On 22 May 2024, Grant Thronton Cyprus hosted a successful business breakfast event, held at the Loft venue in Nicosia. The event attracted a number of C-suite executives, Data Protection Officers and General Managers from various industries across Cyprus. The event provided the ideal platform for participants to engage with Grant Thornton Cyprus experts and discuss current topics and updates in the ever-evolving landscape of data protection and compliance.

During the event, Grant Thornton Experts analysed several critical topics, providing valuable insights and fostering engaging discussions:

DPO Survey 2024: Cyprus Insights, and the role of the DPO

The event kicked off with the presentation of the Cyprus results from the DPO survey, conducted at the end of 2023 in association with 10 Grant Thornton member firms in Europe. This survey highlighted the pivotal role DPOs play within organisations and helped in establishing an overview of the DPO function in the main European countries. The detailed results of the survey are available here.

The Crucial Role of the Data Protection Officer (DPO) within Organizations

This session underscored the indispensable position of DPOs in safeguarding organizational data and maintaining compliance with GDPR. During this session the key responsibilities of DPOs were discussed, from risk assessment to implementing data protection strategies, emphasising their contribution to building trust and transparency.

Introducing the Europrivacy Certification - The European Data Protection Seal

The event introduced the Europrivacy Certification, the only GDPR certification officially recognised across all EU Member States. This session detailed the certification process, its benefits for companies, and how it serves as a benchmark for GDPR compliance, ensuring that organizations meet stringent data protection standards.

Transitioning to the GRC Intelligence Era

The event concluded with an exploration of transitioning to the GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) Intelligence Era. This session highlighted the challenges faced by organisations in adhering to multiple and overlapping laws in today's global landscape and why and how organisations can digitise their operations. Further to this, this session also explored what is next in AI and Compliance and Risk Management.

In his statement, Christos Makedonas, Partner, Digital Risk Services Leader and event host said: "Our event has successfully brought together key stakeholders to discuss the ever-evolving landscape of data protection and GDPR compliance. The insights shared during this morning underscore the critical role of DPOs and the importance of certifications like Europrivacy in fostering a robust data protection framework across Europe. Our team remains committed to supporting organisations in navigating these challenges and achieving excellence in data governance."