About Louise
Louise is the former Director of Regulation and Digital Transformation at the Electoral Commission,and Chief Strategy Officer at the General Pharmaceutical Council. In a decade of senior regulatory leadership, Louise led investigations into some of the UK’s biggest political parties, developed policy recommendations that became law, and reshaped regulatory posture to preventative compliance, outreach and excellent service delivery. She has overseen the implementation of new legal duties, and represented regulators in front of parliamentary committees and the media.
Louise’s executive experience covers registration, compliance, enforcement, outreach, risk, digital, data, estates, security, communications, policy, education and devolved nations. Thankfully not all at the same time.
After joining her the Charity Commission for England and Wales in 2002 with very little idea of what it did, Louise spent more than 20 years as a professional regulator She has led teams containing people starting out in employment and those with years of experience, and has a deep commitment to shaping professional regulation into a rewarding and high impact career.
I join the Charity Commission for England and Wales, growing from a case officer to a team manager, trusted with high profile cases and mentoring new staff.
I am in the office in the heart of London when the news begins to show scenes of devastation. The date is 7 July 2005.
As the UK adapts to heightened security, I help set up and run a new team dedicated to protecting charity from exploitation by terrorism.
I join the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, set up after the MPs’ expenses scandal, to manage the new expenses policy, and build MP trust.
I gain my first senior leadership role at the Electoral Commission, as Head of Regulation, starting just after the 2015 UK general election. My new boss reassures me that the next general election is not due for five years so I have plenty of time to prepare. In 2019 I become the Director of Regulation at the Electoral Commission, overseeing the journey from political party registration to compliance and enforcement. In 2021 I take on the Directorship of Digital Transformation as well.
In the meantime, politics gets wild.
I lead the regulation of the EU Referendum, and then need to find out the truth about claims of campaigners cheating. I lead my teams through national elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and UK-wide general elections in 2017, 2019 and 2024.
From parliamentary committees to court cases, media to politicians, as the political fallout from Brexit continues, I face levels of scrutiny that test my leadership and resilience.
I lead the debate on regulating campaigning online, working with other regulators, tech companies and academics to assess the risks.
As AI changes politics again, I lead the debate on the benefits and risks of political campaigning online. Meanwhile, I become responsible for digital transformation at the Electoral Commission.
After hearing from victims, I start a long process to help highlight the impact of the abuse and intimidation suffered by election candidates, often occurring online. By 2024, this has become joint work with law enforcement.
After years of intense electoral activity, I lead my team to learn, adapt and grow from the experience. We shift our regulatory posture and overhaul our stakeholder engagement.
The Elections Act 2022 brings new duties, not all welcome. I oversee our response as an independent regulator while navigating complex politics across the UK.
I move to a healthcare regulator as a chief officer, finding teams full of expertise and commitment. I champion inclusion, raise the profile of devolution and oversee the delivery of new professional standards.
After setting out as a coach and consultant, I continue to help regulators navigate sudden or unexpected change through insights and practical action.
My Values
My commitment to inclusion, diversity and equality is prominent in all my work. Having navigated my career as an openly queer woman, I am determined to use my skills and platform to support representation for people of diverse backgrounds and experiences.