Case study
2018 International Conference of Data Protection & Privacy Commissioners Debating Ethics: Dignity and Respect in Data Driven Life
21–26 October 2018 Brussels, Belgium
Key Speakers Included
Tim Cook
CEO, Apple
Sir Tim Berners Lee
Director, World Wide Web Consortium
Věra Jourová
European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender
Elizabeth Denham
UK Information Commissioner, ICO
Mark Zuckerberg
CEO, Facebook (video message)
Giovanni Buttarelli
European Data Protection Supervisor
Sundar Pichai
CEO, Google (video message)
Andrea Jelinek
Chair, European Data Protection Board
King Felipe VI of Spain
(video message)
Anita Allen
Professor of Law and Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania
Julie Brill
Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft
Frederike Kaltheneuer
Data Exploitation Programme Lead, Privacy International
Raymond Serrato
Governance and Innovation Expert, Democracy Reporting International
Tristan Harris
Co-Founder, Center for Humane Technology
Jagdish Singh Khehar
44th Chief Justice of India
Pascale Fung
Director, HKUST Center for AI Research
Marc Rotenberg
President and Executive Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center
Nuala O'Connor
President and CEO, Center for Democracy and Technology
Job titles correct at the time of the event
About the Event
The European Data Protection Supervisor was selected as the host of the 2018 International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, the annual meeting point for the global data protection community. They chose to work with Forum Europe to manage and execute the entire week-long programme of events.
With its theme "Debating Ethics: Dignity and Respect in Data Driven Life", the conference broke records of all kinds, from levels of attendance to the number of NGO delegates participating. Policymakers, tech pioneers, prominent academics, philosophers, industry leaders and many more gathered from all continents. In addition to delegate representation from across the globe, the conference also gained impressive worldwide press coverage. Read the conference report to know more about this world-class event.
What We Did:
- Fully managed the week long series of events, including 2 major plenary conferences and more than 40 official side events
- Gala Dinner for 900+ delegates with acrobatic performance
- Development of the overall event brand, venue decoration and set design
- Developed and managed social programme, with cocktail receptions, a gala dinner, social activities and sightseeing
- Stage management and VIP management
- Press relations including dedicated press conference
Event Gallery
Over 1,000 attending delegates
The open session of the event took place in the European Parliament Hemicycle, with over 60 speakers taking the stage across the two days. The open session followed a closed-doors two-day discussion at the Palais d'Egmont, which featured over 50 regulators from across the world.
Alongside the main conference, over 40 side events took place in venues in the EU district, organised by top international organisations, NGOs and universities. A calendar of events hosted by the Bulgarian Commission for Personal Data Protection also run in parallel in Sofia.
Event Testimonials
“I have already paid tribute to Forum Europe and will continue to do so. Thank you for your professionalism and successful ‘war machine’. Unanimous compliments around the world are self-evident.”
Giovanni Buttarelli, European Data Protection Supervisor
“I would like to warmly thank you for all your outstanding work and the assistance you provided us with for the organisation of all the events, starting with the Ambassadors' cocktail and ending with the Atomium dinner. You are all "la crème de la crème", always listening to us with a smile and helping us with a real sense of service.”
Anne Noel, Conference Team, European Data Protection Supervisor
“I would like to renew my most sincere congratulations to all Forum Europe colleagues for the great job you have done and you are doing. The extent of the complexity / sensitiveness of this event gives the measure of the high capacity in planning, organising and deploying matured by Forum Europe. In a very professional and discrete way, you put at disposal of your customers the great know-how and network you have built up along time.”
Stefano Spinaci, European Parliament
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