Matt Hudson

Headshot

QBE

Group Privacy Manager

I've worked in privacy since 2008, starting in local government in the UK. 



I hold a business degree, and various practitioner qualifications in privacy, ISO27000, and information risk management. Following a previous career in hospitality retail management I retrained in IT and business analysis, then found myself undertaking information audits and broader information governance projects. 



Privacy was far & away the most interesting element of my early roles, and I progressed into senior privacy roles in the public sector, financial services and now retail. I moved to the Gold Coast with my family in 2018, and now act as regional DPO for a well-known Australian global brand in Brisbane. Through roles in multinational businesses I've had exposure to most global regions, but my specialist area is the EU (GDPR/ePrivacy), and now Australia and NZ. 



I have a keen interest in the ethics of privacy and its effect on personal freedom - in particular its effect on gender & minority groups. I'm a pragmatic practitioner, and believe that whilst compliance with regulations is great, ultimately the protection of individuals' rights & freedoms is the goal.