The appointment of Bermuda's first privacy commissioner is a major development for Bermuda's legislative commitment to data protection and is a key precursor to the Personal Information Protection Act 2016 ("PIPA") becoming wholly operative. As a result, organisations should start taking immediate steps to become compliant with PIPA.

PIPA seeks to regulate the use of personal information by organisations in a manner which recognises both the need to protect the rights of individuals in relation to their personal information and the need for organisations to use personal information for legitimate purposes.

It was recently announced that Alexander White has been appointed as Bermuda's first privacy commissioner as of 20 January 2020. Mr. White will be responsible for the issuance of guidance and developing public awareness on the rights of individuals and the obligations of organisations under PIPA.

Walkers (Bermuda) Limited can assist you to understand your organisation's legal obligations under PIPA and to ensure that your organisation is compliant with PIPA. We have significant experience advising and supporting clients on the implementation of suitable measures and policies to meet their obligations, the assessment of privacy risk, the development of privacy compliance programmes, the provision of training and ongoing support to organisations' privacy management systems and the ongoing maintenance and improvement of privacy management systems.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.