The DPO as Strategic Business Partner

Tom McNamara from Apex Privacy joins us for round 2 on DPOs, and how they can become strategic business partners

The DPO as Strategic Business Partner

Watch Part 2 on DPOs with Tom McNamara!

Having comprehensively covered DPOs & Conflict in the first of two Privacy Kitchen sessions, we’re delighted that Tom McNamara, Founder & CEO of Apex Privacy and the Data Privacy Podcast, joined us again to discuss how DPOs can become strategic business partners.

And as you’ll see, DPOs are in a unique position to do this, in more ways than one!

Leaving conflict behind

We dealt pretty thoroughly with conflict in the first session.  In this session, we’re looking at the huge positives out there for Data Protection Officers in terms of moving to be seen as strategic business partners.  We start with insights from the CIPD and The American Management Association before diving into:

  • Learnings from other professions
  • The importance of understanding the culture and the drivers of the organisation
  • Embedding yourself in the business and building relationships that will empower your work
  • Communicating the why
  • Letting your colleagues have Privacy wins and ownership of the program
  • Making your colleagues look good
  • A DPO’s unique view and access across the organisation – and the insights you can deliver outside Privacy
  • The unsung value of a DPO’s network

Brexit

No, we don’t mention Brexit!

Links

GDPR itself!

Art 29 WP, WP 243 rev.01, Guidelines on Data Protection Officers (‘DPOs’), Adopted on 13 December 2016, As last Revised and Adopted on 5 April 2017 

EDPS Position paper on the role of Data Protection Officers of the EU institutions and bodies 30 September 2018 

UK ICO Guide to DPOs

Apex Privacy

Data Privacy Podcast

 

 


Related Articles

Image of the Top 5 Traps with Assessments video
Blog Privacy Kitchen
The Top 5 Traps with Assessments

Our lovely new Assessments module launched in February 2025. Assessments have always been in Keepabl – prompted, linked, uploaded and reported on – now you can carry out the Assessment…

Read More
Privacy Kitchen
Ransomware and the Blackbaud breach

If you’ve heard about the Blackbaud and CWT ransomware attacks and data breaches, but you’re not sure what happened – or what it means for you in practice – listen…

Read More