Elizabeth France

Elizabeth Irene France is the former chair of the Office for Legal Complaints. She was appointed in February 2009 and was chair until 2014 when Steve Green became the Chair. From 1994 to 2002 she was the Data Protection Registrar / Information Commissioner and from 2002 to 2009 Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive of Ombudsman Services Ltd.

Early Life and Education

Elizabeth Irene France (née Leicester) was born on 1 February 1950. She read politics at Aberystwyth University between 1968 and 1971, an institution with which she has maintained a long association, later serving as its vice president.

Career

Prior to her landmark appointment in data protection, France worked at the Home Office. In 1994, she was appointed Data Protection Registrar, a role that placed her at the center of the United Kingdom's emerging framework for protecting personal information. The position was later retitled Information Commissioner, and France held the office until 2002, making her one of the most prominent figures in British data protection during a formative period for the field.

Following her tenure as Information Commissioner, France moved into the dispute resolution sector. From 2002 to 2009, she served as Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive of Ombudsman Services Ltd, overseeing independent resolution of consumer complaints across regulated industries.

Public Roles

In February 2009, France was appointed chair of the Office for Legal Complaints, a body responsible for handling complaints about legal service providers in England and Wales. She held that position until 2014, when Steve Green succeeded her as chair.

In January 2014, France took up the role of chair of the Security Industry Authority, the statutory body responsible for regulating the private security industry in the United Kingdom.

Across her career, France has also served as chair of the UK Public Affairs Council, a member of the British Transport Police Authority, and a member of the General Assembly of Manchester University.