Data Protection Officer (DPO)

An independent expert responsible for monitoring an organization's privacy compliance and serving as a point of contact with supervisory authorities and data subjects. Under GDPR Articles 37-39, DPOs are mandatory for public authorities, organizations whose core activities involve regular systematic monitoring at large scale, or large-scale processing of special categories of personal data. DPOs must have expertise in privacy law and practices, operate independently without receiving instructions regarding their tasks, report directly to highest management, and have sufficient resources to perform their role. DPO responsibilities include monitoring compliance, providing advice on DPIAs, training staff, conducting audits, serving as contact point for authorities and individuals, and cooperating with supervisory authorities. Organizations cannot dismiss or penalize DPOs for performing their duties. The DPO role differs from compliance officers—DPOs have specific legal protections and independence requirements under GDPR.