Petra Smith

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT PETRA SMITH

I work with colleagues to safeguard the data privacy of individuals and love changing the perception that data protection adds to the workload and is a burden. This all starts with a conversation. Along the way the measures to get it right often lead to data quality improvements and streamlined processes and more than once have sales teams told me that ‘Privacy by Design’ gave them a competitive advantage. Not only does data protection touch all aspects of the business, it’s a continuous journey, so there is no chance it ever gets boring! What’s not to like! I have led internal, remote and vendor teams and believe that team work, collaboration, building relationships and good communication are vital. Everybody needs to know their role to make the strategy happen, feel supported and valued. I am analytical, very detail orientated and always up for a challenge. From manufacturing to start-ups, my diverse professional experience enables me to quickly get under the hood of the matter and to provide operational and pragmatic data privacy advice. My greatest joy is when colleagues ‘get it’ and turn into privacy champions. When I am not ‘devouring’ the latest privacy news, I enjoy reading, baking, gym, cycling, music and travelling.