Marketing agency Merkle has appointed Simon Rice to the newly created role of data protection officer (DPO), EMEA.
In his new role Rice will ensure that Merkle continues to meet its obligations under the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law, which came in to force across the EU in May this year.
Rice’s role will also see him act as an independent advisor to the business, engaging with regulators and further cementing Merkle’s position in data protection and privacy within the marketing sector.
Rice joins from Lloyds Banking Group where he served as lead security domain engineer, supporting cyber and data security programmes for the bank.
Prior to that, Rice was head of technology (policy) at the Information Commissioner’s Office, where his responsibilities included leading and developing the technical and information security expertise of the office.
“I’m looking forward to applying my experience in privacy and data protection to a company where data plays an integral yet creative role,” said Rice.
“Under the umbrella of Merkle’s people-based marketing approach, it is incredibly important to ensure that consumers can still benefit from a bespoke, tailored experience whilst safeguarding their data.
“I am proud to be able to contribute to Merkle’s forward-thinking vision as well as working with a talented and growing team.”
Michael Komasinski, president EMEA at Merkle, added: “We are delighted to welcome Simon to the agency. His unrivalled experience in the data protection field will prove invaluable as we work towards the continuing development of our rapidly expanding business in EMEA.”
