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Duc Tran is Of Counsel specialising in data protection and privacy.

Over the course of his career at Herbert Smith Freehills, Duc has amassed a significant amount of data expertise advising a client base consisting of household names across an array of industry sectors including commerce, construction, financial and professional services, food, mining, media, oil and gas, postal and telecoms services, transport and utilities on a range of often complex and strategic matters impacted by data-related legislation, including but not limited to the GDPR.

Duc's work in this area spans regulatory compliance (including in relation to data-related policies and procedures, negotiating contractual provisions addressing data protection and data security, joint controller arrangements, international data transfers and BCRs, privacy impact assessments, data retention, disclosures of data and carrying out global compliance audits), data strategy, data breach response, data retention and the commercial and regulatory impact of carrying out data analytics and profiling, the use of AI, digital transformation and the commercialisation and monetisation of data.

Duc has spent time on secondments at UBS and LCH.Clearnet where he worked on a number of data protection-related matters and led a number of global legal compliance projects.  As such, he understands the commercial imperatives that drive the management of legal risk and the importance of pro-active support.

Duc speaks regularly at external events including the AFME European Compliance & Legal Conference, the PIMFA Compliance Conference and C&I Group Legal Updates and has been quoted in the Financial Times and other news outlets in relation to his views and predictions regarding data-related issues. Duc is a regular contributor of thought leadership pieces to external journals and publications including PDP Journals and Practical Law UK. 

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

 

  • on global data compliance projects for a range of clients, including an international recruitment consultant, a pharmaceutical company, an international investment bank and an international foodservice wholesaler and distributor
  • on data compliance and exploitation issues arising out of the establishment of a number of digital platforms including an innovative magazine digitisation solution, a blockchain-based mobile-first ethical investment platform for a not-for-profit organisation and a joint platform operated by a UK clearing bank and UK financial technology company
  • a central body in the UK energy market on participating in the government-led smart metering programme, data transfer agreements in the electricity industry, data analysis activities and the use of industry data
  • a UK retail bank on the data aspects of a major transformation and its £2bn long term outsourcing arrangements covering all critical IT and business services
  • a major UK transport operator on the integration of its customer database and marketing operations with those of a JV partner