UK’s DRCF appoints Gill Whitehead as its Chief Executive

The Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) announced the appointment of Gill Whitehead as its Chief Executive. Starting on November 15, she will bring insight from a career that has spanned the broadcast and digital media sector, having previously worked for Google, Channel 4 and the BBC.

As Chief Executive of the DRCF, Whitehead will lead the collective expertise of its members to ensure the digital landscape is regulated effectively, efficiently and coherently, and will oversee the delivery of the forum’s established action plan. She will be in charge of the Secretariat formed by each of the regulators and work closely with their CEOs to develop joined-up approaches, and to ensure that regulatory policy is developed in a responsive and holistic way.

A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Whitehead started her career as an economist for the Bank of England and then Deloitte. Most recently, she was a member of Google’s UK Management Group, leading specialist teams in data science, analytics, measurement and UX, and she previously led Google’s consumer and market insights function across Europe, Middle East and Africa. Before joining Google in 2016, she spent eight years as a member of Channel 4’s Executive Team, where she created and led its data strategy and Audience Technologies & Insight division.

“I’m delighted to have Gill on board as the forum’s Chief Executive. Her expertise and insight will be invaluable as we shape the regulatory landscape for the UK’s digital economy. This will be a pivotal role in bringing us together to tackle our shared challenges and secure a safer life online for everyone,”  said Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s Chief Executive and Chair of the DRCF.

“We’re at a critical juncture in establishing a digital regulatory framework that ensures UK citizens can benefit from the best that technology has to offer whilst being protected from the worst. I look forward to building a coherent and coordinated approach to digital regulation that is good for people using online services, and for business and innovation,”  Gill Whitehead declared.

The DRCF was formed in July 2020 to harness the collective expertise of its members – the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Ofcom – and ensure strong regulation of online services.