About the IAPP

Christopher Schmidt, FIP; CIPP/E; CIPM; CIPT, CDPO/FR; is a German Magister of Law and Attorney-at-Law (Rechtsanwalt) experienced in European Data Protection and IT law, building on his profound IT and pentesting knowledge. He currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for the IAPP's CIPP/E Exam Development Board and has been selected as an expert on data protection matters by the Council of Europe.

Christopher has worked at the International and European Affairs Department of the Hessian Data Protection Commissioner which handles cooperation and consistency procedures in accordance with Chapter VII of the GDPR, acts as a contact point including for the European Data Protection Board and oversees international data transfers and related safeguards (i.e., Binding Corporate Rules, Standard Data Protection Clauses). He was also tasked with matters relating to employee data protection, automated HR data processing as well as advising and monitoring data protection officers from both the public and the private sectors.

In addition, Christopher has worked for renowned global law firms, focusing on cybersecurity and data protection matters across all sectors. Christopher particularly worked in privacy litigation and compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), European, and German data protection laws. His work also included drafting and negotiating policies and agreements (including mergers and acquisitions agreements), incident response, transfer safeguards and assessments, as well as all types of risk-based and technical documentation, auditing, and safeguarding of personal and non-personal data. He has extensive experience in advising on regulatory compliance for emerging technology products, as well as web-based, mobile and decentralized applications. Among the clients he has advised are leading technology and software providers, financial institutions and blockchain businesses, global pharmaceutical and tourism companies.

As a freelancer, Christopher runs advanced courses and workshops for law students as well as for lawyers and data protection officers on current European data protection matters in German, English, French, and Italian. In 2020, he launched the European Essential Guarantees Guide [www.essentialguarantees.com] to help data exporters with conducting global transfer impact assessments in a post-Schrems II world.

Christopher also helps to review the IAPP's German training material.