Why Your Company Needs a Chief Privacy Officer

In this era of data breaches and identity theft, chief privacy officers working hand-in-hand with security groups play a crucial if little-known role in protecting identifiable personal information.

The position of privacy executive is a relatively new one, dating back less than ten years, says Chris Zoladz, vice president of information protection and privacy with Marriott International. He pegs this role at about the stage where the security profession was 10 to 15 years ago. Although many organizations might believe the privacy function is covered by security groups, Zoladz told security professionals at The International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium’s (ISC2) 2007 SecureAmericas conference, held near Washington, D.C. last week, why the privacy function is separate but complementary.

"There are a lot of similarities between the professions, [such as] the focus on business value," he told the audience. The CPO is more focused on what data in an organization needs to be protected, however, while the security department develops and manages the way to protect it. "The CPO defines the ’what,’ the CISO deals with the ’how,’" he said.