ICO chief John Edwards steps back as workplace probe quietly unfolds

The UK's data watchdog is without its chief after John Edwards stepped aside from the Information Commissioner's Office while an independent workplace investigation examines unspecified HR matters.

In a LinkedIn post over the weekend, Edwards said he had "voluntarily stepped aside" from his duties for the past few weeks while the probe is carried out. "I am fully cooperating and engaged with the investigation and will report progress in due course," he wrote, without elaborating on what is being examined.

The whole thing only surfaced after Politico started quizzing the ICO on Friday why its boss had gone missing in action.

The ICO provided a little more detail in a statement to The Register, confirming Edwards formally stepped back on February 26 to "enable an independent workplace investigation which relates to him." The regulator said the investigation will produce a report with recommendations for the Department for Science ...