Member of the Article 29 Working Party

The material (opinions, working documents, letters etc.) issued by the Article 29 Working Party (Art. 29 WP), available on this website reflect the views only of the Art. 29 WP which has an advisory status and acts independently. They do not reflect the position of the European Commission.

Austria

Dr. Andrea JELINEK, Director, Österreichische Datenschutzbehörde

Belgium

President of the "Commission de la protection de la vie privée"

Bulgaria

Ventsislav KARADJOV, Commission for Personal Data Protection

Education: Sofia University St. Climent Ohridski, Degree in Law, specialization in law enforcement

Present position: as from 15 April 2014 - Chairman of the Commission for Personal Data Protection

Professional experience:

• February 2011 - April 2014 - Advisor to the 41-th and 42-nd National Assembly on matters, related to the supervision of the security services, the use and employment of special investigation means and the access to data under the Law on Electronic Communications
• April 2011 - April 2014 - Member of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Bulgaria, appointed with decree of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria
• September 2014 - December 2014 - Legal expert to the Ad hoc Committee of Inquiry into the Circumstances around the Facts and the Data, revealed Publicly about Violations, committed in the Commission for Prevention and Ascertainment of Conflict of Interests to the 42-th National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria
• August 2009 - January 2011 - Lawyer on free practice - senior legal advisor to U.S. Agency for International Development and the European Commission funded projects in Tajikistan, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• April 2009 - July 2009 - Advisor to the Minister of Interior on international affairs and fight against corruption
• July 2007 - March 2009 - Senior legal advisor to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, Washington, USA, workplace - Armenia- project financed by U.S Agency for International Development for development of functioning democratic institutions and enhancing their capacity to fight against corruption
• February 2007 - June 2007 - Legal advisor by the preparation of Anticorruption strategy in the Republic of Macedonia - financed by the U.S Agency for International Development
• May 2006 - February 2007 - Lawyer on free practice – senior legal advisor to EU projects in Bulgaria and Romania - provided technical support for the Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works; delivered technical support for enhancing the capacity of NGO’s in Romania and Bulgaria to manage EU funds and projects
• May 2002 - April 2006 - Deputy director and Senor legal expert to the U.S Agency for International Development funded project for fight with corruption and establishment of anticorruption entities in the executive and legislative authorities. Enhancing the capacity of the Bulgarian National Audit Office as independent regulator. Creation of electronic registry on public procurements
• May 2000 - April 2002 - Legal advisor, Program director – Transparency International - Bulgaria, chapter of Transparency International

Croatia

Anto RAJKOVAČA, Director of the Croatian Data Protection Agency

Born 30 July 1965, married, three children.

Specialist in Criminal Investigation, graduated from the Police College in Zagreb (2000).

From 1988 to 2010 employed in the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia as a police officer. He began his professional career as a regular member of the Criminal Police in the Police Station of Split and become Head of the Department for Combating Organized Crime in the General Police Directorate with headquarters in the Ministry of the Interior in Zagreb.

During his professional police career he continually works on his education and personal development, attending many educational programs, actively participating in the work of many professional assemblies and conferences, both in Croatia and abroad, on topics related to organized crime, drug crime and international terrorism.

In 2011 after long police career he continues his professional path in the field of business intelligence and corporative security including the strategic projects related to personal/private protection.

He is a member of the Croatian Association of Security Managers.

He speaks German, English and Russian language.

Cyprus

Ms Irene Loizidou Nikolaidou

Ms Irene Loizidou Nikolaidou studied Law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Journalism in Athens.

She was awarded a Masters Degree in Business Administration by the Cyprus International Institute of Management (CIIM) and she is an Accredited Mediator of CERD.

She is a Member of the Cyprus Bar Association and she practiced Law till her appointment as Commissioner for Personal Data Protection, on 28 September 2015.

She was elected as Member of the Engomi Municipal Council for three successive terms. As a Municipal Counselor, she served as Permanent Member of the Cyprus Municipal Councils’ Association to the Congress of the Local and Regional Authorities of Council of Europe.

Czech Republic

Igor NEMEC, President of the Office for Personal Data Protection

Professional Record

• 2002 - 2005: Prague City Assembly, Member of Prague City Council; Prague City Councillor for Culture, Church and Religious Societies and Tourism (Civic Democratic Party)
• 2002: Mayor of the City of Prague (Civic Democratic Party)
• 1998 - 2002: Prague City Assembly, Member of Prague City Council; Prague City Councillor for Culture, Sport and Physical Training, Church and Religious Societies, Fairs, Congress Tourism and Tourism (Civic Democratic Party)
• 1997 - 1998: Parliament of the Czech Republic, Deputy - member of Committee for Foreign Affairs (Civic Democratic Party)
• 1996 - 1997: Office for State Information System, Prague, Chairman
• 1993 - 1996: Office of the Government of the Czech Republic, Prague; Minister - Head of Office of the Government (Civic Democratic Party); Chairman of Research and Development Council: preparation of a conception of the governmental support of science and research; Executive Deputy Chairman of Government Board for People with Disabilities; Chairman of Inter-ministerial Anti-Drug Commission; Chairman of Council for Nationalities
• 1991 - 1993: Ministry of State Control, Prague; Minister of State Control (Civic Democratic Party); Since 1991, minister in the Czech government of the prime minister Petr Pithart (for Civic Democratic Party)
• 1992 - 1993: Federal Assembly of the Czechoslovak Federative Republic, Prague, Deputy (Civic Democratic Party)
• 1990 - 1992: Federal Assembly of the Czechoslovak Federative Republic, Prague; Deputy, elected for Civic Forum in the Chamber of Nations of the Federal Assembly of the Czechoslovak Socialistic Republic; Secretary of Budget Committee
• 1987 - 1990: META Prague, mathematician - analyst
• 1984 - 1987: Faculty of General Medicine of the Charles University, Prague, mathematician - analyst, Chair of Nuclear Medicine

Education
1978 - 1983: Charles University, Prague, Graduated from Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, specialization in numeric mathematics, Degree "RNDr."

Denmark

Cristina Angela Gulisano, Director, Danish Data Protection Agency (Datatilsynet)

Estonia

Viljar PEEP, Director General, Estonian Data Protection Inspectorate (Andmekaitse Inspektsioon)

The Inspectorate is the national authority for privacy protection and freedom of information. Its Director General is nominated for 5-years-period by the Government after hearing the opinion of the Constitutional Committee of the Parliament. The candidate is selected for the nomination in open competition.

Professional record: Mr Peep was nominated to the post of Director General in 2008 and again in 2013.
Previously he led a division at Estonian Ministry of Justice, responsible for courts' management, for commercial and real estate registration, for state-funded legal aid, for civil enforcement and insolvency administration system and for notaries' service.
Also, he has been active in legislative drafting. He had led the projects of 2-hours online registration for companies and cross-border usage of electronic signatures.

Education and Training: Mr Peep has a PhD in history of law (Tartu University). He has taught history of economy at Tallinn University of Technology.

Finland

Reijo AARNIO, Ombudsman of the Finnish Data Protection Authority

Reijo Aarnio (born 1955) graduated from the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Law in 1981. He then worked at several expert and managerial tasks in the private sector. He aided the committee drafting the Personal Data Act in an expert capacity.

Reijo Aarnio became Data Protection Ombudsman on 1 November 1997, taking over from Jorma Kuopus, LLD. The Data Protection Ombudsman is appointed for a term of five years.

Mr. Aarnio is a member of the Steering Group of Information Security in State Government, the Telecommunications Advisory Board, and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health working group on labour issues.

France

Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, President of CNIL
Chair of the Article 29 Working Party

Ms. Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin graduated in France from the HEC School of Business Management (“Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales”), the National Administration School (“Ecole Nationale d’Administration”) and the Multimedia Institute (“Institut Mutltimédia”).

She first held various posts with the French State Council (“Conseil d’Etat”), as an “auditeur” from 1986 to 1989, a “maître des requêtes” (counsel) from 1989 to 2001 and was responsible of the relations with the print and broadcast media from 1988 to 1991. Ms. Falque-Pierrotin also served as Deputy Chair of the French Ministry of Culture and French-Speaking World Matters from 1993 to 1995. She became State Counselor (“Conseiller d’Etat”) in November 2001. After serving as Chair of the Interministerial Commission on Internet Affairs in 1996, she was appointed as an expert adviser for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1997 and as “rapporteur général” of the report of the French State Council on “Internet and Digital Networks” from 1997 to 1998. From 2001 to December 2010, Ms. Falque-Pierrotin was Chair of the Advisory Board and General Delegate (“délegué générale”) of the French Internet Rights Forum (“Forum des droits sur l’internet”).

Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin has been a member of the French Data Protection Authority (“Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés”) since January 2004. Appointed as Deputy Chair of this authority from February 2009 to September 2011, she became its Chair as of September 21, 2011.

Germany

Andrea VOSSHOFF, Federal Commissioner for Freedom of Information

Before taking over her position as Federal Commissioner for Freedom of Information, the 55 -year-old lawyer Andrea Voßhoff was a member of the German Bundestag and legal- political spokeswoman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.

Greece

Petros CHRISTOFOROS, President of the Hellenic Data Protection Authority

• Petros Christoforos was born in 1939. He is married with one child.
• President of the Hellenic Data Protection Authority since August 2011.
• Honorary Councillor of State.
• Head of the Law Office within the General Secretariat of the Government (2005 -2009).
• Chairman of the Central Legislative Committee (2004-2005).
• Member of various other legislative committees.
• Head of the Prime Minister’s Law Office (1980-1981).
• Member of the Supreme Special Court (art. 100 of the Constitution).
• Assistant Judge of the Council of State (1969 - 1975), Associate Councillor of State (1975 - 1986), Councillor of State (1986 - 2004).
• Lawyer (1966-1969), Teaching Assistant of Civil Law at the University of Athens (1967-1969).
• He is a graduate in Law and Political Sciences from the University of Athens (1958-1964).

Hungary

Dr. Attila Péterfalvi, President of the National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information

• Personal data, Place and date of birth Budapest, 29.03. 1957
• Education
  1971-1975   Veres Pálné High School, Budapest
  1976-1981 Budapest, Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Political Science and Law (Diploma cum laude)
  1983    Lawyer's examination
  1998    Postgraduate specialization in foreign trade law
  2009    PhD graduate at the Zrínyi Miklós National Defence University
• Work experience
  1981-1983   Department of Administration, Executive Committee Veszprém City Council
  1984-1986   Public Roads Directorate Veszprém City Council
  1988 – 2001   Attorney of law, Law Firm of Péterfalvi and Partner (civil cases)
• Other positions and appointments
  2012-   President of the National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information
  2008-2011 Head of the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Civil Rights
  2001-2007 Parliamentary Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information
  1996-2001 Consultant of the Hungarian Parliamentary Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information
  1996-2000 Member of the Court of Arbitration for the Hungarian Artisan Chamber
  1987-1988 Invited consultant by the Central Statistical Bureau on the draft of the first privacy bill
  1991  NATO scholarship for a project „Freedom of Information, Data Protection and Individual Rights”
  1986-  College Docent (Associate Professor), lecturer Budapest Corvinus University, Faculty of Public Administration
  2006-  Honorary Professor, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences
  2009-  Guest Professor, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Kyiv University of Law
• Publications: Author of 50 publications in Hungarian and English language (books, articles, university notes, articles and lectures on the institute of the ombudman, data protection, freedom of information, human rights  and civil law)
• Language skills: State certificate of proficiency in English
• Human rights related activity
  2001-2007: Member of the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, Participant of several international human rights (ombudsman) conferences, Initiated and launched several common investigation with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Civil Rights on various human rights-human dignity issues
  2007: Acting Commissioner for Civil Rights
  2008-2011: Head of the Parliamentary Commissioners’ Office
• Social activity: Member of Széchenyi Lions Club in Budapest, Co-founder of Iustitia Regnorum Fundamentum Prize

Ireland

Helen DIXON, Data Protection Commissioner

Helen was appointed as Data Protection Commissioner for Ireland in September 2014.

She had previously held the role of Irish Registrar of Companies from November 2009. Prior to that, she held senior civil service roles in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the areas of economic migration policy and, formerly, science, technology and innovation policy. She spent the first ten years of her career in the IT industry, working for two US multinationals with EMEA bases in Dublin.

She holds an undergraduate degree in Applied Languages, a Masters in European Economic and Public Affairs, a Masters in Governance, a Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science, a professional Diploma in Official Statistics for Policy Evaluation and successfully passed all 8 subjects of the FE-1 Final Examination of the Law Society of Ireland in one year.

She was delighted to have been awarded an honorary fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) in 2014.

Italy

Antonello SORO

Antonello Soro (1948) was appointed for a seven-year term by the Italian Parliament as one of the four Commissioners in the panel of the Italian Data Protection Authority in June 2012. In July 2012 he was appointed President of the Italian DPA by the other Commissioners.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Soro was Mayor of the city of Nuoro and Member of the Regional Council of Sardinia. From 1996 to 2012 he served as an MP in the Italian Chamber of Deputies. 

During his parliamentary term, he was member of several key bodies and committees, including the External Affairs, Social Policies and  European Policy Affairs Committees. He worked on important dossiers and contributed to the drafting of many bills including the one on ethics rules for journalistic activities to protect wiretap data and legislation to protect crime victims.

Latvia

Signe PLUMINA, Director of Data State Inspection

Signe Plumina is graduate of Faculty of Law, University of Latvia. She has been working at the Legal Department of Ministry of Transport. She is director of Data State Inspection since it was established.

While working at the Ministry of Transport, where Signe Plumina was responsible for elaboration of legal acts in the field of informatics, she participated in a work group that developed the Law on Personal Data Protection, as well as the draft plan on State Information System and the provisions of the Cabinet of Ministers No 40, January 30, 2001 on "Obligatory technical and organizational requirements for protection of personal data processing systems". She has also participated at the elaboration of regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No 106, March 21, 2001 on "Regulations of Information System Security". She has lead a working group that elaborated supplement for Personal Data Protection Law to be able to introduce requirements of European Union completely.

Signe Plumina at the moment is leading a working group under the Ministry of Justice that is elaborating amendments on Administrative Penal Code of Latvia - a new chapter on administrative penal in the field of information technology and Internet, besides that she participates in a working group that elaborates legal acts in accordance with the draft Law for Electronic documents.

Signe Plumina has taken part in different workshops, seminars, expert meetings that have taken place in Latvia in the concerning the issue of personal data protection. She has also participated in different international conferences, seminars, symposiums that are related to personal data protection, freedom of information and information technologies. Her practical experience has been obtained by visiting different data supervision institutions abroad.

Signe Plumina is participating at the Consultative Comity that has been established in accordance with Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (28.01.1981) as well as at the Central and Eastern Europe Data Protection Commissioners meetings. Signe Plumina has been specialized on the issues related to the field of personal data protection, freedom of information issues as well as in the IT rights.

Lithuania

Algirdas KUNčINAS, Director of the State Data Protection Inspectorate

Mr Algirdas Kunčinas was appointed by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania to be Director from 15 May 2006.

 Education qualification

• 1965-1970 Vilnius Institute of Civil Engineering (currently - Vilnius Gediminas Technical University), speciality of engineer radio operator
• 1975-1978 post-graduate course under Department of Philosophy of Vilnius University
• 1982 defended philosophy probationer's (currently - Doctor of Humanities) subject of dissertation Knowledge as functional Modelling, associate professor

Work experience

• 1970-1985 Vilnius Institute of Civil Engineering (currently - Vilnius Gediminas Technical University) Department of Philosophy
• 1985-1990 Ministry of Higher and Special Secondary Education (1988-1990 - Ministry of Population Education)
• 1990-1992 Vilnius Technical University (currently - Vilnius Gediminas Technical University) Department of Philosophy
• 1992-1996 was elected to the Seimas
• 1996-2000 Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
• 2000-2004 was elected to the Seimas

Scientific activity

Published over 50 research and popular science articles on science methodology, technical philosophy, development of information society issues in Lithuania, Russia, Germany.

Luxembourg

Tine A. LARSEN, President of the “Commission Nationale pour la Protection des Données”.

Tine A. Larsen was appointed one of three commissioners of Luxembourg’s Data Protection Authority as of 1st November 2014 and assumes the presidency of the collegiate body.

She holds a Master in Law with a specialisation in commercial law from the University Robert Schumann in Strasbourg, France, and an MA in International Peace and Security from King’s College London. In 2007, Tine A. Larsen received a certificate in prevention and management of risks and crisis from the French Ecole Nationale d’Administration and in 2014, a certificate in public management from the National Institute for Public Administration.

After having completed a specialisation course in Luxembourgish law, Tine A. Larsen took the bar exam in Luxembourg and practised as a barrister and solicitor before joining the Luxembourg Government Administration in 2003. After two years as an administrator with the Luxembourg Army Headquarters, she changed to the National Rescue Services Agency. As of 2008, she was head of its administrative and technical division.

Since 2014, Ms Larsen is also a member of the “Article 17 Authority”, responsible for supervising and overseeing certain data processing operations necessary for the prevention, tracking down and recording of criminal offences or relating to State security, defence and public safety, as well as an advisory member of the Luxembourg Human Rights Consultative Commission.

She speaks French, German, English, Luxemburgish and Danish.

Malta

Saviour CACHIA, Information and Data Protection Commissioner

Saviour Cachia joined the Public Service in 1976 where he was assigned to the Ministry for Commonwealth and Foreign Affairs, the Department of Information, the Government Computer Centre, Management Systems Unit and subsequently Malta Information Technology Agency.   He has experience in Systems Development, Data Management activities, introducing data sharing protocols and mechanism as well as setting up data architecture standards.

Due to his experience in information resource management activities, he was appointed on a number of inter ministerial committees to draft a legal framework to regulate and enable information practices, consisting of data protection, electronic commerce, freedom of information and computer misuse.  His contribution covered also data protection regulations in the Police and Telecommunications sectors.  Saviour Cachia participated in the vetting process of the draft Data Protection Act (DPA) by the European Commission, to bring it in line with Directive 95/46.

When the DPA was enacted, he articulated and implemented a national strategy to set up the Office of the Commissioner, and to facilitate compliance within the Public Service, incorporating all line ministries and departments.  Apart from representing Malta in the Article 29 Working Party he was also the national expert attending the experts’ working party for data protection and information exchange (DAPIX), to discuss the proposed data protection framework.

On 16th April 2014, Saviour Cachia took oath of Office as Commissioner for Information and Data Protection.

Netherlands

Jacob KOHNSTAMM, Chairman of Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens

Before his appointment to Chairman of the Dutch Data Protection Authority Jacob Kohnstamm had been a member of the Senate of the States General for D66 since 1999. In addition, he was chairman of a large number of organisations and committees including the Regieraad ICT Politie [Board for Information and Communications Technology for the Police].

He was State Secretary for Internal Affairs between 1994 and 1998 and in particular was responsible for developing the Large Cities Policy.

After completing his studies in law at the University of Amsterdam, J. Kohnstamm worked as a lawyer between 1977 and 1981 and between 1982 and 1986.

In 1981 he was elected a member of the House of Representatives of the States General. He was a spokesman for his political party in the areas of defence, the police and justice. From 1982 to 1986 he held the position of party chairman.

Between 1986 and 1994 Kohnstamm was again a member of the House of Representatives. In the first session period he was spokesman for internal affairs, the police and the Middle East. In this period he was also Chairman of the standing parliamentary committee National Ombudsman. In the parliamentary period that followed, namely between 1989 and 1994, he was spokesman in the policy areas of public health, the police and the Middle East and also chairman of the standing parliamentary committee for the police.

Additional functions

• Chairman of the Board of the Garantie Instituut voor de Woningbouw [Guarantee Institute for Housing] (since 2004)
• Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Woningbouwcorporatie Het Oosten [Het Oosten Housing Corporation] (since 2000)
• Chairman of the Stichting Stimuleringsfonds Openbare Gezondheidszorg [Foundation and Fund for the Promotion of Public Healthcare] (since 2000)
• Chairman of the Humanistische Omroep [Humanist Broadcasting Corporation] (since 1999) and of the organisation according to Article 39 of the media law, and in this capacity, a member of the Raad van Toezicht van de Publieke Omroep [Supervisory Board of the Public Broadcasting Corporations] (since 2000)
• Chairman of the Nederlandse Vereniging voor Vrijwillig Levenseinde (NVVE) [Dutch Association for Voluntary Euthanasia] (since 2000) and chairman of the Board of the World Federation for the Right to Die Societies (since 2004)
• Member of the Initiatief- en Referendumcommissie Gemeente Amsterdam [Initiative- and Referendum committee of the municipality Amsterdam] (since 2008)
• Chairman of the Board of Stichting Ipermestra [Ipermestra Foundation for Music Projects] (since 2008)
• Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Woningbouwcorporatie Stadgenoot [Stadgenoot Housing Corporation] (since 2008)
• Chairman of the Board of the Internationaal Kamermuziekfestival Schiermonnikoog  [International Chamber Music Festival Schiermonnikoog] (since 2010)
• Chairman of the Mediafonds [Dutch Cultural Media Fund] (since 2010)
• Member of the Supervisory Council of Stichting Vluchteling [Netherlands Refugee Foundation] (since 2011)
• Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Conference for Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners (since 2011)

Poland

Edyta BIELAK-JOMAA, Inspector General for the Protection of Personal Data (GIODO)

On 9 April 2015 she was appointed for this post by the Sejm (lower chamber of the Polish Parliament), and on 16 April 2015 the Senate (upper chamber of the Polish Parliament) consented to her appointment. As of 22 April 2015, i.e. the day of taking the oath before the Sejm, pursuant to the Act on Personal Data Protection, the subsequent, four-year term of office of GIODO began.

Edyta Bielak–Jomaa was born on 10 May 1972 in Sandomierz. She graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Lodz (UL). In 2003 she was awarded the academic title of Ph.D. in law. Since 2003 she has been an adjunct professor at the Chair of Labour Law of UL Faculty of Law and Administration. Since 2012 she has been fulfilling the function of the Manager of the Postgraduate Studies in Personal Data Protection, and since 2012 – of the Chair of the Centre for Personal Data Protection and Information Management, at UL Faculty of Law and Administration. 

She is a lecturer on personal data protection, labour law and economic migration abroad. She fulfills the function of an academic supervisor of the Interdepartmental Students Centre for Rights of Disabled Persons, she conducted training courses within the activity of the International Women’s Foundation and a series of training courses organised for employees and employers from the region “Different, but equal” concerning equal treatment and prohibition of discrimination on the labour market.

She was the organiser of conferences and debates on personal data issues, such as: "Medical data – limits of use and protection", "Personal data protection in the activity of churches and other religious associations", "Personal data protection and journalistic activity – limits of media privilege", "Personal data protection and practice of legal professions", "Personal data protection and elections", "Judge – a public or private person? Limits of access to public information and personal data protection" (co-organiser – President of the Court of Appeals in Lodz and Lodz Branch of the Polish Judges Association IUSTITIA).

Dr Edyta Bielak–Jomaa is the author of over 30 studies on labour law, labour market and personal data protection issues.

Her scientific interests include first of all the issues concerning the protection of employees’ personal rights and the protection of personal data in the employment context. She was the first one to start research on the protection of personal data of unemployed persons and job seekers.

Portugal

Filipa Calvão, President, Comissão Nacional de Protecção de Dados – CNPD (Portuguese Data Protection Authority)

• Born in 1970
• Graduated from the Faculty of Law of Portuguese Catholic University (1993)
• Master degree in Law, in the field of Legal-Political Sciences, from the Faculty of Law of Coimbra University (1997)
• Ph.D. in Law, in the field of Legal-Political Sciences, from the Faculty of Law of Coimbra University (2009)
• Assistant at the Faculty of Law of Portuguese Catholic University (1993-2010)
• Professor at the Faculty of Law of Portuguese Catholic University (since 2010), leading the courses of Administrative Law and Administrative Regulation Law

Romania

Ancuţa Gianina OPRE, President of the National Supervisory Authority for Personal Data Processing

Slovenia

Mojca PRELESNIK, Information Commissioner of the Republic of Slovenia

Born in 1968, Bachelor of Laws with State Bar Exam

• 1992 Bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Law, University of Ljubljana
• 1995 State Bar Exam
• 1995 - 1997 Employed at Emil Lipovec and Aleš Rojs Law Firm
• 1997 - 2002 Own Law Firm
• 2002 - 2005 Government Advisor, Ministry of the Information Society
• 2005 - 2008 Deputy of the Information Commissioner 2008 Appointed Secretary General of the National Assembly
• 2014 Appointed Information Commissioner

Language competencies - active: English, Serbian, Croatian; passive: Italian, German

Author of expert papers and co-author of books in the field of access to public information, protection of privacy and personal data, lecturer at various seminars, training programmes, expert conferences and meetings (related to wider public administration, labour law, inspection procedures, healthcare, education, archives, economy, etc.).

In addition to legal expertise, she has experience in the field of legislative procedure and managerial work, as well as administrative and organisational skills related to the work of public administration, management and financial operations.

She became engaged in the field of access to public information already in 2002 at the Ministry of the Information Society, where she participated in the preparation of the draft act regulating access to public information. Moreover, she was the official competent for the transmission of public information under the Access to Public Information Act.

The protection of personal data became her field of work in 2006 when the office of the Commissioner for Access to Public Information was redefined as Information Commissioner, acquiring the competences of the hitherto Inspectorate for the Protection of Personal Data at the Ministry of Justice.

She further enhanced the knowledge and experience obtained during employment – first at the Ministry for the Information Society and later with the Information Commissioner – also in practice holding the office of Secretary General of the National Assembly. Heading the administrator of numerous collections of personal data and the authority liable to provide access to public information, she was provided an insight into its operations. As published in the report on the implementation of the Access to Public Information Act, the National Assembly revealed a high level of access to public information and transparency of operations in 2008-2014. During this period, the National Assembly, as administrator of collections of personal data, also substantially enhanced and improved the protection of collections and personal data.

Upon the proposal of the President of the Republic Borut Pahor, on July 4 2014 the National Assembly elected Mrs. Prelesnik to a five-year term as Information Commissioner. She began her term of office on July 17 2014.

Slovakia

Soňa PŐTHEOVÁ, President of the Office for Personal Data Protection of the Slovak Republic

Soňa Pőtheová was appointed as the President of the Office for Personal Data Protection of the Slovak Republic in May 2015.

Education:

• School of Philosophy, Comenius University, Department of Journalism, master degree (Mgr.) (1995)

• High School of M. M. Hodža, Liptovský Mikuláš (1991)

Other professional education:

• Independence of Media during elections, Independent Media Centre, Canada, (1998)

• The coaching – art and science, The Coaching Centre Prague, Marlylin Atkinson (2008-2009) (certificate) 

Professional record:

• National Council of the Slovak Republic, Communication Department of the Chancellery, director (2012 – 2015)

• Winston & Partners, s.r.o, director (2002 – 2012)

• Mozaic PR agency Prague – Bratislava, director (2001- 2012)

• TV Luna, reporter, dramaturge, head of media production (1999-2001)

• TV Markíza, reporter, parliamentary rapporteur (1996 – 1999)

• Pravda, redactor (1995-1996)

Languages

• English
• Russian

Spain

María del Mar España Martí, Director of the Spanish Data Protection Agency

María del Mar España Martí was appointed Director of the Spanish Data Protection Agency (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos) in July 2015. She holds a University Degree in Law from the ICADE (Pontifical University of Comillas), is University Expert in management of not-for-profit entities (Luis Vives Foundation) and holds a Masters on International Protection of Human Rights (University of Alcalá de Henares – Madrid).

Since 1989 she is a civil servant of the Spanish General Administration, as member of the Upper Corps of Civil State Managers.

María del Mar was Vice Minister of Presidency and Public Administrations in the Regional Government of Castilla La Mancha from January 2012 until June 2015. Among other responsibilities in this position she was Deputy Secretary of the Council of Ministers, with functions that included the coordination of the legislative activity of the Regional Government. She chaired the Commission for the Coordination of Local Police Forces and the Commission for e-Administration and Simplification of Administrative Procedures which comprised the Committee for the Security of Information, charged with the promotion of data protection policies within the regional administration. She was also responsible for the coordination of policies related to modernization of public administration, transparency and good governance.

Prior to joining the Spanish DPA she was also General Secretary of the Spanish Ombudsman (2002-2010) and of the Institute of Women (1994-1997), an independent public body that seeks to promote the conditions that allow social gender equality and the full participation of women in political, cultural, economic and social life.

She has held other positions in Public Administration such as Member of the Management Board of the Andalucian Public TV (2000-2002) and Representative for Supervision of the Ministry of Education in Andalucía (1999-2000).

She has been involved in academic activities, participating as lecturer, among others, in the Master on International Protection of Human Rights at Alcalá de Henares University (2004-2010) and in the Master on Political Action, at Madrid’s Rey Juan Carlos University (2004-2009).

Sweden

Kristina SVAHN STARRSJÖ, Director General of the Data Inspektion Board

Kristina Svahn Starrsjö is Director General of the Data Inspection Board since 1 June 2013. Prior to this appointment, she was head of the Division for Constitutional Law within the Ministry of Justice. Kristina Svahn Starrsjö has also worked at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and been a judge at the Svea Court of Appeal in Stockholm. She has participated in several commissions of inquiry set up by the Government in order to prepare legislative proposals.

United Kingdom

Christopher GRAHAM, Information Commissioner

Christopher Graham became UK Information Commissioner in June 2009, with responsibility for overseeing the Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection Act regimes - promoting access to official information and protecting personal information

Christopher was Director General of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) from April 2000 to June 2009. From 2003-5, he was Chairman of the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA), the federation of advertising self-regulatory bodies across the EU Single Market.

Prior to joining the ASA, Christopher was for three years Secretary of the BBC. Christopher first joined the broadcaster as a News Trainee in 1973. He was Deputy Editor of The Money Programme and became Managing Editor of News Programmes for TV and Radio.

European Data Protection Supervisor

Giovanni BUTTARELLI

Mr. Giovanni Buttarelli (1957) has been appointment European Data Protection Supervisor since 4 December 2014 by a joint decision of the European Parliament and the Council for a term of five years.

Before joining the EDPS, he worked as Secretary General to the Italian Data Protection Authority, a position he occupied between 1997 and 2009. A member of the Italian judiciary with the rank of Cassation judge, he has attended to many initiatives and committees on data protection and related issues at international level. 

The experience on data protection includes the participation in many bodies at European Union level (including Art. 31 Committee of Directive n. 95/46/EC and Taiex programs), and at the Council of Europe (in particular, also as a consultant, T‐PD; CJ‐PD, DH‐S‐Ac, Venice Commission), as well as the contribution to many hearings, meetings and workshops held also by Parliaments and to specialized book journals and papers. He currently teaches on privacy at the Lumsa University, Rome.