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Carolyn Bigg

Carolyn Bigg

Partner
Global Co-Chair of Data Protection, Privacy & Security Group
Carolyn Bigg is a name to note for advice on data protection matters, particularly multijurisdictional compliance projects across the Asia Pacific region.
— Legal 500, TMT (Hong Kong), 2022
Hong Kong
About

Carolyn Bigg heads DLA Piper’s APAC Data, Privacy and Cybersecurity team.

Carolyn is an experienced data lawyer, focusing on China and APAC data compliance and international data transfers. Carolyn advises businesses on the best practice approach to navigating regional and international data privacy compliance, to help them seize opportunities to make the most of their data and digital opportunities in APAC within a compliant governance framework.  

Carolyn also has extensive experience of managing data incidents across the APAC region, including notifying affected individuals; reporting to privacy and industry regulators; responding to follow up regulatory investigations; liaising with forensic technology consultants, cyber insurers, and credit agencies; and supporting remediation and compliance programme update activities. Her experience gives her clients the benefit of on-the-ground practical advice to navigate the realities of enforcement priorities and risks in different Asia jurisdictions. 

As a result of her leading work and outreach in the field, Carolyn is recognized as a leading TMT and data practitioner by publications such as Legal 500 and Chambers locally and regionally. She was named in the inaugural “Women in Data” list by Global Data Review in 2019 and is ranked Pre-Eminent by Doyle’s Guide. She is regularly quoted in media publications, including the BBC and the Financial Times. She was from 2021-2023 a member of IAPP’s Asia Advisory Board.

 
Areas of FocusIntellectual PropertyData, Privacy and CybersecurityTechnologyRegulatory and Government AffairsFinancial ServicesInsurance
Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the High Court of Hong KongSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • Supporting a global insurer on management of a major ransomware attack, including liaising with insurance and privacy regulators in three APAC jurisdictions. 
  • Supporting a number of luxury brands on management of a variety of cyber incidents involving consumer and loyalty programme data in APAC, including incidents involving Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
  • Appointed cyber counsel for an Asia-headquartered global hotel chain.
  • Supported a global bank on creating and operationalising a breach notification compliance register, to support breach response processes.
  • Supporting a wide range of clients across diverse industries on data mapping and decision-making on their China cross-border data transfers route(s) and their assessment submission to the authorities, covering personal, important and other regulated data.
  • Advising a global bank on the creation and operationalization of a data sovereignty programme across its international operations.
  • Advising a number of international hotel chains on rollout of their updated privacy compliance programmes, including in connection with digital initiatives and strategic business partnerships in Greater China. 
  • Advising a global retailer on implementing new or refreshed privacy compliance programmes in China, Thailand, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand to reflect new or updated data protection laws. 
  • Advising numerous SaaS platforms on data and regulatory licensing issues to support their MNC clients using their platforms in Mainland China and across Asia Pacific.
  • Advised a multinational automobile manufacturer on the establishment of a China data lake and associated use case guidelines, to support complex analytics of vehicle and customer data.   
Languages
  • English
Education

  • University of Cambridge, B.A. Hons, M.A. (Cantab)

Awards

  • Band 1 lawyer - 2024 Chambers TMT: Data Protection & Privacy Guide
  • Recognized as a notable practitioner for TMT in the 2024 Chambers TMT Guide
  • Recognized as a Leading Individual for Data Protection in 2024 by Legal 500
  • Recognized and Ranked in Chambers TMT – Greater China Region and Asia Pacific Region Guides, 2022 and 2023
  • Carolyn Bigg named “Preeminent” for TMT (Doyle’s List Hong Kong, 2020 and 2021)
  • Carolyn Bigg named a Leading Woman in Data (Global Data Review, 2019)
  • “Carolyn Bigg wins praise for her practice advising on data privacy and protection, as well as other compliance issues related to technology licensing. One client commends:” Carolyn Bigg is very good at offering pragmatic solutions, and her commercial and pragmatic approach is very important to us”.” (Chambers, TMT (China), 2022)

Privacy Matters Blog

Publications

  • Asia correspondent for Privacy & Data Protection journal.
  • Author of a chapter on services agreements for the Law Society’s Commercial Law Handbook (2009)
  • Co-authored a chapter on rights of access to information in the Law Society’s Freedom of Information Handbook (2nd edition 2008)
  • "The right to be forgotten: the Asian perspective", published in Privacy & Data Protection journal (April 2016).

Seminars

  • Navigating AI in Asia: Pathways to unlocking commercial value, 28 September 2023

Carolyn is a regular speaker at external conferences, client training and internal seminars on a variety of technology and data topics, including cloud computing, outsourcing, international data transfers and cyber security. 

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Carolyn is a member of IAPP’s Asia Advisory Board.

My latest insights

Publication

China releases AI safety governance framework

12 September 2024 .32 minute read

Publication

Navigating Asia-Pacific data breach notification requirements

16 February 2023 .1 minute read

Publication

Managing data = managing investigation/litigation risk

23 December 2022 .6 minute read

View All

Connect

Phone

+852 6086 1260
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