The Data Protection and Privacy Podcast

What The EXPERTS Do Not TELL Us About Data Protection? Part 29. Aakash Suri on Privacy, AI, and Culture Change

Aakash Suri joins David Clarke to reveal how privacy can drive business, demystify AI governance, and end tick-box compliance for good.

Guest: Ash Siri, Founder of AS Privacy and AI Solutions Ltd

 1. Privacy as a Strategic Enabler — Not a Blocker

  • Ash positions privacy as a business asset, not a compliance burden.
  • He communicates legal requirements in plain English and offers practical steps, gaining trust from senior stakeholders.
  • By aligning privacy with business goals, he earns top-down buy-in and builds privacy into strategic objectives.

 Insight: Translate law into value. Privacy earns respect when it drives business outcomes.

 2. In-Person Training > Tick-Box E-Learning

  • Ash designed live privacy training that replaced generic e-learning.
  • Used interactivity, real examples, and group tasks to create engagement and cultural change.
  • Everyone from customer service to board members participated.

Insight: Changing behaviour requires human connection, not slide decks.

3. Proactive AI Governance is Missing

  • Most companies rush into AI for efficiency but lack governance.
  • Ash advises organisations to ask: “Where’s your policy? Who’s accountable?”
  • Governance doesn’t have to be complex — just clear, intentional, and privacy-by-design.

Insight: If you're using AI without a policy, you’re gambling with compliance.

 4. Incident Management Requires Calm, Speed, and Process

  • Built practical incident response systems — forms, workflows, and clear roles.
  • Created a safe culture where teams felt comfortable reporting issues.
  • Emphasised speed of execution, not fear.

Insight: Most failures happen in the first 2 hours. Clarity beats chaos.

5. Build Privacy Culture Through Simplicity, Trust, and Visibility

  • Ash used SharePoint hubs, quizzes, sweet incentives, and dialogue to make privacy visible and normal.
  • Delivered transparency training that related directly to people’s day-to-day jobs.

Insight: Privacy works when people understand how it affects them, not just the business.

You can contact Aakash Suri here

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aakashsuri-thoughtleader/


The latest in Data Protection and Privacy Podcast by David Clarke
Follow me on Twitter @1davidclarke 96.1k Followers
Join Linkedin GDPR Group 33,475 Others Members for FREE
CoAuthor of an ICO certified GDPR scheme