FutureCrime Summit Panel Examines Data Fiduciary Accountability and DPO Responsibilities

The growing importance of privacy governance and responsible data management took centre stage at the FutureCrime Summit 2026, where industry experts discussed how Indian organizations can strengthen accountability for personal information.

A panel titled “Data Fiduciary Accountability: Governance, Audits and the Role of Data Protection Officers in India” examined the changing responsibilities of businesses as India’s digital ecosystem and privacy framework continue to evolve.

The discussion featured Suditi Tandon, Senior Officer, Global Data Privacy Office Specialist, Corporate Legal & Compliance at Hella India Automotive Private Limited; Krishan Kumar, Vice President at SPECTRA; Dipanshu Parashar; and Nirmal Raj M, Principal Officer & Risk Compliance Lead at Onmeta.

Data Governance Is Becoming a Business Responsibility

A key message from the discussion was that data protection can no longer be viewed solely as a legal or compliance exercise.

Organizations handling personal information need to establish clear oversight over the entire data lifecycle. This includes understanding what information is collected, the purpose for collecting it, where it is stored, who has access to it and when it should be deleted or retained.

The challenge becomes more complex as businesses increasingly depend on cloud infrastructure, digital platforms and external technology providers. Maintaining visibility over personal information across these interconnected systems requires stronger internal governance and clearly defined accountability.

Privacy policies and consent mechanisms remain important, but they are only part of an effective data protection framework. Organizations also need operational controls that translate privacy principles into everyday business practices.

Data Audits Can Reveal Hidden Governance Gaps

The panel also highlighted the role of audits in determining whether privacy policies are working in practice.

A well-designed data audit can assess areas such as information inventories, access permissions, retention procedures, third-party relationships and internal controls. Such reviews can identify weaknesses that may not be apparent from written policies alone.

Third-party data processing was another important consideration. When organizations rely on outside vendors or technology platforms, they need adequate oversight of how information is processed throughout its lifecycle. Simply transferring data to a service provider does not remove the need for effective accountability.

Regular audits can therefore serve as an important mechanism for identifying operational shortcomings before they become larger compliance, privacy or security concerns.

DPOs Moving Beyond Traditional Compliance

The evolving role of Data Protection Officers was another major theme of the session.

DPOs increasingly operate across several areas, including privacy law, technology, risk management and corporate governance. Their responsibilities can extend beyond maintaining documentation to advising senior leadership, assessing privacy risks and helping organizations build stronger data-handling processes.

The professional backgrounds of the panelists also reflected the multidisciplinary nature of modern privacy governance, bringing together corporate privacy, legal technology, artificial intelligence, compliance, risk management and cybercrime-related perspectives.

This broader role positions DPOs as an important part of an organization’s internal accountability structure rather than simply as administrative compliance personnel.

Building Trust Through Stronger Accountability

The FutureCrime Summit discussion underlined a broader shift in the way organizations approach personal data.

Effective data protection requires cooperation between management, legal and compliance teams, technology professionals, security functions and other business units. Clearly assigned responsibilities, regular audits and appropriate technical safeguards all contribute to a stronger governance framework.

As businesses become increasingly dependent on personal information and digital services, responsible data management is also becoming closely linked to consumer confidence and digital trust.

The panel’s central takeaway was clear: accountability for personal data must be embedded across an organization rather than left to a single department or compliance function.