The Centre for Information Policy Leadership, a global privacy and security think tank founded in 2001 by leading companies and Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, announced today that the UK government has selected CIPL President Bojana Bellamy and Vivienne Artz OBE, Data Strategy and Privacy Policy external advisor to CIPL, as members of its new International Data Transfer Expert Council.

“In the modern digital age, enabling free and trusted global data flows is critical for every country, economy and society. I couldn’t be happier that the UK Government has set up the International Data Transfers Expert Council. It will help highlight the issues faced daily by businesses and governments and provide a diverse and much needed forum for crafting constructive solutions, policies and best practices for responsible use and sharing of data across national borders,” Bellamy said.

Bellamy and Artz join a diverse group of data professionals combining the world’s leading academics and digital industry figures in launching the 20-member council to advise the UK government in its mission of unlocking the benefits of free and secure cross-border data flows following the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union.

The members of the government-appointed council were selected from civil society, academia and industry from around the world. Their experiences cover a range of areas including patient healthcare, scientific research, artificial intelligence and finance. The group will meet quarterly to tackle issues such as future data adequacy partnerships, the development of new data-transfer tools, and how governments can work together to promote greater trust in sharing personal data for law enforcement and national security purposes.

International data transfers underpin our everyday life and are the foundations for our most-used tech, from GPS navigation and smart devices to online banking. They are also instrumental to digital healthcare, having driven the development of treatment and vaccines during the pandemic. Removing barriers to data flows will mean these services can be provided more reliably, cheaply and securely.

About CIPL 

The Centre for Information Policy Leadership is a global think tank that encourages responsible information governance. Through collaboration with industry leaders, civil society, consumer organizations and government representatives, it explores innovative and pragmatic approaches to global policy issues, seeking to build privacy and data protection in practice while balancing economic and societal needs and interests. More details about the Centre can be found at www.informationpolicycentre.com.