With GDPR doctors, Real Business hopes to take the pain out of the discussion, solving symptoms and clearing up confusion about the big arrival of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
To recap, GDPR will be enforced on 25 May 2018. It means that businesses falling foul of the new data protection protocol will be met with fines of up to four per cent of global annual turnover or £20m if compliance is not proven by then.
But don’t worry, our GDPR doctors are here to help businesses prepare and get affairs in order to ensure the transition is as seamless as possible.
We ve sourced specialists that can discuss GDPR, from both a technical and a legal standpoint, who will share knowledge with Real Business readers every fortnight, unravelling problems and fostering discussion.
Without further ado, here are the GDPR doctors…
Meet our GDPR doctor of tech
I hope to help businesses understand the steps they need to take to prepare for the EU GDPRNeil Larkins, COO, Egress Software Technologies
Neil Larkins co-founded Egress Software Technologies in 2007 and currently serves as chief operations officer, playing an instrumental role in shaping the strategic direction of the business, with particular emphasis on product and service development.
Prior to Egress,Larkins held executive management positions at Reflex Magnetics, Pointsec Mobile Technologies and Check Point Software Technologies. A regular speaker at information security and technology events, he has a bachelor of engineering degree from the University of Manchester.
?From May next year, the new EU GDPR will be enforced. There are a number of complex reforms relating to data protection and, if an organisation is found to have failed in its duty to protect personal data, fines could be as much as four per cent of annual turnover or £20m whichever is higher,” he said.
“These considerable penalties mean it is going to be crucial for organisations to be fully prepared. But with under a year to go, organisations are still struggling to get to grips with what has been hailed as a new era for personal data security.
By answering readers” questions, I hope to help businesses understand the steps they need to take to prepare for the EU GDPR. There’s no doubt that the regulations are wide-ranging but taking a step-by-step, holistic approach and not panicking will make all the difference.
Meet our GDPR doctors of law
Vengadesan?leads the Penningtons Manches Data Protection groupJoanne Vengadesan
Vengadesanis a commercial/IP and IT partner with Penningtons Manches, specialising in data protection and technology transactions. Joanne is a co-chair of the Data Protection Law Committee for international technology law association, iTechLaw.
She is also a member of the Society for Computers and Law, and co-chairs the Multilaw privacy and information security group (a global network of privacy practitioners)And leads the Penningtons Manches Data Protection group.
The legal expert”has presented a number of seminars on the GDPR and compliance with current data protection laws, and regularly speaks on the topic both in the UK and abroad.?
Richardson regularly speaks on data protection and information law issuesDaff Richardson
Richardson is an employment partner with Penningtons Manches, whose practice includes data protection advice for employers. She co-leads the firm’s thriving Education practice group.
As someone who has?presented several sessions on the GDPR and compliance with current data protection laws, Richardson?regularly speaks on data protection and information law issues.
So, there they are, our GDPR doctors.
They?ll bring insights from their own industries and react to developments, but if you have burning GDPR questions that you?d like answered, please send them to [email protected] and we ll get these answered for you.
