UK privacy watchdog starts over with new board and Manchester HQ

The UK's data protection watchdog, the Information Commission, has undergone a rebranding and restructuring with the acquisition of a new board and a move to Manchester as its headquarters. Effective September 30, the organization will be known as the Information Commission's Office, while maintaining the ICO name. This change comes from the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, which received Royal Assent in June 2025, modernizing the watchdog's governance structure without altering its regulatory functions.

The former Information Commissioner, John Edwards, resigned in June due to an independent investigation into his conduct, which led to his resignation and the transfer of his responsibilities to a corporate body overseen by executive and non-executive board members. The new board includes seven non-executive members, with Maggie Carver appointed as deputy chair.

Paul Arnold, who previously held Edwards' statutory responsibilities, serves as interim chief executive. The regulator has relocated its headquarters from Wilmslow to Manchester's Oxford Road, aiming to strengthen connections with businesses and communities across the UK. Day-to-day operations will remain largely unchanged, with the Information Commission retaining responsibility for data protection and freedom of information regulation.