Balancing Legal Certainty and Innovation: Bitkom Privacy Conference 2026 Puts Data Protection into Practice
- Bernd Krösser, Meike Kamp, Michael Will and other data protection experts to speak at Privacy Conference 2026
- Regulatory challenges and practical data strategies in focus
Berlin, 27 August 2026. Around a decade after the introduction of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), data protection has become firmly embedded in companies. At the same time, the associated workload, complexity and legal uncertainty continue to grow year after year. A recent Bitkom study shows that 97 percent of companies in Germany consider the burden associated with data protection to be high. 82 percent cite uncertainty about the exact data protection requirements as one of their biggest challenges. So how can organisations ensure future-proof data protection in an era of disruptive technologies and constantly evolving regulatory frameworks?
Bitkom’s Privacy Conference on 29 and 30 September will provide answers to these questions. Over two days, the event will bring together leading experts from data protection authorities, international companies and startups to discuss current developments, legal frameworks and practical data protection strategies. The first day of the conference will take place live at Futurium Berlin, while the second day will be held online and in English for an international audience.
High-profile speakers from politics, regulatory authorities and business
Speakers at this year’s Privacy Conference include leading figures in data protection at both national and European level:
- Bernd Krösser, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior
- Michael McGrath, EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection
- Jeanne Dillschneider, State Chair of Alliance 90/The Greens in Saarland
- Meike Kamp, Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information
- Michael Will, President of the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision
- Valentina Daiber, Member of the Management Board for Legal and Corporate Affairs at Telefónica Deutschland
- Thomas Zedrick, Head of Unit “Supervision and Enforcement” at the European Data Protection Supervisor
- Carolina Foglia, Head of Unit at the European Data Protection Board
- Félicien Vallet, Head of the AI Department at the Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL)
- Dr Hans-Joachim Arnold, Vice President at Lufthansa Group Compliance & Data Protection
- Paula Cipierre, Global Head of Privacy at HCLTech
A 360° view of regulation, AI and corporate practice
Through keynotes, panel discussions and workshops, the Privacy Conference 2026 will address the key issues facing data protection professionals and businesses today. Topics will include the evolution of the European regulatory framework, recent decisions by Germany’s Federal Court of Justice and the Court of Justice of the European Union, approaches to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and practical data protection in companies and supervisory authorities.
The first day of the conference, on 29 September, will focus on national and European perspectives on data protection. The second day will offer international insights and will be available via livestream.
Further information on the programme and participation is available here.
About the Bitkom Privacy Conference
Bitkom’s Privacy Conference brings together experts from data protection authorities, international companies, SMEs and leading startups to discuss current developments, legal frameworks and practical data protection strategies. High-profile keynotes, panel discussions and workshops provide insights into national and European perspectives on data protection.
The first day of the conference will take place as an in-person event in Berlin, while the second day of the Privacy Conference will be streamed online free of charge.
Information and tickets: www.privacy-conference.com
