Our Commissioners form our Board and provide challenge, scrutiny and insight to help the Commission do its vital work.
The Commission’s independence, expertise, fairness and equality of approach play a crucial role in helping ensure its decisions and reports command confidence. So, it’s vital that our Commissioners bring demonstrable specialist skills and experience into the Commission to help us achieve our aims.
Chief Commissioner
The Chief Commissioner has overall responsibility for leading and setting the strategic direction of the Commission to enable it to achieve its overarching aims and objectives. They are Chair of the Board and the Remuneration and Nomination Committee. The Chief Commissioner plays an executive role and is responsible for the production and publication of final reports.
Chief Commissioner: Sir Declan Morgan
Sir Declan Morgan is a former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. He is a Judicial Commissioner at the Investigatory Powers Commission and a Supplementary Panel member of the UK Supreme Court.
Sir Declan was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 1976 and became a Queen’s Counsel in 1993. Between 2002 and 2004, he was Senior Crown Counsel for Northern Ireland. He also served for a time as Judge-In-Residence at the School of Law of Queen’s University Belfast. In 2004, Sir Declan was appointed a judge of the High Court and knighted. In 2007, he was appointed to the Family Division of the Court, and in 2008 moved to hearing cases for judicial review. He succeeded Sir Brian Kerr as Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland on 3 July 2009, retiring in July 2021.
Commissioner for Investigations
The Commissioner for Investigations is an executive member of the Board and Chair of the Investigative Oversight Committee. They are designated with the full powers and privileges of a constable to enable them to carry out specialist functions such as conducting investigations and making referrals to prosecutors. The Commissioner for Investigations also has the ability to designate ICRIR staff with the powers and privileges of a constable.
Commissioner for Investigations: Peter Sheridan
Peter Sheridan has served for the last 15 years as the CEO of Cooperation Ireland – a peace-building organisation working to address the legacy of the past and promote reconciliation. In this role, Peter personally fostered improved relationships between the United Kingdom and Ireland. He was instrumental in arranging the meeting between the late Queen and the then Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuiness in 2012. Peter was awarded a CBE in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to peace-building.
From 2003 to 2008, Peter served as Assistant Chief Constable with the PSNI, having spent 32 years policing in Northern Ireland, with frontline and neighbourhood policing experience. From 2006 to 2008 he was responsible for the Crime Operations Department, which included serious and organised crime, terrorism investigations and oversight of the C3 intelligence unit.
Chief Executive Officer
The Chief Executive Officer is an executive member of the Board and is the Accounting Officer for the ICRIR. The postholder chairs the Executive Leadership Team of the Commission, overseeing the efficient and effective running of the organisation. They ensure it discharges its functions in line with all legal requirements. Also, they direct all staff to work in support of the Commission’s mission.
Chief Executive Officer: Louise Warde Hunter
The ICRIR’s new Chief Executive and Commissioner is Louise Warde Hunter, previously Chief Executive and Principal of Belfast Metropolitan College (one of the UK’s largest Further Education Colleges).
Prior to her leadership role at Belfast Met, Louise worked as a senior civil servant for over 13 years shaping social policy in a range of Northern Ireland government departments including Communities, Justice and Education.
Louise has also worked as a CEO and senior leader in the voluntary sector across the UK and Ireland in organisations developing civic leadership and improving outcomes for vulnerable young people and their families.
On taking up her leadership role at the ICRIR Louise said “I have long been committed to making a difference to people’s lives. I am honoured to join the ICRIR to serve those who have been bereaved or seriously injured through the Troubles/Conflict in seeking answers and justice.”
Born and raised in Belfast, Louise is a graduate of both the University of Manchester and Queen’s University, Belfast.
Non-Executive Commissioners
The Non-Executive Commissioners bring important scrutiny, challenge and support to the Board to assist in rounded and informed decision-making. They provide a broad and diverse range of skills, experience and perspectives, including relevant international experience. They help set the strategy, challenge the Executive’s performance and play a role explaining the work of the Commission to the public. The Non-Executive Commissioners (including the Lead Non-Executive) are not involved in any specific cases or investigations that the Commission undertakes.
Lead Non-Executive Commissioner: Lindsay Todd
The Lead Non-Executive Commissioner Chairs the Audit and Risk Committee, supporting and challenging the ICRIR Board and Executive Committee on financial matters. They support the Accounting Officer in obtaining assurance as to the proper running of the Commission. The Lead Non-Executive also assists in the appraisal of the Board and supporting the Chair to lead the Board.
Lindsay Todd has substantial leadership and non-executive experience, including in the areas of finance, risk, governance, compliance and assurance. He is Chair of the Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee and of the NI Teachers’ Pension Scheme Board. Until retirement, Lindsay was an equity partner in PwC, where he served for nearly 25 years and held several senior positions, the final one being Head of Tax in Northern Ireland. A former NI Judicial Appointments Commissioner, Lindsay was awarded an OBE in the 2020 New Year Honours list for services to the justice sector.
Lindsay Todd tells us why he decided to join the Commission.
Non-Executive Commissioner: Rogelio Alonso
Rogelio Alonso is a Full Professor of Politics and Director of the Master’s in the Analysis and Prevention of Terrorism at Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid. He has lectured on Northern Ireland Politics at the University of Ulster and held various fellowships at the Institute of Irish Studies and the Institute of Governance at Queen’s University Belfast.
Rogelio was a member of the European Commission Expert Group on Violent Radicalisation, as well as senior advisor on counter-terrorism to the Spanish Government, and has led international projects on terrorism and counter-terrorism sponsored by, among others, the US Department of Defense. Rogelio is on the Editorial Board of academic journals such as Terrorism and Political Violence and Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. His publications on security and victims of terrorism have received several international awards.
Rogelio Alonso tells us about his role in scrutinizing and challenging the Commission.
Non-Executive Commissioner: Kathleen Russ
Kathleen Russ is a former leader and Executive Chair of Travers Smith, an international law firm based in London. She is also a Council member of JUSTICE, a leading human rights charity and has public sector non-executive director experience. Kathleen has had a 30-year career as a preeminent lawyer and over a decade of senior leadership experience.
Alongside her role as Chair of Travers Smith’s Board, Kathleen has also chaired the firm’s Audit Committee and the Diversity and Inclusion Board and acted as a longstanding member of the Remuneration Committee. She has six years’ experience as a non-executive director on the Office of Tax Simplification, an independent body of HM Treasury, is a current non-executive director of British Universities and Colleges Sport and has twice been recognised as one of the 20 leading allies in the EMpower Ethnic Minority Role Model Lists, which showcase leaders who are breaking down barriers at work.
Kathleen Russ tells us about her long term ambitions for the Commission’s work.
Non-Executive Commissioner: Brice Dickson
Brice Dickson is Emeritus Professor of Law with expertise in human rights law and a member of the Editorial Board of the European Human Rights Law Review. He has taught at both Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast. He served two terms as the first Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
Brice is Emeritus Fellow of the Senator George J Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and was until recently a member of the Steering Group of QUB’s Institute of Irish Studies. He also brings relevant experience of serving on the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
Brice Dickon tells us why he joined the Commission.