Biographies of Speakers & Workshop Leaders
Below are the confirmed data protection experts and leaders speaking at the 25th Annual Data Protection Compliance Conference in 2026
Ann Bevitt is a partner in Cooley’s London office, where she focuses on employment, labour, privacy and data security issues.
In her privacy and data security practice Ms. Bevitt assists clients with privacy and data security compliance and risk management, and advises on issues such as effecting data transfers, drafting privacy policies, marketing electronically, monitoring employees and their use of social media, implementing BYOD schemes, dealing with e-discovery, undertaking internal investigations, responding to subject access requests, rolling out whistleblowing hotlines, notifying breaches, conducting privacy audits and handling data protection complaints
Ms. Bevitt was named as one of the top 50 UK executives across all industries who work part time or flexibly in Timewise’s 2014 Power Part Time List, and she is the author of the chapter on Data Security, Cybersecurity and Breach Notifications for the 7th edition of ‘Data Protection – a practical guide to UK law’ (2026, Oxford University Press).
Ann Bevitt
Partner
Cooley
Vicki Bowles is a Partner and Barrister, specialising in information and privacy law. Vicki has been providing pragmatic, clear and strategic advice on data protection, privacy, confidentiality and access to information since 2005, when working as in house legal advisor within the government legal service.
Vicki advises on all areas of data protection, including compliance (audits, policies and accountability), data subject requests – particularly in the context of complex disputes where practical and strategic advice is required, data breaches, the data protection elements of cybersecurity, corporate due diligence, requests for disclosure made by authorities such as the police or courts, international transfers and TRAs, and contractual clauses relevant to information sharing.
Vicki Bowles
Barrister & Partner
Bevan Brittan
Chris Lynn is an associate in Cooley’s London office. He advises on the full range of labour and employment and data privacy issues, with a particular focus on the cross-section of both areas, regularly advising on employee data subject access requests and other data issues in the employment sphere.
Chris Lynn
Associate
Cooley
Rowan Clapp is a Barrister at Cornerstone Barristers. He joined the set as a tenant in October 2019, and is developing a broad practice across all areas of Chambers’ work, including public law and judicial review, planning and environmental law, housing Law, Information Law, Licensing, Commercial and Regulatory Law. In September 2023, Rowan was appointed to the Attorney General’s C Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown. He is ranked as a “Rising Star” in the Legal 500 directory, and is author of the Outsourcing Personal Data chapter for ‘Data Protection – a practical guide to UK law’ (7th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2026).
Rowan advises, drafts and regularly appears in both the civil and criminal courts instructed by a range of clients, both public and private.
Rowan Clapp
Barrister
Cornerstone Barristers
Richard Cumbley is TMT Partner at Linklaters. Richard has almost 30 years’ experience of advising market-leading organisations on their most complex and business-critical information management and data privacy issues. He has worked on data related projects across the globe, including acting on, and advising on the impact of, landmark case law, as well as supporting clients on contentious and large-scale subject access issues, data localisation, “big data” and major data security incidents.
Splitting his time between Dublin and London, Richard is ranked in the Hall of Fame for data protection by Legal 500, and in Band 1 by Chambers & Partners. Clients describe him as having “an encyclopaedic knowledge of the market and everything data.
Richard Cumbley
TMT Partner
Linklaters
John Fitzsimons is a Barrister at Cornerstone Barristers. He has particular expertise in data protection and information law and is ranked in both Legal 500 (2026) and Chambers and Partners (2026) in these areas. He acts for private clients, public bodies and the Information Commissioner in a range of disputes in the First-tier and Upper Tribunals, as well as in the High Court and Court of Appeal. He is also a contributing author to the leading texts on data protection and information law, namely “Information Rights” by Philip Coppel KC (Hart, 6th ed 2023) and “Data Protection: A Practical Guide to UK Law” by Peter Carey (Oxford, 6th ed 2020). He is a co-author of “Data Protection, Privacy and Information Law” (Law Society, 1st ed, 2024, 2nd ed forthcoming).
John Fitzsimons
Barrister
Cornerstone Barristers
Liz Fitzsimons is Partner at Eversheds Sutherland specialising in data protection and freedom of information. She works for a wide range of clients, both public and private sector, including in the education, health, transport, energy and government arenas. Liz has experience in helping clients with complex and sensitive information requests, internal appeals, defending complaints to the ICO and working with the Information Tribunal. She has advised on publication schemes, FOI planning and strategy, contractual provisions and negotiations, confidentiality arrangements and related data rooms, policies and procedures.
Liz Fitzsimons
Partner
Eversheds Sutherland
Peter Given is a Partner in DAC Beachcroft’s Data, Privacy and Cyber team, specialising in data protection and privacy law. He advises clients on a wide range of data protection matters in a variety of contexts, including in relation to general data protection compliance, data processing and outsourcing arrangements, direct marketing, data subject access requests, data breaches, and cross-border transfers of data.
Peter has previously undertaken secondments to a global US-based bank, a global US-based insurer, and a major European pharmaceutical organisation. In these secondments Peter supported the internal legal teams on data protection and privacy matters and in one secondment acted as the organisation’s interim EMEA head of privacy.
Peter is co-author of the Electronic Communications chapter for ‘Data Protection – a practical guide to UK law’ (7th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2026). Peter also regularly contributes practical compliance articles to Privacy & Data Protection Journal.
Peter Given
Partner
DAC Beachcroft
Richard Hanstock is a Barrister at Cornerstone and is an experienced public lawyer with deep expertise in technology, privacy and cyber security. Known for his operational mindset and pragmatic problem-solving approach, Richard delivers clear and well-informed advice tailored to the specific context in which it is received.
In March 2025, Richard was appointed to the list of Specialist Regulatory Advocates by the Attorney General to handle higher court regulatory prosecutions and enforcement work.
Richard is author of the AI and Data Protection chapter for ‘Data Protection – a practical guide to UK law’ (7th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2026).
Richard Hanstock
Barrister
Cornerstone Barristers
Jade Kowalski is Partner and co-leads DAC Beachcroft’s Data, Privacy and Cyber team. She advises on the full range of data protection issues such as complex data sharing arrangements, the use of cookies, marketing and the use of artificial intelligence. She is known for her pragmatic approach to managing risk and ability to digest complex data protection issues into accessible, commercial advice. Her practical approach to problem solving and advising is highly regarded by clients.
Jade Kowalski
Partner
DAC Beachcroft
Janine McKelvey
Former BT General Counsel
Data, AI & Security; Co-Founder
Women in Law and Data (WiLD)
Dr Barry Scannell is internationally recognised as a leading expert in the area of AI law. He advises clients on issues relating to text and data mining, AI copyright infringement, machine learning, and AI ownership. He has expertise in AI specific contracts, licences, and dataset agreements. Barry specialises in advising on the AI Act and other legislation such as the DSA and GDPR from an AI compliance perspective.
Barry was appointed by the Irish Government to Ireland’s AI Advisory Council; has recently completed the writing stage of his PhD on AI and copyright; and is a member of the Law Society of Ireland’s IP & Technology Committee.
Barry is a frequent contributor to AI Compliance & Risk Journal.
Dr Barry Scannell
Partner
William Fry
Duc Tran is a senior data and privacy lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer with 15 years’ experience advising clients on complex issues in this highly regulated area. Duc’s experience includes advising clients on all aspects of data-related compliance, policy design and implementation, data strategy, data breach response, data retention, data analytics/profiling and the use of AI.
As well as providing advice to clients, Duc is heavily involved in the firm’s thought leadership, including analysis of legal and industry developments. Duc has been quoted in journals and publications (including the Financial Times) regarding data issues, spoken at numerous external events and is a regular contributor of articles to PDP Journals, including Privacy & Data Protection Journal, and AI Compliance & Risk Journal.
Duc Tran
Partner
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Bridget Treacy – For over 20 years Bridget’s legal practice has focused on all aspects of data protection, information governance and cybersecurity issues. Her experience is wide-ranging, having advised large corporations across a range of industry sectors on how to navigate the data protection risks of emerging technologies, multi-jurisdictional security incidents, the creation of effective privacy management programmes, and cross border data transfers. Bridget founded the UK Data Protection team at her previous firm, and served as London Office Managing Partner. For the past 15 years she has consistently been recognised as a leading ‘Leading Individual’ in data protection by Chambers.
Bridget is the Editor of Privacy & Data Protection Journal.
Bridget Treacy
Conference Chair
Eduardo Ustaran is a Partner and Global co-head of the Hogan Lovells Cadwalader Privacy and Cybersecurity practice. Eduardo Ustaran is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading privacy and data protection lawyers and thought leaders. With over 30 years of experience, Eduardo advises multinationals and governments around the world on the adoption of privacy and cybersecurity strategies and policies.
Based in London, Eduardo leads a highly dedicated team advising on all aspects of data protection law – from strategic issues related to the latest technological developments such as artificial intelligence and connected devices to the implementation of global privacy compliance programs and mechanisms to legitimize international data flows.
Eduardo is a regular contributor to Privacy & Data Protection Journal, and is the author of the chapter on Data Exports for the 7th edition of ‘Data Protection – a practical guide to UK law’ (2026, Oxford University Press).
Eduardo Ustaran
Partner
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader