Legal expert Kelly Chalom joins Cloud Essentials compliance team
With GDPR officially in effect and POPI lurking the wings, compliance has never been more important for data-driven enterprises. As many have come to realise, however, achieving compliance is not always a simple matter, requiring not only great technological expertise but also an in-depth understanding of the intricate legalities imposed by the regulatory environment.
It's for this reason Cloud Essentials is proud to welcome Kelly Chalom, admitted attorney and experienced compliance risk assessor, to the team.
"Kelly is not only a practised litigator, but also a talented investigator whose skill in identifying high risk processes and potential compliance issues has been well-honed at firms like KPMG," says Adam Bown, head of eDiscovery, Forensics and Data Analytics at Cloud Essentials.
"We're looking forward to leveraging her skills to bring an even more comprehensive compliance service to our clients, assessing, advising and customising solutions to their precise legal and technological needs."
While Chalom will initially be heavily involved in GDPR, POPI and general compliance workshops and training, her core focus will be on customised turnkey compliance solutions for clients.
"The goal is to assist organisations in their compliance journey from the ground up," she says.
"That means going in, documenting their processes, identifying control gaps and then designing and implementing custom controls to shore up any compliance issues.
"It can be a complex process, but by approaching it from both a legal and technological perspective, we can assist enterprises in protecting their data and processes in the most efficient and effective way for their specific risk profile."
GDPR legislation officially came into force on 25 May 2018, and affects all enterprises located in the EU and/or handling data belonging to EU residents. Current estimates predict only 50% of affected companies will be compliant by the end of 2018, putting non-compliant enterprises at high risk of sizeable fines in the interim.
"There have definitely been a lot of heads in the sand," says Chalom, "but it is possible to expedite compliance with the help of the right team."
That's not to say businesses who have already addressed their data governance responsibilities can rest on their laurels, however.
"The law is a fluid thing, and legislation changes over time," says Chalom, "as does technology and the solutions businesses use. It's very important to keep up-to-date on the latest advances, and perform regular audits to ensure your compliance doesn't unwittingly fall short down the line. I'm looking forward to keeping my finger on the pulse of all these developments, and bringing that knowledge to Cloud Essentials clients."
For more information on GDPR readiness, get in touch with Cloud Essentials, or click here to enquire about a compliance workshop for your team. For regular updates on the latest GDPR and POPI developments, sign up for the newsletter by e-mailing [email protected].