Division, leadership of a Strategic Policy Group and management of groups responsible for ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act across different areas of the public and private sectors. David first joined what was then the Office of the Data Protection Registrar in 1990. Previously he worked as a District Officer for the public sector trade union NALGO.

Graham Smith is Deputy Commissioner and Director of Freedom of Information for the ICO.

Prior to his appointment as Deputy Commissioner in 2001, Graham enjoyed a career in local government, working for four local authorities over 20 years. He holds a law degree from the University of Sheffield and a Diploma in Local Government Law and Practice. He was admitted as a Solicitor in 1982. He joined the ICO from Oldham MBC, where he was Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council. One of two Deputy Commissioners, Graham has lead responsibility for promoting and enforcing Freedom of Information.

Dr Robert (Bob) Chilton. After a career in local government, Bob Chilton served as Director of Local Government Studies at the Audit Commission. Secondments have included Chief Executive of the Local Government Commission and Interim Chief Executive of the Greater London Authority. Bob is currently Deputy Chairman of Phonepayplus, Chairman of the East Thames Group and was recently appointed as the Chair of the Standards Board for England.

Neil Masom has over 30 years experience of Manufacturing, Customer Services and IT developed within the Aerospace and Defence Industry, most recently as Managing Director, Logistics and Information Systems, within BAE Systems PLC from where he retired in 2009. He has been a non Executive Director with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Services Agency since 2000 and also holds directorships with the Swedish software company IFS, and East Cheshire NHS Trust.

Enid Rowlands has a background in training, organisational and economic development within England and Wales. She is an independent Member of the North Wales Police Authority, a UK Board Member of Consumer Focus, a Lay Member of the General Medical Council and a Member of the Ministerial Advisory Board of NHS Wales. She is also National Trustee for Wales of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf.

Her career has included posts of Chief Executive of a Training and Enterprise Council, Managing Director of the Welsh Development Agency in North Wales, Chair of the North Wales Health Authority and of the National Council of Education and Learning Wales. Enid previously served for a number of years as a member of the S4C Television Authority and the BBC's Broadcasting Council for Wales. 

Clare Tickell is the Chief Executive and joined Action for Children in November 2004 as part of her induction period. She officially took the helm of the charity, in January 2005. Clare has a strong history of working with some of society’s most vulnerable and socially excluded groups. Over the last 15 years, she has held a variety of non-executive and advisory positions in the housing and voluntary sectors, as well government departments including the Social Exclusion Unit, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Department of Health, National Housing Federation and the Audit Commission.