Data Protection Officers do not usually think of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) as an area relevant to their work.

But a session on 23 March at the IAPP UK Intensive in London explained that a DPO does have a role to play in negotiations due to the value of an organisation’s data and how it can be greatly influenced by the way that data has been collected and managed.

To play a useful role in the negotiation, when it comes to discussing the value of your organisation’s personal data, a DPO needs to speak the language of the board. This means a focus on the strategic value of the data rather than explaining the details in legal language. Greg Palmer, Counsel, Linklaters; Mark Thompson, Research Director, IAPP; and Giles Watkins, Investor, shared their experience.