Stephen is the Group Privacy Officer and Head of Legal – Privacy, Security & Content Standards at Vodafone Group, one of the world’s leading mobile communications companies. Stephen is responsible for leading Vodafone’s global privacy policy and strategy, and the development and implementation of Vodafone’s global privacy programme, which won the HP-IAPP Innovation Award for Privacy in 2012.

Stephen joined Vodafone in 1997 where he played a central role in the creation of Vodafone’s global legal function.  In 2002 Stephen founded and chaired Vodafone’s international network of privacy & security law experts. In 2005 he was appointed Head of Technology and Media law with responsibility, among other things, for legal and regulatory guidance on the development of global products and services, and where he succeeded in the formulation and adoption of Vodafone’s first global privacy policy. 

With over 15 years in the mobile industry, Stephen has worked on many the emerging privacy issues for the sector including the growth of the app economy, geo-location, big data and analytics, identity management, law enforcement and human rights, and spoken at many industry, privacy and security conferences in Europe and the US.

Stephen has played an active role in the protection of human rights in the ICT sector since 2005, working closely with civil society organisations, academics and ethical investors.  He played an active role in the formation of the Global Network Initiative in 2008 and more recently helped found the Telecoms Industry Dialogue on Human Rights, announced in early 2013. Earlier this year, Stephen led Vodafone in the publication of the company’s first global Law Enforcement Disclosure Report comprehensively covering 29 countries across Vodafone global business operations.