Meet the expert: Beatriz Ruiz-Beato to speak at Last Thursday in Privacy

Broadcasting on January 26, Last Thursday in Privacy is a livestreaming experience that takes global audiences on a deep-dive into the issues shaping the modern-day digital landscape.

Beatriz Ruiz-Beato is Head of Global Data Privacy/Data Compliance Division at NEC Corporation. She leverages over 15 years’ experience in IT-related roles across multiple sectors and specialising in the operationalisation of Data Protection.

Beatriz will be appearing exclusively at Last Thursday in Privacy to discuss the evolution of Data Protection in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

We spoke with Beatriz for more on her career so far, and for an introduction into the key themes of her session at Last Thursday in Privacy.

Could you describe your professional journey? 

I am a Spanish qualified lawyer. My professional experience has been in companies related to the technology sector. I started working at NEC in 2018, where I have had different roles currently, I am the Head of global privacy. I am now fully dedicated to data protection matters.

Could you outline the latest trends and developments that are dictating data protection regulation in the MENA region?

Data protection in the MENA region is developing quickly. More countries are signing up for Data Protection regulatory frameworks across Africa and the globe, such as Zambia and Zimbabwe. This is an indication of increased seriousness around Data Protection matters.

Many multinationals, data protection authorities, and regional institutions will continue to discuss how to ease the movement of information from country to country or continent to continent with less restriction in order to enhance cross-border business.

With increased awareness, consumers are progressively more informed about their data rights. They expect companies to respect their privacy by processing, storing, and transferring their personal data safely. 

What primary data protection challenges and opportunities do businesses in this region face?

Worldwide, Data Privacy regulations are becoming more complicated and intense. While the MENA has moved slower on this front than other regions, it is catching up. This is a growing concern as privacy concerns for businesses grow, resulting in trust issues and debates over how to overcome challenges.

Governments are getting serious about leading on the global stage and enforcing Data Privacy. In addition to implementing new privacy programs and controls to adapt to this shift, organisations will also need to invest in changing cultural attitudes toward Data Privacy. Change management initiatives that ensure everyone who interacts with sensitive data is brought into the policies will be critical.