Did you know that the electronic device you’re reading this on evolved from its earliest form, as a mega-machine designed to crunch and process large volumes of data for the military, almost a hundred years ago? From that came the personal computer (as opposed to industrial computers) and now we all walk around with our own little mini computers. There are so many other creations that came about as a result of a specific need at that given time. It’s amazing really, how one point in time can so significantly impact so many future events. Such as how a change in data regulations led to the founding of HewardMills. 

A new dawn in European data protection 

Five years ago, Dyann Heward-Mills, our CEO, was the London based head of data protection at law firm Baker McKenzie. With the GDPR about to come into force, businesses would need to ensure they met the new regulatory requirements, and this presented an opportunity to provide a much-needed service.  Clients had been approaching Dyann to act as a DPO for their businesses, but she found, as a law firm partner, that there were too many conflicts of interest. So, she took the bold step to set up her own consultancy providing DPO services. 

Growing in a burgeoning digital world 

There is so much personal information that we hand over in any transaction, whether with official bodies, businesses we patronise or even just when we are searching for something online. And while there have been long-standing regulations that have protected our data, with the growth of a digital economy, EU regulators felt a revamp of data laws was overdue. Thus, the General Data Protection Regulation entered into force in May 2016 (replacing the 1995 Data Protection Act) and was then subsequently adopted by the UK in 2018.  With this new regulation in place, many businesses operating online or handling volumes of customer data would need expert help to keep them on the right side of the new regulations. This presented a great opportunity to create HewardMills’ DPO service, which would give businesses this additional support externally.   Over the last five years, HewardMills has grown, as demand for expertise in data protection and privacy has come in from all corners of the world. The team has supported clients across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas and Asia. 

Celebrating 5 years with a trip exploring Ghana https://youtu.be/gP5f0629FzM

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the founding of the firm, HewardMills held a company offsite in Ghana, where its founders' ancestral roots run deep, and where HewardMills has a team of data protection and cybersecurity experts.   Arriving to the beat of drums and dancers, our welcome was as warm as the famous Ghanaian hospitality and set the tone for the rest of the trip. While in Accra, the team explored historical sites, arts and crafts, local markets and took a few moments for some much-needed downtime. 

Highlighting our values and strengths in a team offsite

Through a workshop, we explored our values, the importance of communicating clearly and how we can best use our different skills to work together on any given challenge. The team came together brilliantly and shared several insights that will add value to how we operate going forwards. 

Discussing data dignity in Africa

Whilst there, Dyann had the opportunity to host a panel where guests from Ghana’s Data Protection Commission and Cyber Security Authority held a timely discussion on how to reduce the digital data deficit in Africa. The team learned a lot from the discussion, particularly the growing digital economy in Africa and corresponding need to ensure privacy and data are protected, as they are elsewhere in the world. Key takeaways included continuing to upskill talent in the core areas of cyber security and data protection, being part of international governance frameworks and exploring strategic partnerships to effect meaningful change. 

Looking forwards

HewardMills is a business built on the shoulders of ancestral dreams, which laid the path for a ripple effect that evolved into something greater than the sum of its parts. With a culture that is diverse by design, our team collectively brings several years of an array of experience within the data protection and privacy industry. This enables HewardMills to deliver world-class DPO services.   Today, through its determination to ensure it is truly a business that makes a positive impact, HewardMills is a certified B Corp, which means that it meets the highest standards of performance, accountability and transparency. The company’s capabilities now encompass data protection, cybersecurity, ESG and DE&I with ambitions to grow its global presence further still.   Finally, wherever in the world you might be reading this, we want to thank you for being part of our journey, and we look forward to growing alongside you in the coming years.  If you would like to discuss this topic or anything else data protection and privacy-related, please contact us at dpo@hewardmills.com.