Richard Thomas was appointed the Information Commissioner in November 2002 and he is being re-appointed for a further term but, at his own request, only until his 60th birthday in June 2009.

The Information Commissioner serves for a term of up to five years and, after the first term, is eligible for re-appointment for a further five years.

The Information Commissioner has independent status, reporting directly to Parliament, with responsibility for enforcing the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Data Protection Act 1998 and related legislation. The functions of his office include promoting good practice, ruling on complaints under this legislation, providing information to individuals and organisations and taking appropriate action when the law is broken
Richard Thomas's previous career has encompassed public, private and voluntary sectors:
• Director of Public Policy at Clifford Chance (the international law firm);
• Director of Consumer Affairs at the Office of Fair Trading;
• Head of Public Affairs and Legal Officer at the National Consumer Council;
• Solicitor with the Citizens Advice Bureau Service and Freshfields.
He has also previously held various public appointments, including membership of the Lord Chancellor's Civil Justice Review Advisory Committee and the Boards of the Financial Ombudsman Service and the National Consumer Council.