Meet the Authority

The Law creates the independent Data Protection Authority which is tasked with the development and implementation of the regulatory regime necessary to oversee the Law's requirements. Comprising a Chair and between four and eight Members, the Authority provides governance to the Office of the Data Protection Authority (ODPA).

4 year term commencing May 2023

Richard was the UK’s Information Commissioner from 2002 to 2009, responsible for enforcement of the Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts. He was subsequently the Chairman of the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council and served as a Member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life from 2012 to 2017. In January 2018, he was appointed by the UK’s Prime Minister to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.

Richard Thomas CBE

Chairman

4 year term commencing May 2023

John Curran is a former Chief Executive of the Channel Islands Competition and Regulatory Authorities (CICRA) and currently sits as a non-voting Member on the States of Guernsey Transport Licensing Authority (TLA). John has experience acting within a regulatory model and proven experience in interpreting and applying complex legislation.

John Curran

Voting member

4 year term commencing May 2022

Based in Brussels, Christopher has extensive experience in the field of data protection, having worked as Director of the Office of the European Data Protection Supervisor and before that as the Legal Adviser on data protection to the European Commission. He retired in 2018 as Honorary Director General of the EDPS and now teaches and writes extensively on data protection law. Christopher was a founding member of the Authority and served an initial 4-year term from May 2018. 

Christopher Docksey

Voting member

4 year term commencing May 2023

Simon retired from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in 2018 after 13 years’ service as a member of the ICO Management Board. He was originally the Chief Operating Officer and served as Deputy Commissioner and Deputy CEO, gaining vast experience of data protection. Simon has a clear analytical mind and the ability to understand and effectively communicate complex legislative issues to anyone.

Simon Entwisle

Voting member

4 year term commencing May 2022

Mark is Guernsey-based and retired as the Chief Secretary to the Committee for Home Affairs in April 2018 where he was instrumental in the strategic development of Guernsey’s data protection legislation. Mark has considerable experience strategically and operationally in the development, compliance and practical enforcement of statutory regimes including the implementation of new legislation and change management. Mark was a founding member of the Authority and served an initial 4-year term from May 2018. 

Mark Lempriere

Voting member

4 year term commencing May 2022
 

Jane is an information technology specialist with extensive experience of working with data from a technical perspective. Her career, which has taken her to the UK, USA and Europe, includes roles in medical research and pharmaceuticals, consultancy for Fortune 500 companies and over 14 years as Director of IT for the States of Guernsey. Jane is also a non-executive director of two local charities, Guernsey Chest and Heart and Guernsey Disability Alliance.  
Dr Jane Wonnacott

Voting member

5 year term commencing May 2022
 

Nicola is the Senior Independent Director at the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office. She has more than a decade’s experience of leading public sector boards and is a former solicitor.
Nicola Wood MBE

Voting member

Meet the Commissioner

The Data Protection Commissioner is a statutory role, is an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Data Protection Authority and acts as the chief executive of that Authority with responsibility for day-to-day operations.

Commencing office in January 2024, Brent Homan is the current Data Protection Commissioner for the Bailiwick of Guernsey. Mr. Homan has over 20 years experience as a regulator in both the Data Protection and Competition realms. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Homan was Deputy Commissioner at the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, where he was responsible for the enforcement of Canada’s federal public and private sector privacy laws.

A global leader in International enforcement, Mr. Homan has co-led numerous international investigations including two Global Privacy Award winning joint investigations against Clearview and Ashley Madison. Mr. Homan created the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN) Privacy Sweep, and co-chairs the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group of the Global Privacy Assembly.

A digital economy leader, Mr. Homan co-chairs a Global Digital Consumer Working Group advancing cross-regulatory collaboration in the intersecting areas of privacy, consumer- protection and competition.

Prior to joining the privacy world Mr. Homan was Assistant Deputy Commissioner at the Competition Bureau of Canada where he led numerous high profile misleading advertising investigations in the Digital Economy and health sectors. In the area of health, Mr. Homan led Canada’s Tobacco Inquiry that culminated in the removal of Light and Mild labelling from cigarette packaging across Canada.

Mr. Homan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Political Science from Carleton University, and a Masters in Economics from the University of Ottawa.

Brent Homan

Data Protection Commissioner