In Episode 2 of the Guardians of Data podcast Ibrahim Hasan spoke with Raz Edwards, Head of Data Security and Protection and Data Protection Officer at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. With more than 17 years in information governance across local government and the NHS, Raz reflected on leadership, visibility, diversity, professional development and the future of the IG profession.
The following is an abridged version of the conversation.
How did you first get into information governance?
Raz describes her entry into information governance as accidental, which will sound familiar to many long-standing professionals in the field. Fresh out of university with a degree in computer science, she began in local government IT, working on information security and data quality. That gradually led her into records, accuracy and governance. At the time, information governance was barely understood as a profession, and there were few clear frameworks, networks or career paths. That lack of structure made the work challenging, but it also created an opportunity: Raz was able to help shape an approach from the ground up. Early work in social care, where records and access issues were especially sensitive, gave her a practical understanding of why IG matters and how closely it is tied to public trust and service delivery.
What were the biggest challenges in the early days of your career?
One of the hardest tasks was persuading colleagues that information governance had value. Raz says that, in the early years, IG was often poorly understood and seen as a function that asked difficult questions rather than one that helped organisations work better. She also faced personal challenges as a young woman from an underrepresented background trying to establish credibility in a profession that did not always expect leadership to look or sound like her. Over time, however, the position of IG has improved. Legal developments such as the GDPR and the formalisation of the Data Protection Officer role have given the profession greater visibility and authority. Raz believes the biggest shift has been in moving IG away from the stereotype of being a blocker and towards being recognised as an enabler.
What advice would you give to people who want senior leaders to take IG seriously?
Raz stresses that influence is built through trust, clarity and relevance. Senior leaders are busy and often balancing competing priorities, so IG professionals need to communicate in a way that is concise and useful. Her advice is not simply to raise problems, but to present issues alongside practical options and a clear explanation of why the matter matters to the organisation. She also highlights the importance of building relationships with key stakeholders such as Caldicott Guardians and SIROs, who can help champion the message at board level. In short, her advice is to step into senior leaders’ shoes: understand their pressures, speak their language and make the value of the conversation obvious.
Why does diversity and representation matter in information governance?
Raz is candid about the fact that many people from ethnic minority backgrounds still do not see information governance as an obvious or visible career option. Families and schools often spotlight more familiar professions such as law or medicine, while IG remains relatively hidden despite offering influence, intellectual challenge and strong career progression. She argues that the profession needs to do much more to make itself visible to younger people and to underrepresented communities. In sectors such as health, where services affect people from every background, it is especially important that the profession reflects the communities it serves. Diversity is not only about fairness; it also improves understanding, strengthens decision-making and helps organisations respond better to risks such as bias in new technologies.
How can mid-career professionals move into more senior IG roles?
Raz says progression comes from seeking opportunities beyond day-to-day operational tasks. Subject access requests, DPIAs and FOI casework are important, but leadership requires a broader view of strategy, influence and organisational change. She encourages professionals to develop “other strings to their bow” by joining networks, taking part in wider sector work and saying yes to opportunities that stretch them. Her own tribunal and network leadership roles have given her perspectives she can bring back into her organisation. That wider involvement helps people become less purely operational and more strategic, which is often what opens the door to senior posts.
What has your tribunal work taught you?
Serving in the Information Rights Tribunal has shown Raz how easily organisations can create avoidable disputes. A recurring lesson is that public authorities often fail to explain themselves clearly enough. For example, saying “information not held” without proper context can frustrate requesters and trigger unnecessary escalation. Raz believes organisations should be more willing to understand the requester’s motivation, communicate openly and, where appropriate, revise their position on review. Too often, exemptions are applied defensively and then maintained simply because reversing course feels uncomfortable. Her message is clear: transparency, explanation and humility can prevent many disputes long before they reach a tribunal.
Why are networks like SIGN so important?
As Chair of the National Strategic Information Governance Network, Raz sees collaboration as one of the strongest tools available to the profession. She is keen to challenge the misconception that SIGN is only for health professionals. In reality, it spans a broad range of sectors and offers a community of practice where people can learn from each other’s challenges and solutions. For Raz, networking is not an optional extra; it is a key part of development. She also makes an important point about in-person learning. Conferences, informal conversations and face-to-face sessions build confidence and create opportunities in ways that virtual meetings often cannot. Technical knowledge matters, but confidence, communication and relationships are just as critical to long-term success.
Q: What are the biggest challenges for information governance over the next five to ten years?
Resources remain a major concern. Raz notes that public bodies are being asked to do more with less, and IG functions can be vulnerable if they are seen as invisible back-office support rather than frontline enablers. That is why she believes the profession must keep demonstrating its role in major priorities such as AI, big data, cyber security, service redesign and population health management. Data underpins all of these developments, which means IG must be in the room when key decisions are made. Another major issue is succession planning. Many experienced professionals are approaching retirement, and unless knowledge is actively shared, the profession risks losing vital expertise. Raz’s philosophy is simple but powerful: if someone in her team can do her job as well as she can, that is a sign of success, not a threat.
How can the profession attract and develop new talent?
Raz was part of the trailblazer group that helped create the information governance apprenticeship standard, and she sees apprenticeships as a practical answer to one of the profession’s longstanding problems: entry barriers. Too often, employers recruit only those who already have IG experience, which limits the pipeline of future talent. Apprenticeships create a more structured route in, but Raz is clear that formal learning alone is not enough. Experienced professionals must invest time in coaching, giving apprentices a safe environment to apply theory, ask questions and build confidence. Her own experience has been positive, with one apprentice going on to become a permanent member of staff and thrive in the role.
After nearly two decades in the field, what keeps you passionate about the work?
For Raz, the answer is impact. Working in the NHS means supporting clinicians, services and innovations that have a direct effect on patient care. Whether the subject is robotic surgery, AI-assisted diagnostics, data-enabled service redesign or the everyday flow of information that allows care to happen safely and efficiently, she sees IG as an essential part of making those outcomes possible. That sense of purpose is what keeps the work rewarding. Her final message is an encouraging one for anyone entering or growing in the profession: information governance may not always be visible from the outside, but it is varied, influential and deeply worthwhile. For those willing to keep learning, collaborate widely and lead with confidence, it offers a remarkable career.
Listen to the complete Episode 2 with Raz podcast here. More advice on IG careers in Episode 1 where we talked to Jon Baines who is a senior data protection specialist at Mishcon de Reya LLP.
