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We are global leaders in data protection, privacy and cybersecurity

Delivering expert Data Protection Officer (DPO) services and tailored consultancy solutions that help organisations navigate complex legal landscapes with integrity and confidence across more than 70 jurisdictions.

Our Story

Founded by Dyann Heward-Mills with over two decades of experience in data protection and cybersecurity, HewardMills was created to provide independent, expert support to organisations faced with complex, evolving data protection laws. What began as a vision to create a diverse and inclusive global business to champion data dignity has since grown into a global team of multidisciplinary experts serving clients across the world.

Our mission and values

We’re on a mission to empower organisations to protect personal data responsibly and ethically — strengthening trust and accountability in a connected world.

Our Approach

Our approach combines global regulatory insight, practical risk management, and tailored implementation to deliver compliance and resilience that’s aligned to your organisation’s goals. We blend structured governance frameworks with agile, client-centric delivery so that data protection becomes an enabler, not a burden.

Holistic assessment

We evaluate your current data protection posture across people, processes and technology

Tailored solutions

We guide the development of programmes that align with your business needs, risk profile and industry context

Operational support

As your trusted partner, we embed robust processes, provide training and offer ongoing guidance. Working in tandem with internal teams.

Continuous horizon watching

We monitor the regulatory landscape, keeping you ahead of emerging risks and changing legal requirements

Why choose us

Diverse by design, our experienced multidisciplinary team combines deep knowledge of worldwide data protection and privacy regulations with specialised skills and cross-sector expertise.

Trusted by global organisations across industries, including life sciences, technology, retail and banking, our experts provide tailored support in data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity to meet your unique needs.

Global expertise and local insight across more than 70 jurisdictions

An agile, cost-effective service delivery model that adapts to your changing needs

Multilingual, cross-time-zone support

B Corp certified, with a purpose that goes beyond profit

Our independence as a DPO also strengthens your legal and regulatory compliance, satisfying GDPR and other regulatory requirements and ensuring objective oversight and risk assessment.

Our Impact

HewardMills was built to advocate for data dignity, and we’re proud to be B Corp certified, a testament to our commitment to environmental, social and governance excellence. We believe that privacy and data protection matter not just as legal obligations, but as essential elements of ethical, inclusive and sustainable business.

I have always believed in the power of business to be used as a force for good. So, it makes me extremely proud that HewardMills, as a leading provider of Data Protection Officer services, upholds this belief and prioritises purpose alongside growth.

Dyann Heward-Mills

“The transparency and accountability of B Corp practices motivates me to contribute to a company that prioritises sustainability and ethical standards.”

Business Development and Senior Account Manager

Meet our experts

Protecting your data and turning compliance into confidence requires more than just tools and templates. It requires trusted expertise, practical experience, and an in-depth understanding of both your organisation and the evolving regulatory landscape.

Meet the passionate team behind our solutions — certified data protection and privacy professionals, legal consultants, AI experts, and information security specialists who combine deep technical knowledge with real-world commercial insight to help you navigate complex compliance challenges. Working in agile, multidisciplinary teams, they become an extension of your business, providing specialist support exactly when and where you need it.

Behind every successful client engagement, there is also an extended team dedicated to delivering exceptional service and long-term value, whilst also supporting our wider commitments to sustainability and positive social impact.

Chief Executive Officer & HewardMills Data Protection Officer

Dyann Heward-Mills

Creating trust-centred governance frameworks that align privacy, ethics, culture, and business strategy — enabling organisations to navigate complexity with confidence and integrity

Dyann is a UK-qualified barrister of Ghanaian heritage with over 25 years' experience advising organisations on data protection, cybersecurity, and regulatory risk.

In 2022, she led HewardMills to achieve B Corp certification, making her one of the few Black female CEOs of a B Corp in the UK — a milestone that reflects her ability to align commercial strategy with robust governance and responsible business. Under her leadership, the firm has also developed a flagship CSR initiative focused on protecting women and girls from misogyny and racism.

An appointed ethics expert to the European Commission in research and innovation, Dyann is a trusted voice at industry panels, conferences, and in the media, known for translating emerging risks into clear, actionable insight.

She works with senior leaders to build robust privacy and data protection programmes, and is particularly known for guiding clients through the complexities of Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs). A qualified psychotherapeutic counsellor, she brings a distinctive, human-centred perspective to leadership, risk, and organisational culture.

Chief Operating Officer & AI Governance and Ethics

Christine Fostvedt-Mills

Enabling responsible adoption and deployment of AI by aligning innovation, risk management and human values.

Christine brings over 17 years of experience in logistics, international development, and global operations, leading strategy and operations for global development programmes and services and delivering business transformation projects in complex, high-risk environments.

Her international career spans humanitarian operations in Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti, and Ethiopia with organisations including the United Nations, Médecins Sans Frontières, and the Norwegian Refugee Council — a background that underpins her ability to navigate uncertainty, assess risk, and deliver under pressure.

As COO and AI Governance and Ethics Lead, and a Certified Responsible Generative AI practitioner, Christine helps organisations adopt AI confidently — balancing regulatory compliance, operational resilience, and responsible innovation.

Christine chairs HewardMills' AI Governance Council, leading the strategic direction of the firm's AI governance services to ensure they combine operational practicality, ethical oversight and regulatory alignment.

Christine is also Co-Founder of Protect Black Women, reflecting her commitment to equity and systemic change.

Languages: English, French, Norwegian

Consultant Partner I Head of Service Delivery & HewardMills DPO

Bushra Hasnain

Making privacy a growth enabler rather than a compliance obstacle

Bushra is a privacy, data protection and AI governance expert with over a decade of experience advising leading global firms. At HewardMills she leads the delivery of outsourced Data Protection Officer and privacy advisory services across clients in higher education, financial services, technology, consumer and hospitality, and sits on the HewardMills AI Governance Council.
She was previously Global Head of Privacy and Data Protection at BlackRock, where she built the firm's global privacy function from the ground up, designing the strategy, operating model and policy framework and leading a global team across all business areas including Aladdin. Reporting to the Group General Counsel, she advised executive leadership and local country boards, chaired the Privacy and Data Protection Committee, and served on the firm's AI Committee, setting standards and policy for artificial intelligence alongside executive leaders across the business.
Earlier roles include Associate Director at KPMG UK, where she was Privacy Lead for Insurance and Investment Management, and lead privacy consultant on the A4 Cloud Project, a European Commission initiative supported by HP and SAP.
Bushra holds an LLB (Honours) and an LLM from the University of London.

Languages: English, Urdu

Subject Matter Expert and HewardMills DPO

Jesal Prabaker

Turning legal complexity into practical AI governance and helping technology businesses scale with confidence

Jesal is a Fractional General Counsel and privacy professional with more than 13 years of in-house legal experience building legal, privacy, compliance, and governance programmes for high-growth technology companies.
She specialises in translating complex regulatory requirements into practical governance frameworks that enable innovation while managing legal, privacy, and operational risk. Her experience includes developing enterprise privacy programmes, designing governance processes, leading post-acquisition integration of legal and compliance functions, and supporting AI-enabled technology companies on privacy, contractual risk, and AI governance.
As a member of the HewardMills AI Governance Council, Jesal draws on her background as an in-house legal and privacy leader to support the development of practical AI governance methodologies, policies, training, and client-facing frameworks.
Jesal holds the CIPP/E, CIPP/US, and CIPM certifications from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
IT & Cybersecurity

Architha Babu

Translating complex cybersecurity environments into practical risk, governance, and operational actions that organisations can confidently implement

Architha brings four years of experience as a Software Engineer working across network traffic monitoring, VPN, enterprise security zoning, information security policy design, and risk assessment. She holds a Master's in Cybersecurity Engineering and CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) certification.

Architha supports clients on the technical side of cybersecurity and IT engagements, drawing on her engineering experience to provide the practical, technically informed analysis that helps translate policy and risk frameworks into operationally sound output.

Languages: English, Tamil

Client Success Manager

Aurelie Schyrr

Turning complex European privacy requirements into practical, stakeholder-aligned solutions for Life Sciences organisations

Aurélie is a bilingual French-qualified lawyer with experience advising on Workers’ Council matters in France. She brings a strong understanding of the European regulatory landscape, with particular expertise in supporting Life Sciences organisations to navigate complex data privacy requirements.

She is known for building trusted client relationships and delivering consistently high-quality outcomes across engagements. Aurélie works closely with stakeholders at all levels, combining proactive communication with the ability to translate complex regulatory obligations into clear, practical, and actionable plans.

Aurélie holds an LLB and LLM, as well as an AMF certification, underpinning her technical expertise and commitment to professional excellence.

Languages: English, French

HewardMills DPO

Bernardo Armentano

Turning complex data protection risks into practical, defensible compliance strategies

Bernardo brings over 14 years of legal experience, having worked as an attorney-at-law, legal consultant, and legal analyst at the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Brazil. His background combines strong technical expertise with a practical understanding of regulatory enforcement.

He previously served as a Data Protection Lawyer at noyb, where he contributed to high-profile strategic litigation and GDPR enforcement actions across multiple EU jurisdictions. This experience gives him valuable insight into regulatory expectations and enforcement trends.

Bernardo works closely with clients to navigate complex data protection challenges, providing clear, pragmatic advice that supports compliance while enabling business objectives.

Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian

Subject Matter Expert and HewardMills DPO

Bostjan Makarovič

Bringing clarity to complex, overlapping digital regulations through cross-sector, cross-jurisdictional expertise spanning privacy, telecoms, AI, and technology governance

Bostjan brings 17 years of advisory experience across data protection and privacy, telecoms market regulation, and more recently AI ethics, having worked with innovative tech businesses, telcos, and regulators from East London Tech City and Central Europe to Silicon Valley and the Gulf. The geographic and sectoral breadth of his experience means he is fluent in how digital regulation actually plays out across different markets, regulatory frameworks, and stages of technological maturity.

Bostjan provides clients with senior guidance on complex regulatory questions, bringing the depth and cross-regime perspective needed where issues sit at the intersection of established rules and emerging frameworks.

He is also a member of HewardMills' AI Governance Council, helping to ensure the firms AI governance services reflect the realities of evolving regulation across international markets and keep pace with emerging technologies.

HewardMills DPO

Amaka Uzoukwu

Helping organisations make confident business decisions at the intersection of privacy, cybersecurity, and AI regulation by balancing legal risk with innovation and operational needs

Amaka is a dual-qualified lawyer in England and Wales and Nigeria, with specialist expertise in privacy, cybersecurity, and AI regulatory frameworks. She advises businesses on navigating complex legal and regulatory requirements across transactional, advisory, and contentious matters.

She brings a pragmatic, business-focused approach to her work, helping clients manage risk while enabling innovation and operational efficiency in fast-evolving digital environments.

Amaka works closely with cross-functional teams to deliver clear, actionable legal guidance that supports compliance and strategic decision-making.

Finance, Sustainability & Social Impact

Caris Cripps

Turning purpose into action by ensuring social impact initiatives are supported by strong, coordinated internal operations

Caris is an architecture student at the University of Edinburgh, with a particular interest in restoration and sustainability, having completed her schooling at Rugby School.

Since March 2023, Caris has been HewardMills' Diversity, Wellness and Sustainability Representative, supporting the executive and the wider business on matters relating to diversity, wellbeing, and sustainability. She supports the firm's corporate social responsibility initiatives, including Protect Black Women, and recently led a project focused on protecting students, securing equitable outcomes, and improving job prospects for Generation Z.

HewardMills DPO

Carlotta Rossi

Helping organisations operationalise privacy compliance in Italy by navigating the local administrative, procedural, and regulatory complexities that often determine success

As a native Italian speaker based in Italy, Carlotta provides clients with on-the-ground support for the bureaucratic, administrative, and procedural matters that often sit between data protection compliance and getting things actually done in the Italian regulatory environment.

She supports DPO operations across client engagements, with particular focus on helping clients in Italy work through administrative issues, applications, and the country-specific procedural steps that benefit from a native-speaking advisor on the ground.

Languages: English, Italian, Portuguese

Subject Matter Expert and HewardMills DPO

Dr Ben Thompson

Helping organisations turn AI regulation into practical, auditable governance

Ben is an AI governance and data protection specialist. He holds ISO/IEC 42001 Lead Auditor and Lead Implementer certifications, both accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) to ISO/IEC 17024, alongside CIPP/E and CIPM. A Doctorate holder and statutory Data Protection Officer, he leads on AI governance methodology within HewardMills’ AI Governance Council and is an AI CERTs Advisory Board member and instructor across more than 30 certification programmes.

Board Advisor | Business Development & Brand Strategy

Clare Preedy

Connecting insight, brand strategy, commercial discipline, and the bigger picture to unlock sustainable business growth

Clare is an insight-driven, independent business consultant with extensive brand, marketing, business development and commercial experience.

Clare provides advisory and hands-on support to help organisations create commercially sound strategies and plans. Her experience spans corporate, start-up, not-for-profit, B2C and B2B environments, and includes an extensive career within the FMCG industry - with several notable roles at Unilever and then Upfield. She is also Chair of the Board of Trustees at Made in Hackney, a plant-based community cookery school.

Her areas of expertise include brand, marketing and communications strategy; business strategy and planning; business development; customer development; portfolio and pricing strategy; innovation and commercialisation; category strategy; and revenue growth management.

As a certified Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) Clare also brings strong financial and commercial acumen to the table.

Clare is a Board Advisor to HewardMills.

Subject Matter Expert and HewardMills DPO

Cristina Almagro

Translating complex privacy and AI challenges into practical solutions across technology-driven, fast-moving environments

Cristina is a Spanish bilingual Subject Matter Expert with nearly a decade of experience at the intersection of technology and privacy. Her bilingual capability and dual perspective on European and Spanish-speaking markets enables her to provide clients operating across these regions with guidance that is culturally and commercially sound.

Cristina works closely with client teams to provide expert guidance on data protection and AI matters, bringing the technical fluency and multidisciplinary perspective needed to navigate the questions sitting at the leading edge of privacy and emerging technology. She also acts as External Ethics Advisor to multiple EU-funded projects, helping to bridge the gap between technological innovation and its ethical, legal and societal implications.

As a member of HewardMills' AI Governance Council, Christina helps to shape the governance frameworks, methodologies and standards that underpin HewardMills' Responsible AI Governance and Compliance services.

Languages: English, Spanish

Business Transformation & Project Management

Danielle Mordini

Designing and delivering scalable transformation programmes that turn strategy into consistent, high-performing execution

Danielle is a strategic product management and digital transformation expert, bringing over 15 years of experience across professional services, compliance, and global creative production.

Her areas of expertise include product and programme management, digital transformation, and sales enablement. She holds an MSc in Technology Management, is completing an MSc in Computer Science and Data Analytics, and is a certified PRINCE2 Practitioner, Scrum Master, and Agile Practitioner. Danielle is fluent in English and Portuguese, with professional proficiency in Spanish.

Danielle coordinates delivery teams to design and implement scalable solutions that improve business performance and customer experience. Alongside colleagues, she also drives the Project Management Office (PMO) efforts to ensure client engagements are well-planned, efficiently run, and consistently delivered to a high standard.

Languages: English, Portuguese

HewardMills DPO

Dorcas Abass

Transforming complex, multi-jurisdictional privacy requirements into practical governance frameworks that are operationally sustainable

Dorcas is an experienced privacy professional with LLB, CIPP/E, and CDPS certifications. Her experience is focused on the technology sector, where regulatory complexity and pace of change are at their most demanding.

As an analyst supporting client service delivery, she advises organisations on data protection and privacy compliance across multiple jurisdictions, helping them navigate overlapping global regimes, embed privacy-by-design principles, and strengthen governance structures that remain practical for day-to-day operations.

Alongside her client work, Dorcas supports knowledge management within the firm, ensuring the team's collective expertise and regulatory insight is captured, shared, and consistently applied to client engagements.

Languages: English, Twi

HewardMills DPO

Elena Guanuna

Bridging the gap between legal compliance and operational execution in technology-driven environments

Elena is a California-licensed attorney working at the intersection of technology, privacy, cybersecurity, and commercial law, with particular focus on legal operations, contracting, and emerging technology.

Her perspective is shaped by experience across policy, academic, and government environments, including the Future of Privacy Forum in Singapore, the Harvard Law School Cyberlaw Clinic, and the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center. This breadth means she understands how privacy and cybersecurity play out in practice across jurisdictions, sectors, and operational realities.

Elena works closely with clients to translate complex technology-related risks into clear, actionable guidance to bridge the gap between regulatory compliance and operational decision-making.

She is also a member of HewardMills' AI Governance Council, helping ensure the firm's AI governance services bridge the gap between legal requirements, technological innovation and operational reality.

Languages: English, Spanish

HewardMills DPO

Elisha Farragher

Elisha is studying for a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Galway, where she is due to graduate in 2027, and joined HewardMills in June 2025.

Elisha is studying for a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Galway, where she is due to graduate in 2027, and joined HewardMills in June 2025.

As a Data Protection and Privacy Analyst, Elisha carries out legal and regulatory research, tracks developments across the jurisdictions HewardMills serves, and supports the wider team on client deliverables including DPIAs, records of processing, and policy reviews.

Finance, Sustainability & Social Impact

Ella Davies

Ensuring financial and sustainability commitments are reliably executed through accurate reporting, analysis, and operational follow-through

Ella is an Economics and Finance graduate from Leeds Beckett University, with strengths in statutory reporting, strategic financial management, and problem solving. Alongside her work at HewardMills, she is Head of Operations at Aunty Vics, an independent hospitality business in High Wycombe.

She joined HewardMills in February 2024 as Finance and Sustainability Representative, supporting the firm's financial and sustainability reporting.

Africa Operations

Eric Nyarko

Ensuring disciplined, high-quality in-country operations by aligning global standards with local execution and commercial realities in Ghana

Eric oversees operations in Ghana, ensuring our work in this key market is run with the structure, discipline, and local insight that effective in-country delivery demands.

His role bridges day-to-day operational leadership with the wider commercial considerations that shape how HewardMills grows and serves clients in the region. Ultimately, he works with the wider team to ensure clients experience consistent, well-managed engagement.

Eric holds an MBA, CDPS certification, and a Diploma in Accounting.

Languages: English, Ga, Twi

IT & Cybersecurity

Fiifi Kwapong

Translating privacy and governance requirements into secure, operational technology solutions that organisations can implement and sustain

Fiifi is based in Ghana and brings several years of experience leading software projects and technology teams.

He specialises in implementing technology strategies, governance frameworks, and cybersecurity solutions, combining the technical depth needed to build robust systems with the structural thinking required to ensure those systems remain governable, secure, and aligned with the wider organisational objectives they serve.

As IT Lead, Fiifi supports clients with cookie scans and broader ePrivacy compliance requirements, drawing on his technology delivery background to provide the practical support that clients need when navigating the operational side of privacy compliance.

Languages: English, Twi

Finance, Sustainability & Social Impact

Finlay Cripps

Creating the accurate, timely information flow that enables both responsible operations and confident decision-making

Finlay is a graduate of the University of Birmingham, having previously worked as an administrator at Brondesbury Medical Centre and completed work experience at Baker McKenzie. He joined HewardMills in September 2021.

As Finance, HR and Sustainability Representative, Finlay supports the firm's corporate social responsibility initiatives, including Protect Black Women, and contributes to work on protecting students, securing equitable outcomes, and improving job prospects for Generation Z. He is also a key lead on the firm's B Corp initiatives, covering compliance and reporting.

Managing Director - Ghana

Gillies Heward-Mills

Aligning clients, partners, and market opportunities to accelerate strategic growth

Gillies brings a strong track record in the financial services sector, with experience across banking, securities, asset management, and investment strategy. He is dedicated to helping clients navigate complex markets, with a focus on delivering thoughtful, tailored solutions that support long-term success.

Known for his collaborative approach, Gillies builds trusted relationships with clients and partners, taking the time to understand their priorities and align strategies to their goals.

As Global Managing Director, Gillies is focused on expanding HewardMills' market presence, including strengthening strategic partnerships in Ghana by leveraging regional insight and building meaningful, long-term relationships that support growth in the region.

Senior Client Success Director

Glenn Daif-Burns

Building enduring client partnerships that transform strong service delivery into sustained commercial value and long-term success

Glenn has over 20 years of experience spanning customer success, business development, operations, and service delivery, with a track record built across corporates, scale-ups, and start-ups.

He is known for building high-performing teams, strengthening client relationships, and delivering measurable commercial outcomes in fast-paced environments. This track record reflects an approach that treats client success as the result of getting the right people, processes, and relationships working together with intent.

As Head of Client Success, Glenn works with Client Success Managers to set the standard for how clients experience HewardMills beyond the technical delivery itself — ensuring engagements are commercially well-managed, relationships endure, and the value of the partnership compounds over time.

Marketing and Communications

Hazel Aggrey-Orleans

Ensuring HewardMills' external brand expression matches the depth and integrity of the work we deliver

Hazel is a marketing and project management professional whose career has been shaped by senior account management roles at two of the world's leading financial institutions, JPMorgan and BlackRock, where she built and sustained internal and external client relationships.

She thrives in brand development and creative environments, with particular strength in digital brand storytelling and social media oversight.

In her role at HewardMills, Hazel combines her senior financial services experience and creative skills to help ensure the brand presents itself externally in a way that matches the professional integrity, expertise and depth of the work we deliver for clients.

Languages: English, Spanish, German

Finance, Sustainability & Social Impact

Heather James

Delivering financial clarity, control, and accurate reporting that enables confident decision-making

Heather brings over 10 years of experience delivering financial control services to a diverse portfolio of clients, with the technical expertise and detail-oriented approach that financial management demands. She holds a degree in Commerce from the University of Birmingham and is a qualified accountant, having trained with KPMG in the financial services sector.

She supports clients with accurate reporting, financial oversight, and effective financial management that underpin sound business decision-making.

Subject Matter Expert and HewardMills DPO

Helen Gregorczuk

Interpreting complex and evolving privacy requirements, helping organisations make confident decisions in areas where the law, technology, and regulatory expectations intersect

Helen brings extensive privacy and data protection experience from roles across the UK and Queensland government agencies, including the UK Information Commissioner's Office and the Queensland Office of the Information Commissioner. This experience means she understands how privacy laws are interpreted, applied, and enforced by the regulators many organisations most often need to engage with.

Her perspective is further strengthened by relevant academic research. In 2024, she completed her PhD in Privacy Law at the University of Queensland, examining fair collection under the Australian Privacy Act in the context of retail analytics and big data. She therefore provides a distinctive perspective on emerging issues at the intersection of data-driven business operations and individual privacy rights.

Helen supports a wide range of clients in resolving complex data protection issues, particularly where regulatory interpretation is required.

Languages: English, Ukrainian

HewardMills DPO

Hilda Besiwa

Keeping complex technology privacy programmes moving by aligning stakeholders, priorities, and delivery

Hilda is a data protection and privacy analyst supporting technology clients, bringing the structured delivery and stakeholder coordination needed to keep complex, fast-moving engagements on track.

Hilda coordinates across client teams and client stakeholders to keep programmes running smoothly, anticipating the legal and operational considerations that shape how privacy and data protection work lands in practice for tech clients.

Languages: English, Twi

Client Success Manager

Ike Egemonye

Helping clients achieve lasting value from compliance and security programmes through proactive engagement and support

Ike brings experience managing, supporting, and implementing compliance and data security strategies for clients in technology, financial services, and B2B sectors. He actively supports different client teams to ensure service delivery excellence, working alongside colleagues to keep engagements coordinated, responsive, and aligned with the outcomes clients are looking for.

Ike helps ensure clients experience consistent, high-quality engagement across the full lifecycle of their work with HewardMills — from strategy and implementation through to audit and ongoing assurance.

Languages: English, Igbo

IT & Cybersecurity

Jefferson Jury

Keeping technology environments secure, stable, and running smoothly through practical operational expertise

Jefferson brings over seven years of experience in IT support, infrastructure, and tool integration, with a track record of providing responsive service and resolving high-priority technical issues.

Jefferson supports clients on the operational side of IT and cyber engagements, drawing on his support and infrastructure background to provide the practical, technically grounded analysis that helps clients keep their systems running, secure, and well-integrated.

HewardMills DPO

Jennifer Nsiah Sarkodie

Connecting client needs, commercial priorities, and specialist expertise to deliver trusted, high-quality support in complex Life Sciences environments

Jennifer is a qualified lawyer with a background in Corporate and Commercial law, bringing a commercially grounded perspective to her work as Client Manager for our Life Sciences clients.

In this role, she is a key point of contact, ensuring engagements are well-coordinated and clients receive responsive, quality support across a sector where regulatory scrutiny and the sensitivity of the data both run high.

Her active interest in privacy and technology law shapes how she engages with client work, allowing her to anticipate the issues that matter most to Life Sciences organisations and ensure the right expertise is brought to bear at the right moment in each engagement.

Languages: English, Twi

Client Success Manager and Sustainability

Jodie Banner

Turning sustainability principles into practical drivers of business growth and client success

Jodie works across multiple areas of the business, including Communications, Sustainability, and Client Success. She plays a key role in supporting strategic growth, managing client relationships, and leading B Corp initiatives and events.

She is currently completing an ESRC-accredited research MSc in Sustainable Development, specialising in net zero, carbon resilience, and their application to AI.

Jodie helps HewardMills align its growth ambitions with its sustainability commitments, ensuring the two move forward together as the business develops.

HewardMills DPO

Kiruba Kandaswamy

Integrating privacy, governance, and broader legal considerations to help organisations navigate complex regulatory challenges with a balanced and practical perspective

Kiruba is a versatile legal professional with a BA. LLB (Hons) and an LLM in Commercial Corporate Law, bringing six years of experience across intellectual property, public law, immigration, data protection, and corporate governance. Her work spans both Indian and UK jurisdictions, giving her a practical understanding of how regulatory frameworks operate and intersect across two of the most active jurisdictions.

Alongside her client work as a data protection and privacy analyst, Kiruba is committed to social justice and brings a genuine passion for pro bono work.

Languages: English, Tamil

Finance, Sustainability & Social Impact

Kofi Cripps

Translating finance, people, and investment data into aligned strategies that support coherent business growth

Kofi completed A levels in Economics, Politics and Mathematics at Rugby School and is currently studying accounting, economics, and finance. He combines his studies with a career in professional sport as a rugby player with Bristol Bears, having previously played for Wasps.

As Finance and HR Representative since October 2022, Kofi supports the firm's finance strategy, with activities spanning investment planning, transfer pricing, financial analysis and reporting, budgeting and forecasting, and cash flow management, alongside human resources support to the business. He is being developed towards senior financial leadership.

HewardMills DPO

Leke Adewusi

Helping organisations make practical, commercially sound decisions across the interconnected fields of privacy, information security, AI, and digital regulation

Leke is a Nigerian qualified lawyer with experience spanning in-house counsel and community legal services, having previously worked as legal counsel for IHS Towers and at the Coventry Legal Advice Service.

His expertise spans Data Protection and Privacy, Information Security, AI Regulation, and E-Commerce Regulation. Leke supports clients across these intersecting areas, drawing on his in-house background to ensure advice is practical to act on within the operational and commercial realities of the business.

Languages: Yoruba

Subject Matter Expert and HewardMills DPO

Ley Muller

Helping organisations make AI governance decisions today that will remain credible, compliant, and defensible tomorrow

Ley specialises in AI governance across the full product lifecycle, from early development decisions through to post-deployment evaluation. Her areas of focus include bias and fairness auditing, international AI standards, the EU AI Act, and research-led approaches to emerging governance questions. This combination of technical depth and engagement with the evolving research landscape positions her well to advise on the issues sitting at the leading edge of AI governance.

Ley works closely with client teams and external stakeholders to translate complex AI governance requirements into practical guidance, drawing on standards, regulatory frameworks, and current research to support decisions that hold up to scrutiny as AI regulation continues to evolve.

She also sits on HewardMills' AI Governance Council, helping ensure clients benefit from AI governance informed by current research, international standards and evolving regulation.

Languages: English, Norwegian, German

Subject Matter Expert and HewardMills DPO

Lucas Murici

Translating evolving privacy and AI regulations into practical strategies for technology-driven businesses

Lucas is a qualified lawyer with 10 years of experience specialising in Law and Technology, with a particular focus on Data Protection and AI compliance. His perspective is shaped by time on both sides of the regulatory relationship, previously working for a Data Protection Regulator in Malta and advising companies across iGaming, Fintech, and online platforms.

He focuses on helping clients in fast-moving, highly-regulated industries navigate the overlapping demands of data protection and emerging AI regulation. His approach combines regulatory compliance with the commercial awareness needed to facilitate innovation without compromising compliance.

Lucas works closely with different client teams to translate complex regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance, bringing the regulator's perspective and sector depth that high-stakes data protection and AI engagements demand.

Languages: English, Portuguese

HewardMills DPO

Mekhala Gangurde

Connecting legal expertise with practical privacy governance

Mekhala is a lawyer with over three years of experience in India, most recently as Legal Associate at e-commerce accelerator D4 Commerce, with earlier roles at Reliance Industries, Larsen & Toubro, and Tata Motors. She holds a BBA LLB from Symbiosis International University and is completing an LLM in Intellectual Property Rights and Information Technology Law at University College Dublin. She works in English, Hindi, and Marathi, with elementary French.

As a Data Protection and Privacy Analyst, Mekhala supports clients with privacy compliance advice, DPIAs, records of processing, and regulatory research, drawing on her experience across privacy law, GDPR compliance, intellectual property, legaltech, and e-commerce regulation.

Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi, French

HewardMills DPO

Michaela Roche

Orchestrating people, expertise, and delivery to ensure clients receive consistently high-quality support across complex privacy and data protection engagements

Michaela is Head of Client Management, based in Ireland, leading how we engage with and support clients across the business. Her Ireland base places her within a jurisdiction where many global businesses anchor their European operations and where regulatory developments often set the tone for the wider EU privacy landscape.

She brings both technical knowledge and expertise in European Law and Communications, a combination that allows her to engage substantively with the issues clients face across sectors.

Michaela leads client teams across the business to ensure data protection initiatives, risk assessments, and ongoing engagements are delivered with the consistency, responsiveness, and quality that clients across every sector should expect.

HewardMills DPO

Mustafa Rasit

Helping organisations navigate technology-driven business activities by combining trusted client leadership with practical expertise in data protection and IT transactions

Mustafa is a Client Manager and Turkish qualified advocate based in Turkey. He holds an LL. M. in International Business Law from Queen Mary University of London, and specialises in Data Protection and IT Transactions. His training and experience enable him to engage with the technology and data-driven issues that increasingly sit at the centre of cross-border business activities.

As Client Manager, Mustafa serves as the consistent point of contact for various clients across different sectors, coordinating engagements across client teams while bringing his own expertise to bear on the data protection and IT transaction questions that arise in the course of the work.

Languages: English, Turkish

Business Transformation & Operations

Ngozi Plange

Delivering complex, multi-stakeholder projects and data protection programmes with structure, adaptability, and operational resilience

Ngozi is a project and programme management expert with over 15 years of experience across a wide range of industries and sectors. Her cross-sector exposure has shaped the development of a sustainable approach to data protection delivery at HewardMills — one that flexes to the operational rhythms, risk profiles, and stakeholder dynamics of different client environments.

Her academic background is distinctive with an Engineering degree paired with a Master's in Disasters & Development. Her training across these subjects informs the unique perspectives she brings across the complex, multi-variable workstreams she oversees.

Ngozi coordinates project management across multiple client accounts, ensuring engagements are delivered efficiently, consistently, and to the high standard clients expect.

HewardMills DPO

Niamh Pateman

Supporting privacy compliance through rigorous legal research and regulatory monitoring

Niamh is a third-year Law (BCL) and Business student at the University of Galway, combining legal study with commercial coursework. Before joining HewardMills in June 2025, she gained client-facing experience in healthcare and hospitality roles in Ireland.

As a Data Protection and Privacy Analyst, Niamh supports client accounts with DPIA and ROPA work, regulatory monitoring, and policy review, alongside legal research that feeds directly into client deliverables.

HewardMills DPO

Roman Ely

Bringing international legal expertise to complex privacy matters

Roman is an internationally qualified lawyer and CIPP/E-certified privacy professional based in Berlin. Before moving into privacy consultancy, he practised as a solicitor with the Victorian Department of Health and the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in Australia, advising government at ministerial and secretary level on coronial inquests, royal commissions, data governance, and regulatory compliance, and served as associate to a judge of the County Court of Victoria. He also works in French, Spanish, and German.

As a Data Protection Analyst, Roman provides data protection and regulatory advice to clients across more than 70 jurisdictions, specialising in data governance, regulatory compliance, and privacy law, with particular experience handling highly sensitive personal data in government and health contexts.

Business Development

Roohi Arora

Strategic and commercially focused professional. Trained in managing risks, navigating regulatory complexities, and delivering sustainable results whilst focusing on business growth.

Before transitioning to data protection and privacy, Roohi spent over 12 years working across business intelligence, analytics and media, where she managed commercial contracts, developed client relationships and supported business growth across multiple jurisdictions.
She supports HewardMills’ multinational clients on privacy, data protection and AI governance matters, and is also involved in Client Success and business growth initiatives.
Subject Matter Expert and HewardMills DPO

Roy Ng

Building mature, accountable privacy governance frameworks that embed responsibility across the organisation and create lasting resilience

Roy advises organisations on navigating complex, multi-jurisdiction data protection challenges across Asia and the Middle East, where overlapping regulatory frameworks and cross-border data flows require clear, practical judgement.

He brings both in-house and regional advisory experience, having served as Data Protection Officer for ICICI Bank Singapore Branch and working as a Senior Privacy Consultant with TrustArc in Asia Pacific. He also delivers training and advisory work across sectors, including national-level engagements and international audiences.

As a Subject Matter Expert at HewardMills, he is typically engaged by senior leadership as a strategic advisor, bringing regional regulatory depth and a practical understanding of how governance must operate in complex, multi-jurisdiction environments.

Languages: English, Mandarin

Sustainability & Social Impact

Ruth Abban

Designing social impact strategies rooted in equity, lived experience, and community voice

Ruth Abban is a Social Impact Strategy Consultant, overseeing our social impact strategy and ensuring its operations are grounded in equity-centred, community-driven principles.

She is a qualified Integrative Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor with an LLB and extensive experience across children and young people's charities, counselling organisations, and leadership roles.

Beyond her work at HewardMills, Ruth provides Racial Equity consultancy to organisations internationally and is a recognised international speaker — a leading voice for Black women reclaiming their voice, vision, and victory.

Subject Matter Expert and HewardMills DPO

Sachiko Nagai Gause

Bridging Japanese business culture and European privacy regulation to enable successful cross-border operations

Sachiko is a Japanese bilingual consultant with a background in international development, bringing a distinctive perspective to clients navigating the intersection of Japanese business culture and European data protection frameworks. She focuses on supporting Japanese organisations as they navigate GDPR and the wider European privacy landscape, drawing on hands-on project management experience across diverse, international stakeholder groups.

Sachiko works closely with clients in both Japan and Europe to translate complex regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance — bringing the bilingual capability and cross-cultural perspective that cross-border engagements between Japanese and European organisations demand.

HewardMills DPO

Silvina Castillo

Helping organisations navigate and harmonise privacy obligations across multiple jurisdictions

Silvina is an Argentinian-qualified solicitor based in Germany. She brings a distinctive multi-regional perspective shaped by qualifications and practical experience across Latin American, European, US, and East Asian data protection regimes. She also holds an MA in Data Protection and Information Security.

As a Client Manager supporting clients across the tech, retail, and financial sectors, Silvina takes on a broad set of responsibilities including risk assessments and audits. She regularly helps clients operating across regions make sense of how different privacy regimes interact and where the practical implications land for their business.

Languages: English, Spanish

Subject Matter Expert and HewardMills DPO

Steve Durbin

Bridging data governance, privacy, and information security to build sustainable compliance capabilities at enterprise scale

Steve brings broad experience in data governance and data protection law, including leading large, multi-million-pound projects across Europe with both governments and private corporations. His exposure to public and private sector work at scale gives him a grounded understanding of how data governance challenges look from very different vantage points.

He also has extensive experience with ISO standards, including the implementation and build-out of ISO 27001 and ISO 27701. This enables him to advise clients on how to establish and operate the information security and privacy management systems that increasingly form the backbone of regulated, audit-ready operations.

As a Subject Matter Expert, Steve regularly provides senior guidance on complex engagements and queries where data governance, privacy, and information security standards considerations are involved.

He also serves on HewardMills' AI Governance Council, helping shape and deliver AI governance services that are practical, auditable and aligned with international standards.

Languages: English, Welsh

HewardMills DPO

Tais Holdsworth

Combining multilingual client leadership with practical expertise in privacy, IP, and media-related legal issues

Tais is a trilingual privacy professional (English, Russian, and French, with beginner Japanese) bringing over four years of legal experience across intellectual property, data protection, and media and entertainment. Her multilingual capacity extends the reach of the support she can offer, particularly for clients with operations or stakeholders across Russian and Francophone markets where direct, in-language engagement is required.

As a Client Manager, Tais is the day-to-day anchor for the clients she supports, keeping engagements coordinated and on track while lending her own expertise to IP, data protection, and media-related challenges.

Languages: English, Russian, French

HewardMills DPO

Xiaoyang Tong

Helping organisations navigate the complexities of cross-border data governance between Europe and China

Xiaoyang is a bilingual Client Manager with legal training from both China and the UK, giving her direct insight into two of the most consequential privacy regimes operating today (GDPR and China's PIPL) and the regulatory and cultural environments that shape how each is applied in practice.

Xiaoyang's privacy experience spans drafting privacy policies, supporting DPO registration processes, and contributing to cross-border data transfer assessments. She has supported multi-jurisdictional projects for clients across technology, education, and retail, including legal research that underpins how policies and frameworks are developed.

Languages: English, Mandarin

HewardMills DPO

Yash Vardhan Singh Roy

Connecting technology regulation, commercial strategy, and market insight to help organisations succeed in fast-evolving digital economies, particularly in India

Yash brings legal experience in IP and Corporate Commercial matters, with jurisdictional knowledge spanning India, the UK, and the UAE. His LLM in Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) Law gives him specialist depth at the intersection of regulatory frameworks and the technology, media, and telecoms sectors.

Yash supports business development in the evolving Indian market, drawing on his cross-jurisdictional perspective and TMT specialism to help the firm engage with one of the most dynamic and rapidly maturing privacy and technology landscapes globally.

Languages: English, Hindi, Bengali, Odia, Marathi

Our Partners

We partner with other leading, purpose-driven organisations around the globe to deliver integrated solutions across a full spectrum of data protection and privacy-related matters.

Giving you:

Access to an extended network of trusted professionals through one service delivery model

Specialist technical expertise, sector-specific knowledge, and regional and local insight

Scalable solutions that offer value and world-class support under HewardMills’ experienced leadership