John Edwards, the New Zealand-born former privacy regulator, has resigned as UK Information Commissioner after a workplace investigation into his conduct toward staff.
Edwards stepped down on 19 June with immediate effect. He also vacated the chair-designate role at the new Information Commission, the body set to replace the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
He is the first person to resign the role in the office's 42-year history. The post has existed since 1984.
Edwards announced the decision on LinkedIn. He cited “poor judgement” and attempts at humour that he said were inappropriate and caused offence. He said his position had become “untenable” and that he did not wish to distract from the ICO's work.
The next day, Science Secretary Liz Kendall disclosed far more serious detail. She said she had seen evidence of the “vulgar and highly sexualised language” used in his interactions with staff.
Kendall said multiple women gave testimony of feeling offended, shocked and uncomfortable after dealings with Edwards. She criticised his continued framing of the incidents as misplaced humour.
The ICO confirmed the resignation and said his actions were “completely at odds with our values”. It said it does not accept sexual harassment, bullying or discrimination in any form. The official ICO statement is at ico.org.uk.
Edwards voluntarily stepped back from his duties on 26 February, pending an independent investigation into HR matters. On 10 June the ICO said the probe had found a case to answer, though it reported no formal finding of wrongdoing at that point.
Deputy Commissioner and Chief Executive Paul Arnold has carried out the commissioner's statutory responsibilities throughout. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) named him temporary acting accounting officer for the office.
Arnold is already confirmed as the first chief executive of the new Information Commission. That is an interim appointment of up to two years, pending permanent recruitment.
Edwards served as New Zealand Privacy Commissioner from February 2014 to December 2021. He is a solicitor and barrister and a former policy adviser to New Zealand's prime minister and cabinet.
He began a five-year term as UK Information Commissioner in January 2022, succeeding Elizabeth Denham. His tenure focused on data protection, online safety and the regulatory response to artificial intelligence.
Politico, which first reported the investigation in April, said Edwards had returned to New Zealand while continuing to draw his £200,000 annual salary. That figure exceeds the salary of the UK prime minister.
The exit lands during a major overhaul of the regulator. Under the Data (Use and Access) Act, the ICO is moving from its corporation sole model to a board-governed Information Commission, in line with other UK regulators.
Campaigners have separately criticised the ICO as slow to act. Regulatory investigations fell from more than 2,000 in 2019 to just over 200 in 2025, with thousands of cases still unassigned.