Vanessa Henri
Data Governance & Emerging Tech Lawyer, Fasken
Vanessa specializes in data protection and information security law. She advises organizations on the operationalization of related concepts such as privacy and security by design. She is a Certified Data Protection Officer (CDPO) and a Lead Implementer for ISO 27701 with proven experience in assisting organizations with data protection legislation, such as the General Data Protection Regulation, and other standards affecting entities operating on a data-driven market. Vanessa helps organizations, in particular in the sector of emerging technologies, to manage legal risks relating to data in a preventive manner, allowing organizations to build trust with their customers and acquire a competitive edge. Vanessa has aided organizations negotiating commercial agreements involving security and privacy requirements in the technology sector. She also advises boards of directors on risk management relating to data protection and information security, ensuring that both they and their organizations are compliant and avoid liability. Vanessa also has experience in helping critical infrastructures to meet cybersecurity and privacy requirements with national security impacts, such as by implementing compliance programs and assessing related risks, including from an OT/IoT perspective. Vanessa holds a Master of Law (LLM) from McGill University on the topic of cyberespionage and teaches Corporate Cybersecurity Practices at St Thomas University (Florida, USA), where she is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the LLM program in Cybersecurity and Privacy. Her studies on the Dark Net were funded by the Quebec Bar Association and published in the Canadian Journal of Law and Technology. Not only a published author, Vanessa has appeared as an expert in various media events. She is sought after as a public speaker and has participated in key industry conferences around the world, including in Silicon Valley, Tokyo, and Paris. Prior to joining Fasken, Vanessa was Director of Compliance and Data Privacy as well as a Data Protection Officer within the cybersecurity division of a multinational specialized in information technology, the internet of things, and emerging technologies. Vanessa is involved in organizations working for the cause of women in the technology sector.