On Data Privacy Day, leaders in the tech industry are speaking out about the importance of data protection and information security. Vindhya Vishwanath Kudva, Data Protection, and Information Security Officer at Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW), emphasises the importance of a holistic approach to data privacy. “Safeguarding the privacy of our stakeholders by safeguarding their personal data is a key focus area and is achieved by a data privacy strategy that is holistic, proactive and risk-based,” she says.
Raymond Velez, Global Chief Technology Officer at Publicis Sapient, highlights the need for consent and security in data privacy strategies. He advises organisations to “earn trust with consumers and ensure compliance” through progressive consent management and to leverage modern privacy-enhancing technologies such as cleanrooms.
Ramesh Jampula, Vice President of IT at Dell Technologies, stresses the role of a robust IT infrastructure in maintaining data privacy. He states that modernising IT infrastructure is key to driving innovation, improving customer experiences, boosting reliability and security, and staying competitive.
Anitha Scaria George, Vice President of India COE and Country Leader at Celonis, echoes this sentiment, emphasising the importance of building privacy and security into everything the organisation does.
Brian Gin, Chief Privacy Officer at Trellix, reminds us that privacy is a responsibility shared by all. He encourages companies to empower all employees to be responsible for protecting data and to view privacy as a fundamental human right.
ALSO READ:
Pankit Desai, CEO & Co-founder of Sequretek, suggests that the first step for companies is to figure out their data life cycle. This includes understanding how data gets created, processed, stored, and discarded, and ensuring that at each point of this cycle, access is controlled and the data is protected. Desai also stresses the importance of identifying who the custodian of the data is within the company and understanding the security elements of each part of the data life cycle.
Anitha Scaria George emphasised the need for organisations to recognise that security and privacy are not just priorities, but necessities. She recommended building privacy by design across the entire organisation, ensuring access controls are advanced and up to date, taking precautions to reduce the risk of improper access, and encrypting all sensitive data, both at rest and in transit. She also suggested that organisations should continuously educate themselves and their employees on proper data handling, and consider the long-term management of their privacy programme.
Overall, these industry leaders stress the importance of a holistic approach to data privacy, including consent management, security, and robust IT infrastructure, as well as the role of every employee in protecting data. As we celebrate Data Privacy Day, it is important to remember that safeguarding personal data is essential for both individuals and organisations.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
