Client Overview
The client is one of the UAE’s oldest and most respected family-owned group, established in 1960. Headquartered in Dubai, the Group operates across multiple industries, including manufacturing, packaging, real estate, investments, and automotive technologies. As a large and diversified conglomerate, the Group processes significant volumes of personal data belonging to employees, customers, partners, and vendors-making compliance with data protection regulations such as the UAEPDPL and international standards a strategic priority.
Activities Performed
Current state assessment: Personal data and privacy state assessment across the scoped environment.
- Create a roadmap aligned with the identified gaps and recommendations against:
- UAE Federal Decree Law no 45/2021 concerning Personal Data Protection.
- UAE Federal Decree Law no concerning rumours and cybercrimes.
- The Federal Law No. 5 of 2023 on Consumer Protection.
- Data Protection Law, DIFC Law No 5 of 2020.
- EU General Data Protection Regulation and ISO 27701 Data privacy framework.
- Develop a Privacy Governance Structure and Policies.
- Organise and provide training and awareness sessions on protection of personal data for leadership Team, IT support staff, and other required stakeholders.
- Conduct Privacy Compliance audits.
Challenges Entangled
- One challenge encountered during the tenure of this project is the lack of clarity on personal data lifecycle, creating potential compliance gaps and no records of data processing activities are maintained within the departments.
- Tailored privacy solutions implemented within controlled timelines to meet business needs.
- Differences in management views addressed through consultations; business understanding of privacy risks enhanced via targeted sessions.
Involved Process/ ValueMentor Approach
ValueMentor adopted a structured and collaborative approach to ensure effective framework creation:
- Gap Assessment – Conducted Gap Assessment interviews with the stakeholder to understand the current posture of the organization with respect to Data Privacy.
- Data Discovery & Data Flow Mapping – Conducted data discovery interviews with the departments to understand the life cycle of personal data involved in the processes and mapped the process flow.
- Design & Framework Development – Built a privacy governance model, policies, and procedures aligned to the applicable Data Protection laws.
- Documentation – Developed Record of Processing Activities (RoPA), conducted risk assessments, Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) across all business units which are under the project scope.
- Enablement & Training – Conducted targeted awareness sessions to embed privacy accountability within the organization.
Deliverables
- Gap Assessment Report
- Record of Processing Activities (RoPA)
- Data Flow Diagrams (DFD)
- Risk Register/Recommendations
- Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)
- Set of Policies & Procedures
- Training Content/Decks
Result & Impact
The engagement created tangible outcomes for the client to create clear visibility of personal data across all business units. It improved compliance with UAE PDPL and international standards. The risk of data breaches, penalties, and reputational damage was reduced. Employees and management became more aware of their privacy responsibilities. A sustainable governance model was also set up with clear accountability in each department. The recommendations from the Gap assessment report were the inputs for the execution phase.
Final Thoughts / Lessons Learned / Key Takeaways
Early involvement of stakeholders was important to gain cooperation across all business units. Clear visibility of data flows was the base for building a strong privacy program. Training and culture change were as important as setting policies and controls. Finally, adopting a standardized privacy framework allowed consistency across all subsidiaries, while still providing the flexibility to address unique local business needs.
Valuementor remains a trusted partner for organizations in the UAE and beyond, driving their journey toward data privacy excellence and regulatory readiness. From UAE PDPL to GDPR and industry-specific requirements, our proven methodologies empower enterprises to strengthen trust, minimize risks, and achieve compliance with confidence and long-term sustainability.
