Global impact of the Indian Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023

Shreya Gupta advises clients on Privacy & Data Protection laws. Shreya is dedicated to advancing her knowledge in Information Technology and Data Protection, with a specific emphasis on personal data and compliance with data protection laws such as DPDA, GDPR, CCPA, DPDPA, PDPA, and other pertinent regulations.

Asad joined GLA & Company in February of 2022 as a Senior Associate in the Corporate Commercial Department. Asad is known as a relentless advocate on behalf of his clients. He has been involved in a number of transactional and advisory works in various industries including renewable energy, logistics, construction, finance, health care, and education. Asad’s scope of practice has involved comprehensive representation with respect to mergers and acquisitions, conducting extensive due diligence exercises in relation to complex transactions, as well as distribution and agency arrangements. Asad has extensive background in advising on marketing of securities, corporate governance issues, policies, and regulatory compliance. Due to the increased need, Asad has expanded his expertise in advising on data protection regulation in the region. Before joining GLA & Company, Asad practiced as a corporate commercial attorney at Al Tamimi & Company in Kuwait and prior to that as a corporate attorney in the United States. Asad’s previous experience includes: Negotiating Asset Purchase Agreements and related disclosure schedules, intellectual property agreements, professional online marketing services agreements, confidentiality agreements, non-competition non-solicitation agreements, ad advising clients on service mark and trademark availability, registrability, and design, Asad also has experience in commercial litigation, which includes drafting complaints, deposition preparation, and commercial defense work of handling all interrogatories and requests for production. Asad has a healthcare background as a practicing registered respiratory therapist for over 10 years. He was the youngest graduate of his program and president of his class. Asad also has some experience as healthcare fraud defense attorney successfully representing physicians and healthcare entities against claims of fraud.

Ms. Shahana Chatterji is a Partner with the Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs team at the Firm. Prior to Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, she has worked with S&R Associates, New Delhi and the U.S. Congress, Washington D.C. She regularly works with industry organizations, government organizations, regulatory authorities and private entities on matters relating to policy formation and drafting, legislative drafting and advisory, implementation, enforcement and capacity building. Shahana is a thought leader in the sphere of public policy and brings critical insights into modelling regulation, policies, and engagement plans for her clients. Shahana has worked closely with the world’s largest technology, internet and social media companies and has led matters relating to data privacy, online speech and content regulation, intermediary liability, risk profiling for disruptive technologies and solutions including AI solutions in the healthcare sector, ecommerce cloud computing, public procurement of technology, payment technology and fintech solutions. With the e-commerce laws in India having undergone significant changes in the past year, Shahana has assisted clients in launching several new products in compliance with these laws, including but not limited to short video products, services connecting small businesses with buyers, online event services, online marketplaces, etc. Recently, she has led critical matters for her clients and thought leadership for the industry on the proposed data protection framework which resulted from the Srikrishna Expert Committee and the nation-wide consultations it held. Shahana has not only been instrumental in the formulation of the industry points of view to the proposed framework, she has also presented industry viewpoints on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 and has deposed before the Joint Parliamentary Committee set up to analyse and revise the proposed draft of the data protection bill in India. Shahana has also assisted clients in their engagements with the Committee of Experts on Non Personal Data Governance which is proposing a legal framework for the governance of non-personal data in India. Further, she has advised domestic and international clients on technology product structuring and compliance in compliance with privacy laws and principles in India. Some of the key data protection projects she has advised on include workplace privacy and employee investigations, GPS data and location sharing, biometric data collection, Aadhaar-based authentication, targeted advertising and marketing, cloud computing, setting up data centers, digital product and enterprise solutions reviews and cross-border data transfers. Shahana has also assisted social media clients in formulating content policies, engaging with the government on content liability rules and litigation strategy, assisting multinational clients on negotiating compliance with content regulation laws and law enforcement requests.

Sajan Poovayya is a designated Senior Advocate with extensive technology, commercial and constitutional law practice in the Supreme Court of India, and in various High Courts of the country. Prior to his designation, he was the Managing Partner of Poovayya & Co., a full service law firm with offices at Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi. Sajan officiated as the Additional Advocate General for the State of Karnataka and was one of the youngest to occupy that position. He has been repeatedly voted by LawAsia and Chambers & Partners, as one of Asia’s leading attorneys. Chambers and Partners 2020 rates him among the leading individuals in the senior counsel practice arena. He is a known free speech lawyer in the country.

Anastasia is a Director with the Corporate & Finance Department in Drew & Napier. Her key areas of practice are Technology, Media, and Telecommunications (TMT), Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity, as well as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Trust. Prior to joining the firm, Anastasia was Deputy Chief Counsel to Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) for over 9 years. She was lead counsel for PDPC’s matters, IMDA’s procurement and intellectual property portfolios, as well as IMDA’s Data Administration Group. Anastasia has advised on a broad range of regulatory, compliance and commercial matters, both in her role as in-house counsel as well as in private practice. Her extensive experience includes advising on data protection compliance and management programmes, cross-border data transfers, data incident management and response, investigations and enforcement by the PDPC, AI governance clauses for vendor contracts, and regulatory risks arising from the use of large language models. She has been recognised as a Senior Accredited Specialist in Data & Digital Economy Law by the Singapore Academy of Law.