IAPP Data Protection Intensive: UK 2024

2023 event highlights

The DPI: UK 2023 programme featured a deep lineup of U.K. data protection policymakers, including present and past U.K. information commissioners, a member of the U.K. House of Lords, and the head of a newly formed agency focused on technology innovation.

The government officials joined an international privacy activist and IAPP moderators in front of a record crowd in London. In addition to the keynote speakers, the DPI: UK 2023 agenda included breakout sessions on operational and policy topics and a full schedule of networking programmes.

Keynote speakers
U.K. Information Commissioner John Edwards outlined his vision of a more agile ICO that promotes ‘confidence in the digital economy.’ Michelle Donelan, secretary of state for the newly created Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), touted a ‘common-sense-led’ U.K. version of the GDPR that will save U.K. industry £4 billion over the next 10 years by reducing bureaucratic overhead.

Tim Clement-Jones, Liberal Democrat House of Lords spokesperson for Science, Innovation and Technology, joined Bojana Bellamy, Centre for Information Policy Leadership president, in a keynote conversation. Clement-Jones spoke in favour of the current U.K. data protection regime but advocated incorporating components of the EU GDPR into the U.K. to clarify legitimate interests and research aspects.

IAPP Director of Research and Insights Joe Jones moderated a discussion with former U.K. Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham and privacy activist Max Schrems. They talked about the global data transfer environment – ‘chaos,’ in Denham’s words – and the advantages and disadvantages of the EU’s one-stop shop regulation model, which ‘kind of works” but is “messy and slow,” Schrems said.

Breakouts and networking
Breakout sessions covered topics including artificial intelligence, children’s privacy, cross-border data transfers, statutory updates in major jurisdictions, and a wide range of operational issues: protecting children’s data, maturing beyond first-generation privacy programs and technology, automating data protection processes, etc.

A variety of networking events provided opportunities to make new connections and renew existing ones.

Delegates were invited to connect with peers at meet-ups focused on AI, cybersecurity and diversity in privacy. Roundtable discussions on topics such as employee monitoring, risk management, and equality in data protection. Younger data protection professionals connected with established colleagues at the Mentor Mingle. The Privacy Social and Networking Happy Hour leaned toward the casual end of the spectrum, with guests socialising over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at London hot spots M Threadneedle Street and the Astronomer Pup.

2023 gallery

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