Speakers
Ireland and EU privacy/digital laws: New horizons
14 May 2026
All speakers confirmed to date
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Jennifer Dolan
Deputy Commissioner, Data Protection Commission, Ireland
Jennifer Dolan was appointed as Deputy Commissioner, Head of Inter-Regulatory Affairs at the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) in August 2024. In this role, she leads on the DPC’s engagement with EU and national co-regulators in the digital regulatory landscape. Jennifer previously served as Assistant Commissioner for Children’s Policy at the DPC for over six years, leading on children’s policy matters at a national and EU level, while also working across the DPC’s Legal and Supervision units. Jennifer carries this policy role forward, and represents the DPC on a regular basis at expert sub-group meetings of the European Data Protection Board ("EDPB").
Jennifer holds a BA (Hons) and an MA from Dublin City University, as well as an MA from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.
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David Fennelly
Barrister and Assistant Professor of Law, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
David is a senior counsel at the Bar of Ireland. He specialises in public law and European law, with particular expertise in data protection law. He has appeared in many leading data protection cases before the Irish courts and the Court of Justice of the European Union. He is also an assistant professor in the School of Law, Trinity College Dublin.
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Adam Finlay
Partner, McCann FitzGerald, Ireland
Adam is the head of the firm’s Technology and Innovation Group and advises on a wide range of data protection, information technology, intellectual property, cyber security and outsourcing issues. His clients include international and domestic market leaders, innovative disruptors and regulatory bodies.
He acts as trusted advisor to clients on all aspects of data protection and e-privacy law and compliance strategies, with a particular focus on providing sector specific and commercial advice.
On the technology side, Adam drafts and negotiates outsourcing agreements software licences, IT services agreements and transitional services agreements and advises on the legal issues attached to digital transformation projects, transacting online and dealing with consumers. He leads teams advising on some of the largest and most complex outsourcing projects in Ireland. He also advises on navigating existing and upcoming legal requirements laws in relation to new and emerging technologies.
Adam has particular expertise in the commercialisation of intellectual property. His work in this area includes drafting and negotiating assignments, licensing, collaboration, technology transfer, franchising, distribution, agency, sponsorship and naming rights agreements and advising on brand protection strategy, advertising and product placement. He is also a registered trade mark agent.
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Dr Des Hogan
Commissioner for Data Protection, Data Protection Commission, Ireland
Des Hogan was appointed as Commissioner for Data Protection and Chairperson of the Irish Data Protection Commission in February 2024. Prior to that he was Assistant Chief State Solicitor in the Office of the Chief State Solicitor in the period 2015-2024. He served as Acting Chief Executive in the Irish Human Rights Commission in 2007 and from 2012 to 2014. He previously worked for the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and for Amnesty International in Australia and its International Secretariat in London. A solicitor by profession, Dr Hogan was awarded a Masters in European Law from University College Dublin and a PhD in Philosophy of Law from Trinity College Dublin.
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Ruth Hughes
Partner, McCann FitzGerald, Ireland
Ruth is a Partner in the Technology & Innovation Group. She has significant experience advising clients in the private and public sector on a wide range of commercial contract, IT outsourcing, intellectual property, data protection and freedom of information matters and also provides specialist advice in the areas of advertising and food law.
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Paul Lavery
Partner, McCann FitzGerald, Ireland
Paul is a Partner in the Technology and Innovation Group and advises on a wide range of information technology, data protection, intellectual property, confidentiality and freedom of information issues.
Paul drafts and negotiates cutting-edge technology supply and implementation agreements and IT outsourcing agreements with a key focus on mobilisation, business transformation and key performance elements as well as exit management.
Paul is a leading expert on data protection and advises a large number of private sector entities and public bodies on their data protection obligations under existing and prospective data protection law, including advising on subject access requests, data security incidents, marketing obligations and consents, record retention matters, data protection notices, policies and privacy statements, data controller and data processor registrations as well as solutions to facilitate the transfer of data outside the EEA.
Paul is heavily involved in advising a number of private sector and public sector clients on their obligations under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including carrying out data protection assessments and audits and completing data inventories in order to advise clients on what changes to processing activities, data protection notices and agreements etc to ensure compliance with GDPR.
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Paul McDonagh-Forde
Brussels Attaché (Assistant Commissioner), Ireland's Data Protection Commission, Belgium
Paul McDonagh-Forde is the Irish Data Protection Commission’s Brussels-based Attaché. He leads the DPC’s interactions in Brussels with a wide variety of organisations, including the European Commission, the European Data Protection Board and the European Parliament, as well as civil society organisations and regulated entities that have a presence in Brussels.
Having first joined the DPC as a member of the legal unit in 2019, Paul has advised primarily on large scale cross-border regulation, with a focus both on Irish and EU law, in his capacity as an Irish-qualified barrister. He also has extensive experience of engagement with a variety of expert sub-groups within the European Data Protection Board, including procedures that have given rise to opinions, guidelines and binding decisions.
Paul holds an LL.B from Trinity College Dublin, an LL.M from the University of Edinburgh and a Barrister-at-law degree from the King’s Inns in Dublin. Prior to joining the DPC, Paul worked as a judicial assistant/clerk at the Supreme Court of Ireland.
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Michael McGrath
EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, European Commission
Democracy and the rule of law
Michael McGrath’s task is to uphold and strengthen our core values and principles that underpin our Union, our societies and our economies. He works to ensure that citizens can have confidence in state power being exercised fairly and objectively.Justice and consumer protection
Michael McGrath is also in charge of justice and consumer protection. His task is to ensure that rights are defended, corruption is punished, and contracts are enforced. -
Doug McMahon
Partner, McCann, FitzGerald, Ireland
Doug is a partner in the Technology and Innovation Group and advises on a wide range of matters including information technology, intellectual property, data protection, cyber security, confidentiality and freedom of information.
Doug has particular expertise in relation to the implementation of the GDPR in private and public sector organisations. He also has significant experience advising in relation to data protection breaches and data security incidents, from initial investigation and reporting to resolution.
Doug advises a wide range of clients in connection with complex commercial agreements, with a particular specialism in relation to agreements involving information technology and large scale outsourcing projects.
Doug lectures and provides workshops for clients and industry organisations on a number of topics, including obligations under the GDPR. He is also a trainer on PDP’s certificate course in data protection compliance.
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Richard Nicholas
Partner, Browne Jacobson, UK
Richard heads up the data, digital and sourcing teams in Birmingham. Recognised as a leading expert in technology law by Legal 500 and in Chambers and Partners, Richard advises on an array of matters including outsourcing, e-commerce, data protection and contracts. Richard advises on the adoption of new technologies, from development through procurement and implementation to support and resale.
Richard has worked with technology suppliers such as Vodafone, BT, Tech Data and NTT Data as well as their customers, including many of the UK’s largest retailers, banks, government departments and charities. His experience of negotiating on different sides of a transaction means that he’s well placed to anticipate and deal with issues that arise.
Richard also heads up Ascensus, our programme for in-house lawyers and business leaders, focusing on the needs of general counsel, DPOs and business owners. He has trained several hundred in-house lawyers and is a regular speaker at data and digital law events on topics such as dealing with a data breach, use of smart contracts, blockchain and NFTs. He has been interviewed on BBC Radio 4s ‘You and Yours’ and on local news on digital disruption and changes to data law.
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Cathal Ryan
Deputy Commissioner, Data Protection Commission, Ireland
Cathal Ryan was appointed Deputy Commissioner, with responsibility for Consultation and Supervision in January 2023. He is a qualified lawyer specialising in regulatory and data protection law.
Cathal has worked in a number of regulatory senior management and legal roles with Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Chief States Solicitor’s Office, the Legal Aid Board and the DPC (as an Assistant Commissioner between 2015 and 2020). He is a key contributor at a national and an EU level on behalf of the DPC and was the lead rapporteur for EU Codes of Conduct guidelines.
In his current role, he has responsibility for the following:
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Stewart Dresner
Chief Executive, Privacy Laws & Business
Stewart graduated from the University of Lancaster in Politics and Marketing. In 1975 Stewart initiated research on Open Government at the UK Consumers’ Association. He then made an independent trip to the USA and Canada, meeting consumer advocates, politicians and journalists researching Freedom of Information (FoI) and privacy legislation. He had articles published in The Geographical Magazine, in 1977 on the use of the FoI Act by the Navajo Tribe of Arizona, and The Times in 1978 on the use of the FoI Act to improve car safety. In May 1980, the Outer Circle Policy Unit published his Open Government: Lessons from America. His career included consumer research and working for The Economist as a business journalist where he wrote occasionally on privacy laws and honed his skills as an investigator and writer.
He launched the Privacy Laws & Business Newsletter in February 1987. In October 1988 he organised PL&B’s first international conference. Stewart co-founded and chaired the UK’s Data Protection Forum, and has spoken at conferences around the world. He lives and works in Pinner, has a beautiful wife, who wrote this, and 3 adult sons.