Kristín Þórðardóttir appointed to lead unified commissioner’s office

Kristín Þórðardóttir has been appointed to a new position as district commissioner, effective Friday, mbl.is reports. She will lead preparations for the merger of Iceland’s nine existing district commissioner offices into a single national office.

The position was advertised in late March and attracted seven applicants. A special qualification committee assessed the candidates, after which the minister and permanent secretary interviewed the two applicants considered most qualified, according to the Ministry of Justice.

Þórðardóttir has been district commissioner for South Iceland for the past nine years. She has also served as acting district commissioner in Vestmannaeyjar, most recently since 2023, and has chaired the District Commissioners’ Council since 2018.

She completed a law degree at the University of Iceland in 2006 and management studies at Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford in 2025. She has also studied management through the University of Iceland’s continuing education programme and Open University.

Nine offices to become one

Parliament approved the justice minister’s bill on a unified district commissioner’s office in February. Under the legislation, the nine existing offices will be merged into one national office from 1 January 2027. The country will become a single district, with workplaces located throughout Iceland.

The Ministry of Justice said the merger represented a major change in Icelandic public administration. Þórðardóttir will work with the ministry on preparing and implementing it.

“Public services should not depend on a postcode. With one strong office, we will ensure more equal and better services for the public, better use of funds and stronger administration throughout the country. We are reducing the number of government institutions by 5 percent while building a stronger district commissioner’s office for the whole country,” Justice Minister Þorbjörg S. Gunnlaugsdóttir said.

The workplaces of the new office will remain unchanged during the merger, and employees will transfer to the new organisation. The ministry said no extensive changes to the current structure or range of services were planned.

The aim is to ensure equal access to basic services across the country while strengthening cooperation and specialisation, the ministry said.

Extensive preparations have been under way at the Ministry of Justice since the legislation was approved. The district commissioner offices currently have 255 full-time positions across 27 workplaces nationwide.

A project manager has been overseeing the preparations at the ministry. A steering committee, a human resources committee and working groups with staff representatives have also been examining the merger and making proposals for the new office.

The ministry said information-sharing, consultation and the use of employees’ experience and views had been priorities from the outset. The results of the work will be presented to the new district commissioner and will provide an important basis for shaping and organising the new office.