Elizabeth Denham CBE was appointed UK Information Commissioner in July 2016, having previously held the position of Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia and Assistant Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
She has set out a commitment to increase consumer trust people have in what happens to their personal data. This has been demonstrated notably with high-profile investigations into WhatsApp and Facebook. She also demonstrated a focus on the essential role data protection can play in innovation.
Elizabeth is a strong voice for public access rights. A proponent of open government and open data, she has called for the Freedom of Information Act to be extended to private bodies doing work on behalf of the public.
In March 2018, she was named as the most influential person in data-driven business in the DataIQ 100 list.
In July 2018 she published Democracy Disrupted? Personal information and political influence, which sets out the findings and recommendations arising from the ICO’s investigation into the use of data analytics in political campaigns.
In October 2018, Elizabeth was appointed chair of the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners (ICDPPC), the leading global forum of data protection and privacy authorities, encompassing members across all continents.
On January 1, 2014, Andrea Jelinek, who holds a doctorate degree in law, became head of the Austrian Data Protection Authority. While still a student, she worked as a consultant at the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), later as a trainee lawyer and from 1991 as a legal officer at the General Secretariat of the Austrian Rectors' Conference. Two years later, she moved to the Ministry of the Interior, where she first worked as a legal officer and later as head of department in the legal and legislative department. One of her specializations - asylum and immigration law - helped determine her further career. From October 2010 to June 2011 she was head of the Vienna Foreign Police. Before that, in 2003, she was the first woman in Vienna to be appointed head of a police commissioner's office. Since February 2018, she has also been the Chair of the Article 29 Working Party.
Director of the National Access to Public Information Agency and former Director of the National Data Protection Authority in Argentina. He was the founder and the first director of the Center for Studies on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information (CELE) at Palermo University School of Law, Argentina. He was the Executive Director of the Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLF) until May, 2006. Previously, he was the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights at the Organization of American States (2002-2005).
Peter contributes to the development and delivery of technical and information security expertise at the ICO. His role involves monitoring and researching the technological environment for new and emerging developments that may impact on information rights, providing technical advice and guidance to the ICO (particularly on technology, data breach investigations and complaints received), and producing specialist guidance at UK and European levels.
Prior to joining the ICO, Peter was responsible for information technology and network security at a specialist consultancy. He was responsible for implementing the company’s data protection policy and procedures as part of its involvement in European projects.
James Dipple-Johnstone is the Deputy Commissioner (Regulatory Supervision) for the United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office, providing executive oversight of the ICO’s investigation, regulatory audit, complaints handling and appeals functions. He provides strategic leadership to the ICO’s efforts towards global enforcement data sharing and cooperation including the Global Cross Border Enforcement Cooperation Agreement. Prior to joining the ICO, he served as Director of Investigation and Supervision for the Solicitors Regulatory Authority, the UK legal profession regulator, where he led teams dealing with professional misconduct, money laundering, cybercrime and fraud investigations. His background is in regulation and investigation having held senior posts in UK police, health and government oversight agencies.
Dr Jay Fedorak was appointed Information Commissioner for the Jersey (Channel Islands) Data Protection Authority in July 2018. He previously served for six years as Deputy Commissioner to the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, five years of which he was also the Deputy Registrar of Lobbyists. He has 25 years of experience in the field of privacy and Freedom of Information, as a regulator and in the public service of the Province of British Columbia as a practitioner. Jay holds an MA and PhD in International History from the London School of Economics. He is an expert in the field of Great Britain and Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries and the author of ‘Henry Addington, Prime Minister, 1801-1804: Peace, War, and Parliamentary Politics’. Jay has taught history at the London School of Economics, Royal Roads Military College, the University of Victoria, and Simon Fraser University.
Bruno Gencarelli is the Head of the Data protection Unit within the European Commission (DG Justice and Consumers). The unit is responsible for all aspects of Commission's policies and activities in the area of data protection: negotiation, adoption and implementation of the reform of EU data protection legislation, addressing data protection issues at international level (including through the negotiation of international agreements and the adoption of adequacy decisions), monitoring the application by Member States of EU data protection legislation, ensuring the secretariat of the "Article 29 Working Party", etc. He is one of the lead negotiators of the EU-US "Umbrella Agreement" and of the Privacy Shield. He previously served as a Member of the Commission's Legal Service and as an assistant (référendaire) to a judge at the European Court of Justice after having practiced law in the private sector. He holds degrees in law and political science. He is an Associate Professor in EU Competition Law at Sciences Po Paris.
Delegate international affairs, Swiss Data Protection and Information Commissioner, Bern, Switzerland
Swiss representative for the plenary sessions of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB)
Partner, Maurer Law Offices, Baar/Zug, Switzerland
Board Member, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Informationsfreiheit, Berlin, Germany
Lecturer of seminars on data protection and data security since 2000.
Co-editor and co-author of the Basle Commentary on the Swiss Data Protection and Free-dom of Information Law (from 1st edition to the current 3rd edition, 4th edition planned in connection with the revised Swiss data protection law)
More than 19 years of experience as a Board Member and Chairman of listed and non-listed companies in Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria, in various fields from banking, finance, real estate, investment & private equity corporations to information technology and media corporations.
Examination by the Austrian Financial Market Authority (Fit & Proper Test as Chairman of an Austrian Bank) (2013)
Member, Swiss Association for Quality Assurance of Financial Services (2000-2015)
Admittance to the New York State Bar (1992)
Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Duke University School of Law; Durham, North Carolina, USA
Admittance to the bar in Bern to practice in Switzerland (1989)
Karolina Mojzesowicz is the Deputy Head of Unit of the unit responsible for data protection at the European Commission (DG Justice and Consumers). She was one of the Commission's representatives in the interinstitutional negotiations with Parliament and Council on the General data Protection Regulation (GDPR). She is now responsible for its implementation in the EU. Mrs Mojzesowicz previously served as a member of the European Commission's Legal Service, focusing on EU Competition law and International Trade law. In that capacity, she represented the Commission in numerous cases before the European Courts and before the WTO panels and Appellate Body. Mrs Mojzesowicz studied law in Poland, the Netherlands and Germany where she obtained her PhD in 2001.
Elisabeth Stafford is Head of EU Data Flows at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS). She has led the negotiating team for the UK in the reform of the ePrivacy Directive and the recast of Regulation 45/2001, setting data protection rules for the EU institutions. Previously, she was one of the negotiators on the GDPR and the Law Enforcement Directive for both the UK, and for the European Commission. She has also worked in private office in the Ministry of Justice, leading on human rights and EU dossiers for the Minister of State. She holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Oxford, and a masters in International Relations from the University of Aberdeen.
Daniel Therrien was appointed Privacy Commissioner of Canada on June 5, 2014 after three decades serving Canadians as a lawyer with various federal departments where human rights issues were important.
Commissioner Therrien has said that the over-arching goal of his mandate is to increase the control Canadians have over their personal information. Shortly after his appointment, Commissioner Therrien was plunged into the debate over a new cyberbullying bill, legislation to reform Canada’s federal private sector privacy law and a review of the RCMP’s lawful access practices. He has also championed privacy rights in the public debate over national security and public safety, and led research and investigations into privacy issues that go to the heart of consumer trust and confidence. Commissioner Therrien has identified new strategic privacy priorities and strategic approaches that will guide the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s work in the coming years, and has spoken publicly on a range of privacy issues throughout Canada and around the world. He values collaboration and consultation and works with public and private sector stakeholders, academia, civil society organizations, consumer groups and individuals to help improve privacy protections for Canadians.
Commissioner Therrien began his career practising correctional law for the Department of the Solicitor General, the Correctional Service of Canada and the National Parole Board. He then practised immigration law at the Department of Justice and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, becoming Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Public Safety, Defence and Immigration Portfolio at the Department of Justice in 2005. In that capacity, Commissioner Therrien had a leadership role in giving legal advice to government on public safety and national security issues. He was also instrumental in negotiating the adoption of privacy principles governing the sharing of information between Canada and the U.S. under the Beyond the Border accord.
Commissioner Therrien holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Licence en droit from the University of Ottawa. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 1981.
Bradley Tosso is the Assistant Information Commissioner at the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (“GRA”). Mr Tosso has 12 years experience in the field of compliance and regulation. He initiated his career in gambling regulation with previous positions held in the Gambling Commissioner’s office and a private operator. With specialist professional experience and qualifications including a BSC in Computing and Management, an LLM in European Union Law and a further LLM in Information Rights Law, Mr Tosso has progressively advanced through the GRA’s structure since his appointment in 2013. In his role Mr Tosso directly assists Gibraltar’s Information Commissioner in his regulation, supervision and enforcement of data protection and other information rights laws in Gibraltar. Mr Tosso believes in engagement and guidance as integral parts of a modern and effective supervisory regime.
Brendan Van Alsenoy is a legal advisor at the Belgian Data Protection Authority. Before joining the DPA, he worked as a legal researcher at the KU Leuven Centre for IT & IP law - imec, with a focus on data protection and privacy, intermediary liability and trust services. In 2012, Brendan worked at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to assist in the revision of the 1980 OECD Privacy Guidelines. In 2016, he defended his doctoral thesis entitled: "Regulating data protection: the allocation of responsibility and risk among actors involved in personal data processing." He is currently a senior affiliated researcher at the KU Leuven Centre for IT & IP law – imec and a co-editor of the periodical “Privacy & Persoonsgegevens” (“Privacy & Personal data”).
Wojciech Wiewiórowski was born on June 13th 1971. In 1995 he graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk, and in 2000 he was awarded the academic degree of Doctor in constitutional law. After graduation he was editor and then publisher in legal publishing houses. In 2002 he began to work as lecturer at Gdańsk College of Administration, and since 2003 he was assistant professor and head of Legal IT Department at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk, with which he has been associated since 1995. Since 2006 he has been working for public administration. He was among others adviser in the field of e-government and information society for the Minister of Interior and Administration, as well as Vice-president of the Regulatory Commission of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church. In 2008 he took over the post of the Director of the Informatisation Department at the Ministry of Interior and Administration. He also represented Poland in committee on Interoperability Solutions for European Public Administrations (the ISA Committee) assisting the European Commission. He was also the member of the Archives Council to the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. He is a member of the Polish Association for European Law. In 2010 he was elected by Polish Parliament for the post of the Inspector General for the Protection of Personal Data (Polish Data Protection Commissioner) which he served by November 2014 being re-elected for the second term in 2014. Vice Chairman of the Working Party Art. 29 since February till November 2014. The author of numerous studies, publications and lectures in the field of personal data protection, IT law, e-government and legal informatics. His areas of scientific activity include first of all Polish and European IT law, processing and security of information, legal information retrieval systems, informatisation of public administration, electronic signature and application of semantic web and legal ontologies in legal information processing.