Keynote Speaker
Graham Smith was appointed Deputy Information Commissioner in 2001 when the functions of the former Data Protection Commissioner were extended to cover freedom of information. Prior to that Graham enjoyed a career in local government, working for 4 local authorities over a 20 year period. He holds a law degree from the University of Sheffield and a Diploma in Local Government Law and Practice. He was admitted as a Solicitor in 1982. He joined the Information Commissioner’s Office from Oldham MBC, where he was Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council. One of two Deputy Commissioners who together head up the ICO’s policy and strategy functions, Graham has lead responsibility for FOI and access to environmental information.

Clare Sanderson has been the Executive Director of Information Governance at the Health and Social Care Information Centre since August 2007. As the repository for national data sets including patient information used for secondary purposes the HSCIC presents significant Information Governance challenges on a daily basis. Clare has worked in information services in the NHS for over 25 years. She worked in the NHS and for a number of respected consultancy firms before establishing herself as an independent consultant. Clare has been instrumental in strengthening the HSCIC’s approach to information governance to provide improved assurance to patients and the public about how their information is processed.

Damien Welfare came to the Bar in 2001 after a career in Local Government. He specialises in freedom of information, data protection and the Environmental Information Regulations. He appears in the Information Tribunal, advises on all aspects of information law, and speaks and writes regularly on information law matters. He is a member of the Editorial Board of Editorial Board of Freedom of Information Journal, and is a Member of the Examination Board for the Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection.

Elaine Fletcher is a Principal Associate in Eversheds information law practice, specialising in data protection and freedom of information. She has over 20 years experience in data protection, spending 8 years as solicitor with the UK Data Protection Regulator when she advised on all aspects of data protection law and policy, drafted legal and policy guidance, and contributed to their government consultations on Data Protection and Freedom of Information Bills. Elaine advises a broad range of public authorities, contractors and others on strategy and contractual provisions on issues such as regulating information flows and responsibilities, information policy to protect contractors from disclosure of their confidential or sensitive information, how organisations can use access rights to benefit their business, advice on exemptions and compliance assessments.

Hazel Grant is a Partner at Bristows, specialising in public procurements, complex information technology projects, data protection and freedom of information law. 

Her work includes compliance audits, international data transfers, managing multi-jurisdictional data protection compliance projects and compliance strategies for data-rich businesses.

She has worked with central government departments and other public bodies such as the DCA, DWP, Ofwat, Defra, VOSA and special health authorities.

Hazel is an editor of the Encyclopedia of Data Protection and Privacy, and a contributing editor for the Encyclopedia of Information Technology Law, as well as a contributing editor (on data protection and freedom of information) for the Encyclopedia of Information Technology Law (both Sweet and Maxwell).

Hazel is a member of the Editorial Board of Freedom of Information Journal.

Jackie Gray is a Director at Dickinson Dees, specialising in information governance. She acts on a variety of PPP/PFI projects and has advised on a wide range of public sector commercial work, with particular expertise in IT and outsourcing. Jackie has worked with public authorities on implementing FOI procedures and she advises on the application of exemptions in relation to specific requests, handling reviews and appeals and dealing with information requests, as well as confidentiality issues in public procurements, including the application of exemptions to the publication of contractual information.

Jackie is a member of the Editorial Board of Freedom of Information Journal and the Head of the Examination Board for the Practitioners Certificate in Freedom of Information.

Jonathan Baines advises his employer Buckinghamshire County Council on various information governance issues. He handles internal reviews of Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 requests, as well as complaints about the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Jonathan is currently undertaking Northumbria University’s LLM in Information Rights Law and Practice and acts a Special Adviser to the Editorial Board of PDP’s Freedom of Information Journal. In his spare time Jonathan miserably fails to leave the subject alone, and is a prolific blogger and tweeter (in a private capacity) on all matters related to information rights.

Lawrence Serewicz is the Principal Information Management Officer for Durham County Council, and has been involved with records management and freedom of information for the past 7 years. He has published an award winning paper on the future of records management, as well as a paper on FOIA from the perspective of a practitioner, which was one of the top ten downloads on the social science network. He enjoys examining the future of Gov 3.0, and whether paper records will ever really disappear.

Leonie Power is a Senior Associate in the Privacy and Information Law Group at Field Fisher Waterhouse in London. Leonie provides strategic and practical advice on the full range of data protection and e-compliance issues affecting public and private sector organisations and has particular expertise in the area of international data warehousing arrangements, data security compliance, e-marketing and employee monitoring. Leonie has spoken on data protection and privacy issues in the UK and abroad and provided specialist training in this field.

Liz Fitzsimons is a Legal Director at Eversheds specialising in data protection and freedom of information. She works for a wide range of clients, both public and private sector, including in the education, health, transport, energy and government arenas. She has advised on privacy issues in relation to procurement of new systems and suppliers by local authorities, complex data protection framework arrangements between public bodies, sensitive data disclosure arrangements to the authorities, helped universities conclude cloud computing deals with Google and Microsoft and assisted education clients with complex privacy compliance issues in relation to subject access requests and complaints to the Information Commissioner.

Nick Graham is a partner with the Technology, Media and Telecoms Group at SNR Denton and leads the firm's Information and Privacy Group. Nick has over 16 years' experience in the area and is a recognised commentator on data protection. He advises on all aspects of data protection in all sectors including Banking and Financial Services, Retail, Online / Web 2.0, Government, Pharmaceuticals and Utilities. Nick advises data controllers and data processors / IT service providers on all aspects of data protection compliance including information governance, data breach / cybercrime, international data transfer solutions, information risk audits and privacy compliance including new product launches.

Nick also specialises in large technology projects and transactions, including IT / Business Process Outsourcing and process re-engineering projects, offshoring projects as well as IT law and e-commerce and advises on international exploitation and licensing of technology and software. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of Privacy & Data Protection Journal.

Paul Gibbons is the creator of the foiman.com website. Beginning his career in records management, Paul has worked in the pharmaceutical industry, local government and the Houses of Parliament. In 2003, he was recruited by the Greater London Authority to prepare the Mayor of London’s City Hall for FOI. After 6 years and two Mayors, Paul moved on and is now Information Compliance Manager for the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

Timothy Pitt-Payne QC was called to the Bar in 1989 and appointed QC in 2010. He is in practice from 11KBW chambers in London. He specialises in information law, and he regularly appears before the First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights), acting both for the Information Commissioner and for other parties. He is also a Visiting Professor of Information Law at Northumbria University.

Tom Steinberg is the founder and director of mySociety, a non-profit, open source organisation that runs many of the best-known democracy websites in the UK. These include the Parliamentary transparency website TheyWorkForYou and the Freedom of Information hub WhatDoTheyKnow. Tom is also a member of the Public Sector Transparency Board.