Privacy Management Programme

Webinar: How to Build a Mature Privacy Programme That Actually Works

Many organisations have the right privacy documents in place. Policies are written, registers are maintained, assessments are completed, and governance materials exist. On paper, the privacy management programme appears complete.

But in practice, many privacy programmes struggle when they are tested in real business situations.

Under pressure, the same issues often appear: ownership is unclear, processes are fragmented, governance is reactive, and privacy responsibilities are not embedded into day-to-day operations. What looks strong on paper can quickly reveal itself as weak in execution.

In this webinar, we will explore what separates a documentation-heavy privacy approach from a mature and effective privacy management programme. Drawing on recurring audit findings and practical experience, we will examine the patterns that commonly undermine privacy maturity and discuss what a strong privacy governance framework actually looks like in practice.

More importantly, we will focus on how to fix it.

This session will cover how to build a mature privacy programme by strengthening accountability, improving operational ownership, embedding privacy into business processes, and applying management system thinking to governance, tooling, and execution. We will also look at what makes a privacy programme effective in the real world — not just in policies, but in the way an organisation actually functions.

What we will cover

• Common signs that a privacy management programme exists mainly on paper
• Recurring audit findings that reveal deeper operational weaknesses
• What a mature privacy governance framework looks like in practice
• How to improve ownership, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration
• The role of processes, tooling, and management system thinking in privacy maturity
• How to move from documentation-based compliance to operational effectiveness

Who should attend

This webinar is designed for:

• Data Protection Officers
• Privacy leaders and managers
• Legal and compliance professionals
• Risk and governance teams
• Business leaders responsible for operational accountability

If you are reviewing your current privacy management programme, building a stronger privacy governance framework, or asking what makes a privacy programme effective beyond documentation, this session is for you.

Ralph T O’Brien

Principal and Founder @ Serious Privacy

Ralph O’Brien is a global privacy and data protection expert with over 25 years of experience advising organisations on privacy risk, information governance, GDPR, AI governance, information security, and operational compliance. As Founder and Principal Consultant at Serious Privacy, he helps organisations turn complex legal and technical requirements into practical, business-aligned privacy programmes that work in real environments.

He is also co-host of the award-winning Serious Privacy Podcast and serves as Director of the Institute of Operational Privacy by Design. Ralph is widely recognised for his practical, positive-sum approach to privacy — helping organisations build trust, prevent harm, and embed data protection into decision-making in a meaningful way.

Krete Paal

CEO @ GDPR Register

Krete Paal is the CEO of GDPR Register, where she leads the development of AI-powered tools that make privacy compliance scalable and practical for organisations across Europe. With a strong background in data protection and legal tech — from heading Veriff’s DPO Office to earlier work with the Estonian Police and Border Guard — Krete combines deep regulatory expertise with product leadership.

At GDPR Register, she brings a forward-looking perspective on how AI can support GDPR compliance and align with emerging regulations, turning complex requirements into clear, actionable workflows.

Why attend

If your organisation wants to move beyond checkbox compliance and build a privacy programme that is operational, scalable, and resilient, this webinar will provide practical insight into how mature programmes are structured and why they work.

Join us for a practical discussion on how to build a mature privacy programme — and what it takes to make privacy governance work in real life.