John Edwards (regulator)

{{Short description|UK Information Commissioner; New Zealand lawyer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = John Edwards | honorific_suffix = | image = File:John Edwards Sept 2018.jpg | image_size = | image_upright = | caption = Edwards in 2018 | order = Sixth | office = Information Commissioner's Office{{!}}Information Commissioner | term_start = 3 January 2022 | term_end =  | predecessor = Elizabeth Denham | successor = | order2 = Third | office2 = Privacy Commissioner (New Zealand){{!}}Privacy Commissioner | term_start2 = 17 February 2014 | term_end2 = 31 December 2021 | predecessor2 = Marie Shroff | successor2 = | citizenship = New Zealand | alma_mater = Victoria University of Wellington }}

'''John Edwards''' is a New Zealand lawyer and civil servant who is the United Kingdom Information Commissioner,<ref name="ico-appointment">{{cite press release|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/john-edwards-is-confirmed-as-the-new-information-commissioner|title= John Edwards is confirmed as the new Information Commissioner|location=London|publisher=Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport|date=21 December 2021|access-date=21 December 2021}}</ref> and was previously the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner from 2014 to 2021.<ref name="privacy-commissioner">{{cite web|url=https://www.privacy.org.nz/about-us/who-we-are/|title=Office of the Privacy Commissioner {{!}} Who we are|publisher=Office of the Privacy Commissioner|access-date=21 December 2021}}</ref> Since 26 February 2026, he has temporarily stepped aside from his duties at the ICO while an independent investigation into unspecified HR matters is undertaken.<ref name=":0" />

== Personal life and career == Edwards was brought up in New Plymouth<ref>{{cite mailing list|url=https://newsletter.ico.org.uk/q/1bBsGp03DkQ6kKWDmKw/wv|title=ICO's January e-newsletter|date=January 2022|access-date=17 January 2022|mailing-list=ICO e-newsletter}}</ref> and practised law in Wellington for over 20 years specialising in information law.<ref name="privacy-commissioner"/> He also served as legal counsel for the New Zealand Families Commission from 2003 to 2013, and as a senior solicitor at the Ministry of Health from 1997 to 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grcworldforums.com/data-protection-and-privacy/who-is-facebook-hating-john-edwards-tipped-as-the-new-uk-information-commissioner/2272.article|title=Who Is ‘Facebook-Hating’ John Edwards, Tipped as the New UK Information Commissioner?|date=26 July 2021|first=Robert|last=Bateman|website=grcworldforums.com|access-date=21 December 2021}}</ref>

=== New Zealand Privacy Commissioner === Edwards was the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner, first appointed in 2014 and held the post until 31 December 2021.<ref name="privacy-commissioner"/> During his tenure he was also chairman of the Global Privacy Assembly from 2014 to 2017.<ref name="computer-weekly-ico-announcement">{{cite news|url=https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252505879/NZ-privacy-lead-John-Edwards-named-new-information-commissioner|title=NZ privacy lead John Edwards named new information commissioner|first=Alex|last=Scroxton|work=Computer Weekly|date=26 August 2021|access-date=21 December 2021}}</ref>

=== United Kingdom Information Commissioner === On 21 December 2021, Edwards was formally appointed by letters patent as the United Kingdom's sixth<ref name="computer-weekly-ico-announcement"/> Information Commissioner, and took office on 3 January 2022.<ref name="ico-appointment"/>

==== HR Investigation ==== On 25 April 2026, Edwards announced that he had "voluntarily stepped aside from [his] duties at the ICO while an independent investigation into HR matters is undertaken". The announcement came one day after POLITICO made enquiries to the ICO regarding Edwards’ work absence, which the ICO confirmed began on 26 February 2026.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2026-04-25 |title=Head of UK data watchdog voluntarily steps aside amid HR probe |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/head-of-uk-data-watchdog-voluntary-steps-aside-amid-hr-probe-john-edwards/ |access-date=2026-04-27 |website=POLITICO |language=en-GB}}</ref>

During the investigation, Edwards agreed<ref>Letter from Paul Arnold to Dame Chi Onwurah MP (Chair of Parliament's Science, Innovation and Technology Committee), dated 28 April 2026 <https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/52993/documents/296162/default/></ref> to "step back from all contact with ICO staff", "not enter ICO offices", and not "represent the ICO publicly". It was confirmed that Paul Arnold (Chief Executive) and the executive team continued to lead the ICO in accordance with the ICO's scheme of delegation. In response to a Freedom of Information Act Request, the ICO confirmed<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 May 2026 |title=Information Commissioner’s absence |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/information_commissioners_absenc_2#incoming-3429206 |url-status=live |access-date=29 May 2026 |website=WhatDoTheyKnow}}</ref> that Edwards' leave of absence is paid.

== References == {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=Marie Shroff}} {{s-ttl|title=Privacy Commissioner (New Zealand)|years=2014–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Liz MacPherson|as=Acting Privacy Commissioner}}

{{s-bef|before=Elizabeth Denham}} {{s-ttl|title=Information Commissioner (United Kingdom)|years=2022–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, John}} Category:20th-century New Zealand lawyers Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)