Conference Description
Key Takeaways
- Two-day hybrid conference (29-30 September 2026) addressing the intersection of GDPR, Data Act and AI Act compliance
- Speakers include representatives from the European Data Protection Board, CNIL, German supervisory authorities and corporate data protection leaders from Lufthansa, Telefónica and HCLTech
- Covers international data transfers, recent BGH and CJEU case law, ePrivacy requirements and consent management
- Designed for data protection officers, privacy professionals, legal and compliance executives, and IT security leaders
- In-person sessions at the Futurium in Berlin focus on German and European perspectives, while the virtual day addresses international audiences
About the Event
The Bitkom Privacy Conference 2026 is a hybrid event organised by Bitkom, Germany’s digital industry association. The conference takes place over two days: 29 September 2026 at the Futurium in Berlin for in-person attendance with a German and European focus, followed by 30 September 2026 as a virtual livestream day oriented toward international discussions. The event brings together privacy experts from supervisory authorities, enterprises, academia and start-ups to examine regulatory developments, implementation challenges and strategic approaches to data protection.
Regulatory Framework: GDPR, Data Act and AI Act
A central theme of the conference is the “digital omnibus,” referring to the practical implications of operating under the GDPR, Data Act and AI Act simultaneously. Sessions will address how these regulations interact and create compliance obligations for organisations of varying sizes. The conference examines open questions around implementation, particularly as artificial intelligence, data-driven business models and cloud technologies accelerate digital transformation while regulatory requirements continue to evolve.
Key Topics
The programme covers eight thematic areas reflecting current priorities in European data protection practice:
- International data transfers: Current frameworks for transfers to the USA, United Kingdom and other third countries in light of geopolitical developments and recent case law
- Case law developments: Recent decisions from the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), with analysis of their impact on compliance and risk assessment
- Cookies, tracking and ePrivacy: Current state and outlook of ePrivacy regulation, consent requirements and consent management technologies
- Supervisory authority updates: Priority areas, guidelines, audit approaches and enforcement practices from national and European authorities
- Corporate data protection governance: Processing on behalf of controllers, third-party management and operational implementation of regulatory requirements
- Data subject rights: Handling access requests, erasure obligations and transparency requirements through efficient processes
Speakers
The speaker roster includes government officials, regulators and corporate practitioners. Bernd Krösser, State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, and MdB Jeanne Dillschneider, a Member of the German Bundestag and lawyer specialising in data protection and IT law, represent the policy perspective. Regulatory authorities are represented by Meike Kamp (Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection), Michael Will (President of the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision), Carolina Foglia (Head of Sector at the European Data Protection Board Secretariat) and Félicien Vallet (Head of AI department at CNIL, the French data protection authority).
Corporate speakers include Valentina Daiber (Member of the Executive Board for Legal and Corporate Affairs at Telefónica Deutschland), Dr Hans-Joachim Arnold (Vice President, Lufthansa Group Compliance and Data Protection) and Paula Cipierre (Global Head of Privacy at HCLTech, responsible for data protection across 60 countries).
Who Should Attend
The conference is designed for privacy professionals, data protection officers, legal and compliance executives, IT and security leaders, policymakers and consultants. Attendees typically come from large enterprises, technology companies, regulated industries, law firms, consultancies and public sector organisations. The hybrid format accommodates both those seeking in-depth engagement with German and European regulatory developments and international participants interested in global privacy trends.
Partners
Premium partners include Amazon, Google, Meta, EQS, NAVEX, Dastra and Data and More. Additional partners include Microsoft, HCLTech, GvW, Legitimis, Lindenpartners, Migosens, Nenna, Privacy Pilot, TÜV SÜD and YPOG. Media partners include IT-Sicherheit, KES, Zeitschrift Datenschutz, MMR, Secupedia and Security Insider.