Hello, I'm Robert de Souza.
As a strategic Chief Data Protection Officer and AI Governance Professional with over 30 years of cross-sector experience—including a decade in legal roles—I specialize in advising B2B and B2C organizations on data protection compliance and ethical AI practices. I lead the development and implementation of comprehensive data privacy strategies, standards, and governance frameworks that align with evolving global regulatory requirements. My expertise spans data protection, artificial intelligence governance, business law, criminal law, and employment law across the UK, EU, and USA. I possess deep knowledge of key legislation including the GDPR, UK Data Protection Act 2018, PECR, U.S. State data privacy laws, and the PDPA. With a proven track record as a Chief Data, Protection, and Compliance Officer in international blue-chip companies, I drive change management initiatives to ensure regulatory readiness, including GDPR and the EU Cybersecurity Directive. In addition to my executive leadership experience, I am a published author on data protection and AI governance, contributing thought leadership on the intersection of emerging technologies and privacy law.
Details
- Location
- Years of Relevant Experience15-20years
- Seniority LevelC-Suite
- Highest Level of EducationDegree
Current / Most Recent Job Title
Senior Data Protection Officer
Current / Most Recent Employment
Tokio Marine Kiln
Industry
Specific Jurisdictions That I'm Qualified In or Can Cover
Skills
Transformational Programme Leadership Business Planning & Strategy Development Budgetary Management (OPEX & CAPEX), P&L Business, Technology and IT Alignment Full Project Lifecycle Management, PMO Strategy, Innovation & Mission Planning Programmes, Services & Product Development Technology Evaluation, Review & Selection IT Best Practice Frameworks & Service Delivery Transition and Transformation Management PRINCE2, Waterfall, Agile (SCRUM, KANBAN) ISO 27001 Data strategies, procedures and governance Outsourcing and Offshoring of IT Services BI and predictive analytics Cyber Security IT Upgrades and Innovative Technologies Legal Services and Contract Negotiation Service Management, SLAs, OLAs, KPI Metrics Disaster Recovery (DR) & Business Continuity Business Cases & Benefits Realisation Business Process Re-engineering & Change Technology and Product Development Data Protection, UK / EU Law, GDPR, PECR, USA Team Leadership and Team Management Skills Stakeholder Engagement & Relationships Excellent Communication & Presentation Skills Business Intelligence and Data Analytics PCI compliance Experience of advising on US data protection laws Policy development Familiarisation with SRA Code of Conduct Legal and business level understanding of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Data Privacy Information Governance
Areas of Professional Interest
Data protection AI Governance and Compliance