Elizabeth France: CBE Independent Chairman

Elizabeth France is a Member of the British Transport Police Authority, Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints, which runs the Legal Ombudsman service; Vice President of Aberystwyth University and a member of the General Assembly of Manchester University. Until 1 July 2009 Elizabeth was Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive of the Ombudsman Service Ltd., which provided the Telecommunications Ombudsman Service (Otelo), the Energy Ombudsman Service and the Surveyors Ombudsman Service.

She was a Non Executive Director of the Serious Organised Crime Agency from 2005-2010. Elizabeth began her career in the Home Office, resigning to become the Data Protection Registrar in September 1994 and becoming Information Commissioner in January 2001. Elizabeth has been awarded honorary doctorates by the Universities of De Montfort, Loughborough and Bradford and is a Fellow of Aberystwyth University. In June 2002 she was awarded a CBE, for services to data protection.

Sir Roger Sands: KCB Independent Member

Sir Roger Sands retired as Chief Executive and Clerk of the House of Commons in September 2006. During his 41 year career in the House he served in a wide variety of roles, including as Registrar of Members' Interests and Clerk of the Select Committee on Members' Interests from 1991 - 1994, the period when MPs first became actively concerned with aspects of the professional lobbying industry. Since his retirement Sir Roger has chaired the Standards Committee of Mid Sussex District Council.

George Kidd: Independent Member

George Kidd is Chief Commissioner at the Direct Marketing Commission and a Director and Council Member at the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. For eight years George was Chief Executive of PhonepayPlus, the Ofcom regulatory agency for the £1 billion UK market for “phone-paid” services and goods, and now acts as an advisor to commercial and public bodies on regulatory matters.

During the 1990s George served in the Cabinet Office working on regulatory policy and the set up the Better Regulation Executive and Task Force. He was British Consul in Chicago from 1990-1994 promoting US investment into the United Kingdom.

Gill Morris: APPC

Gill Morris has more than twenty years of direct experience of parliamentary and public affairs work. After five years working in Parliament working for 2 Labour MPs, Gill co-founded the specialist housing and Parliamentary consultancy, Raynsford and Morris Limited in 1987. Gill also set up an independent consultancy practice in 1992 and then went to head up Government and Parliamentary Relations at GCI, part of GREY. She joined Connect in 1994 and undertook a management buy-out in 1997. She now owns Connect Communications and is currently its Chief Executive. Gill has been at the forefront of raising standards and transparency and is a former Chair of the APPC.

Keith Johnston: CIPR

Keith Johnston is Director of Policy and Communications at the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and focuses on international lobbying.

Keith lobbies international institutions and national governments on legal, tax and regulatory matters affecting professional private client advisors. This includes initiatives by the OECD, the EU, FATF, and the UK and US governments. He is a member of the EU Expert Panel on the Savings Tax Directive and the FATF private sector liaison group. Keith is also editor-in-chief of the STEP Journal and editor of STEP's online training, STEP TV.

Ann Austin: Company Secretary

Ann Austin has almost 20 years’ experience in finance and administration roles. Previously she worked at PhonepayPlus, the premium rate services regulator, where she spent a number of years as Company Secretary, and secretary to various sub-committees alongside her role as Senior Finance Officer.