With a panel of VAR bosses from across the UK and Europe, everyone should be tuning into this debate
It is practically impossible to avoid seeing the avalanche of warnings about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into force next year.
But despite the warnings about not being GDPR-ready, many firms are still either unaware or just waking up to the effects it will have on their business. It really will affect everyone.
With this in mind, the topic will form the basis for a panel discussion between leading European VAR bosses at the forthcoming CRN European Channel Leadership Forum (ECLF).
Those not compliant by next May could face eye-watering financial punishment for either themselves or their customers, and the event, taking place on 5 and 6 September in central London, will shed light on the challenges and requirements faced by the channel over the legislation in the coming eight months.
Market watcher Canalys recently predicted that the European security market is set to see spending increase by 16 per cent to $11.5bn (£8.8bn) in 2018, as SMBs faced with mounting pressure to comply with GDPR turn to the channel. So for the channel, it is not only a must for their own business, but they also need to be able to guide their confused customers through the GDPR maze.
As with most buzzwords, there is a certain amount of hype, and it definitely has its critics, but GDPR is not something that can be brushed under the carpet.
Edel Creely, group managing director of Dublin-based Trilogy Technologies and one of CRN's panellists for September, said: "Data is one of the most valuable assets of an organisation and protecting that data should be a key business consideration for all firms anyway.
"There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution in terms of what organisations need to do. We are seeing a major ramp-up in terms of questions - organisations are starting to do things - not only technology based, but process based as well, to ensure they are ready for when the time comes.
"It is going to be an interesting panel debate, not only around GDPR but also the implications for the UK once it comes out of the EU and what is going to happen there."
The CRN ECLF event will also feature a gala dinner on day one, with a keynote from the European boss of a leading global VAR, a panel discussion between CIOs on channel procurement, a keynote from AWS and much, much more.
To find out more and to register, please click here.
