We can act as your external Data Protection Officer under the GDPR.
Organisations that process personal data on a significant scale need a Data Protection Officer who can combine legal precision, operational understanding and independence. We act as external Data Protection Officer under the GDPR for organisations that need experienced data protection leadership without building the entire function in-house. Our support helps management and key functions maintain control, prioritise the right privacy risks and translate data protection requirements into practical governance.
Our external DPO services are designed for Swedish and international businesses operating under the EU GDPR. We combine the independence required of a Data Protection Officer with senior legal expertise and a practical understanding of technology, commercial operations and regulatory risk.
The role of a Data Protection Officer is more than a formal GDPR appointment. When the role works well, it gives the organisation a structured way to identify risks, challenge decisions, support the business and demonstrate accountability to customers, supervisory authorities and the board.
We provide outsourced and interim DPO support to start-ups, small and medium-sized businesses, international groups and listed companies. Our experience includes SaaS, cloud infrastructure, digital marketing, e-commerce, healthcare, software products, hardware manufacturers and other businesses where data protection is closely connected to product development, customer relationships and commercial growth.
As external Data Protection Officer, we provide independent advice, ongoing monitoring and practical support across the organisation. This may include privacy governance, risk assessments, data protection impact assessments, processor and supplier management, personal data breaches, data subject rights, training, international transfers, marketing compliance and communication with supervisory authorities and data subjects.
For technology-intensive businesses, data protection is closely connected to product development, AI, cloud architecture, customer contracts and information security.
Our external DPO services help organisations address these issues within their GDPR governance, while keeping responsibility for operational and commercial decisions with management.
We also provide specialised External DPO services for MedTech and HealthTech, where health data, connected products, AI and sector-specific regulatory requirements create additional complexity.
Many organisations appoint a DPO because they have to. The real value comes when the role is connected to how the business actually works.
Common situations include:
In these situations, external DPO support gives the organisation senior expertise, independence and continuity without the cost or delay of building the full function internally.
Our external DPO service is structured around a defined operating model, agreed availability, direct reporting to senior management and clear escalation procedures. The scope is tailored to the organisation's risk profile, business activities and internal resources.
We advise, monitor and challenge where necessary. Management remains responsible for GDPR compliance, operational decisions and implementing appropriate measures. This distinction safeguards the DPO's independence while ensuring clear accountability within the business.
We normally start with a focused pre-study. This gives both management and the DPO function a clear view of the organisation’s processing activities, maturity level, key risks and immediate priorities.
The pre-study typically covers:
The result is a practical DPO onboarding report with prioritised findings, recommended first actions and a proposed operating model.
We define how the external DPO role should work in practice. This includes reporting lines, escalation routines, meeting cadence, decision forums, documentation standards and how the DPO interacts with management, legal, compliance, security, marketing, product and customer-facing teams.
The aim is to make the DPO function visible, useful and proportionate — not a compliance layer that slows down ordinary business.
We provide continuous DPO support based on the organisation’s risk profile and activity level. This may include monthly or quarterly check-ins, review of new initiatives, DPIA support, advice on customer and supplier questions, audit check-ups, training and review of privacy documentation.
We focus on the areas where the DPO can create the most value: early issue spotting, risk prioritisation, clear recommendations and practical follow-through.
When the business wants to introduce a new AI tool, a SaaS service, integration or other data-driven solution, we help assess what the change actually entails and which data protection risks are material to the decision.
For example, we review data flows, suppliers and sub-processors, international transfers, access to the business's data and the planned use. The goal is to distinguish legal obstacles from risks that can be managed through proportionate technical, contractual or organisational measures.
The assessment is tailored to the risk and the decision. Not all changes require a comprehensive impact assessment or a large compliance project. Depending on the situation, the right basis may be a short risk assessment with clear conditions before go-live, a targeted supplier review or transfer impact assessment (TIA) – and when GDPR requires it, a data protection impact assessment (DPIA).
When needed, we support the organisation in relation to personal data breaches, complaints, data subject requests, and supervisory authority dialogue. We help assess legal thresholds, prepare documentation, support internal decision-making and ensure that communications are accurate, timely and proportionate.
For organisations with fragmented or outdated GDPR work, we can use the DPO role to support a structured privacy restart. This may include refreshing the record of processing activities, updating key policies, improving vendor controls, reviewing marketing compliance, clarifying accountability and aligning privacy work with leadership priorities.
Under the GDPR, a Data Protection Officer may be appointed internally or engaged externally through a service contract. Both models require appropriate expertise, independence, direct access to senior management and sufficient resources.
An internal DPO may be appropriate where the organisation has the necessary expertise, capacity and reporting structure. An external DPO can be particularly effective where specialist competence is needed across technology, regulatory and commercial matters, or where the organisation wants to avoid conflicts of interest with operational management roles.
The right model depends on the organisation's processing activities, risk exposure, internal capabilities and need for ongoing support. We help management assess these factors and establish an effective DPO function.
An external DPO can provide independent judgement and challenge decisions without being embedded in internal reporting conflicts. This strengthens GDPR accountability and gives management a clearer view of risk.
DPO competence is difficult to recruit and maintain internally. External support gives immediate access to experienced data protection lawyers with knowledge of GDPR, digital business models, technology, security expectations and regulatory practice.
A good DPO must understand more than legal text. The role often touches product, engineering, information security, sales, procurement, HR, marketing and customer success. We help translate data protection requirements into actions those teams can apply.
External DPO support can be scaled to the organisation’s needs. Some clients need a light-touch monitoring and advisory model. Others need interim DPO leadership, intensive remediation or support during growth, procurement, incidents or regulatory scrutiny.
Where the DPO role is vacant, under-resourced or newly required, external support can give the organisation a structured function quickly while long-term internal options are assessed.
We offer DPO support through a combination of fixed and volume-based pricing, depending on the organisation’s needs, complexity and preferred level of support.
A typical model includes:
This gives management predictability while allowing the DPO function to respond when more support is needed.
Depending on scope, our external DPO support may include:
The first step is usually a short scoping discussion followed by a focused pre-study. This helps us understand your organisation, confirm whether an external DPO model is appropriate and define a level of support that fits your risk profile, resources and business priorities.
