IAPP Asia Privacy Forum 2024

Benjamin Ang is the Chief Data Officer (Policy) at AI Singapore, where he oversees governance and policies around the uses of AISG’s data assets. He also leads implementation of cybersecurity and data privacy measures for AISG’s data assets.

He is concurrently a Senior Fellow and Deputy Head of the Center of Excellence for National Security (CENS), a policy research think tank in the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He leads the Cyber and Homeland Defence Programme (CHDP) of CENS, a team whose research areas include international cyber norms, cyber deterrence, cyber state governance, hybrid warfare and influence operations, cybercrime, smart city cybersecurity and governance, data privacy, national security issues in artificial intelligence, disinformation, foreign interference, hybrid threats, and strategic communications. The team includes researchers based in Singapore and adjuncts from the USA and Israel, who are drawn from multidisciplinary backgrounds of law, technology, communications, psychology, political science, marketing, law enforcement, and international relations.

Benjamin also serves on the Executive Committee of the Singapore Chapter of the Internet Society, the international non-profit enterprise that is the trusted source of leadership on internet policy, technology standards, and future development.

Leandro Angelo Y. Aguirre is the Deputy Commissioner of the Philippine National Privacy Commission and has served in that role since February 2018.

He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law and his Master of Laws from Harvard Law School. He is a member of both the Philippine Bar and the New York State Bar.

He is also a member of the academe having taught various subjects in the University of the Philippines College of Law since 2013. He served as an advisor on the bill that eventually became the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Vikash holds a Master of Science degree in Cyber Laws & Information Security, from the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, India. In addition to his strong foundation in information security and Cyber Laws, he also holds an MBA degree, with keen inclination in management studies.

Prior to joining the Government of India, Vikash gained experience as an Information Security auditor at leading IT companies. Currently, at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India he holds dual roles: one as Staff Officer to the Secretary and another as Scientist 'D'. In these capacities, Vikash has been deeply involved in the development and formulation of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 and presently is working on associated rules. His contributions are instrumental in shaping and implementing legislation designed to safeguard digital personal data in India.

Lanx Goh is the Global Head of Privacy with Prudential and recently selected as Top 10 Guardians of the Cyber Space by the Cyber Express. Lanx was formerly the Data Privacy Senior Counsel for TikTok Pte Ltd, Senior Legal Counsel and Privacy & Cybersecurity Lead for Klook Travel Technology Limited and Head of Investigation at the Personal Data Protection Commission where he was involved in the review process of the revised Personal Data Protection Act. He is an Honorary Consul of Bulgaria to Singapore, Adjunct Associate Professor with the National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law and Adjunct Lecturer with the Singapore Management University, School of Law where he developed and continues to co-teach the Privacy & Data Protection Law courses. Lanx is a Fellow of Information Privacy and Board Member with the International Association of Privacy Professionals, Asia Advisory Board, and sits on the Advisory Board of Cyber Express. Further, Lanx is an accredited mediator with the Singapore Mediation Centre and the Singapore International Mediation Institute.

He is also one of the authors for the second edition of Simon Chesterman (ed), Data Protection Law in Singapore: Privacy and Sovereignty in an Interconnected World. By invitations, he had published articles for peer-reviewed journals in Japan, Singapore and the United Kingdom on privacy, data protection and cybersecurity laws as well as international commercial litigation and arbitration. He had also spoken at various conferences and seminars such as IAPP Asia Privacy Forum, ISCA: Financial Forensic and Cybersecurity Conference, In-House Counsel: An Integral Part of Cybersecurity, Hong Kong and Data Protection in the Digital World Summit, Bulgaria.

Joe Jones serves as the Director of Research and Insights for the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). Leading the Research & Insights team, he provides strategic direction and contributes to the development of practical content for privacy professionals on privacy law and policy, data protection management, and privacy technology and engineering. This work includes engaging with privacy leaders from industry, government, academia and civil society as he keeps IAPP members informed on data protection developments around the world.

Previously, Joe served as the Deputy Director for International Data Transfers with the UK Government where he led the team responsible for UK Government policies relating to free and secure flow of data internationally. This included work on data adequacy partnerships, alternative transfer mechanisms, and multilateral initiatives that promote the trusted exchange of data across borders. Other prior roles include serving as the UK Government’s Deputy Head of Digital Trade policy and working in the private sector as a lawyer on international data issues with Covington & Burling LLP.

Joe has been globally acknowledged as a leader in privacy law and policy. In 2022, Politico named him as the fourth most influential ‘rulemaker’ in Europe as well as the Digital policy ‘Wonk of the week’ in September of 2021.

He has led dozens of UK Government diplomatic delegations or missions, holds over 200 public and private speaking credits on data protection and transfers, and has contributed frequently to academic and professional publications, including the National Law Review.

He received his BA in Jurisprudence (Law) with honors from the University of Oxford and his Legal Practitioner Course with honors from the University of Law.

Joe can be found on Twitter at @JoeGTJones and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/joe-jones-b1793bb6

Mr Yeong Zee Kin holds a Master of Laws from Queen Mary University of London and completed his undergraduate law degree at the National University of Singapore. His experience as a technology, media and telecommunications lawyer spans both the private and public sectors. He has spoken and published in areas relating to electronic evidence and intellectual property, as well as legal issues relating to Blockchain and AI deployment. Zee Kin is an internationally known expert on AI ethics. He spearheaded the development of Singapore’s Model AI Governance Framework, which won the UNITU WSIS Prize in 2019. He is currently a member of the OECD Network of Experts on AI (ONE AI). In 2019, he was a member of the AI Group of Experts at the OECD (AIGO), which developed the OECD Principles on AI. These principles have been endorsed by the G20 in 2019. He was also an observer participant at the European Commission’s HighLevel Expert Group on AI, which fulfilled its mandate in June 2020.

Zee Kin is also a well-regarded expert on data privacy issues. He has contributed to publications on legal issues relating to data privacy and has spoken at many well-known international and domestic platforms on this topic.

As Associate General Counsel and Head of Privacy Legal at OpenAI, Jessica Gan Lee advises the company on global privacy and data protection as it advances its mission of building safe and beneficial AGI. Prior to joining OpenAI, she was a leader on Google's Privacy Legal team, managing a team of privacy lawyers, counseling the company on global data protection compliance and product development, and presenting to regulatory authorities. She previously worked as a product counsel for Google and an IP litigation associate for the Boston law firm Choate, Hall & Stewart. She has a JD from UCLA Law and a BA from UC Berkeley.

William leads Google's international privacy legal and consumer protection function, managing a team across London, Hamburg, Paris, Dublin and Singapore. During his time at Google, William has worked on multiple CJEU data protection cases and regulatory matters and has represented Google with global policy makers.

William has helped Google product and compliance teams formulate internal policies and compliance plans on a wide range of issues including GDPR, right to be forgotten, AI/ML, cloud privacy and international data transfers and is a frequent speaker/ panelist at conferences and industry events on data protection and privacy issues.

Mr. Thienchai Na Nakorn is a distinguished legal professional with an extensive range of expertise and experience. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Personal Data Protection Committee, a member of the Council of State, an honorary member of the Official Information Committee, an honorary member of the National Environment Committee and Chairman, Board of Director, The National Institute of Educational Testing Service (Public Organization).

Mr. Na Nakorn has contributed his legal expertise to several expert committees and subcommittees at the national level, including his appointment as:

Mr. Na Nakorn’s significant contributions to legal scholarship are evidenced by dozens of academic publications in various areas of law. He is a Barrister at Law of the Thai Bar Association, and his academic qualifications include a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Ramkhamhaeng University.

Overall, Mr. Na Nakorn’s broad range of expertise, vast experience in the legal field, and his numerous contributions to various committees and subcommittees at the national level make him a highly qualified legal professional.

Denise is presently the Assistant Chief Executive (Data Innovation & Protection Group). Her scope of work includes developing forward-thinking governance on AI and data, driving a pipeline of AI talent, promoting industry adoption of AI and data analytics, as well as building specific AI and data science capabilities in Singapore.

Denise concurrently holds the appointment of Deputy Commissioner of the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and oversees the administration and enforcement of the Personal Data Protection Act (2012). Her key responsibilities include managing the formulation and implementation of policies relating to the protection of personal data, as well as the issuing of enforcement directions for institutional actions. Denise is an expert in OECD’s Network of Experts on AI and is also on the Expert Advisory Panel for the AI Safety Summit’s “State of the Science Report”.

Denise joined IMDA on 1 September 2021 as Cluster Director of the Strategic Policy and Operations Cluster. She led a team to bring legislative amendments through Parliament to tackle online harms on social media, and subsequently set up the Online Communications Office to regulate social media platforms. Denise also oversaw teams that regulate against misinformation in the online space and scams perpetrated through the telecom networks.

Earlier in her career, Denise was a Justices’ Law Clerk and Assistant Registrar at the Supreme Court of Singapore before joining the Attorney-General’s Chambers Civil Division as State Counsel.