Ann Cavoukian

Biography

Ann Cavoukian is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in privacy. Appointed as the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario in 1997, Cavoukian served an unprecedented three terms as commissioner. During that time, she elevated the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner from a novice regulatory body to a first-class agency, known around the world for its cutting-edge innovation and leadership. Cavoukian’s expertise has been recognized in many ways. She was ranked among the top external 25 Women of Influence, recognizing her contribution to the Canadian and global economy and named one of the top 100 City Innovators Worldwide by UBM Future Cities for her passionate advocacy of Privacy by Design. She was chosen as one of the external, ‘Power 50’ by Canadian Business magazine for her tireless efforts as a privacy champion and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Guelph. She was selected for external, Maclean’s magazine’s ‘Power List’ of the top 50 Canadians and picked as one of the “top 10 women in data security, compliance and privacy you should follow on Twitter”. Cavoukian was also recognized as a Founder of Canada’s Digital Economy at IdentityNORTH 2016, named as one of the Top 100 Leaders in Identity, 2017 and most recently she was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal for her outstanding work on creating Privacy by Design and taking it global in May 2017.