On 23 May 2024, the Czech Data Protection Association has for the sixth time awarded best Data Protection Officers in the Czech Republic for 2023. This year, the award is heading to Škoda Auto and St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno.The awards were presented at a ceremony held on 23 May 2024 in Prague. The event was organized under the auspices of Mr. Ivan Bartos, Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development and Mr. Jiří Kaucký, Chairman of the Czech Office for Personal Data Protection.On this occasion, Mr. Kaucký, Chairman of the Office for Personal Data Protection stated that “whole new sectors are emerging, such as artificial intelligence, and new types of personal data processing are taking place. This developement brings greater demands not only on our Office, but also on the Data Protection Officers, who are on the data processing front line and have a responsible and key role to play in helping controllers to set up their processes.”The Czech Data Protection Association has traditionally recognised the best Data Protection Officers appointed under the GDPR since 2019. The jury recognises active and consistent performance of DPO role, their communication with data subjects, their personal approach to fulfilling their legal obligations, and the overlap and sharing of experience within the professional community. “Responsible and professional performance of the Data Protection Officer role is not always entirely easy. The requirements to Data Protection Officer, who defends the rights and freedoms of data subjects in an organisation, can often be met with misunderstanding or outright hostility from other employees or management. That is why our Association continues to appreciate those Data Protection Officers who take their role seriously,” said František Nonnemann, Vice-Chairman of the Association’s and guarantor of the awards.The awards were presented in two categories: public and private sector. From more than 30 nominations received this year, an overall winner and another award finalist were selected by an expert jury in both categories. For the public sector, Ms Zuzana Ondrůjová, who serves as DPO for St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno, were chosen as DPO of the year 2023. In the private sector, the jury selected Mr Tomáš Rumplík, Data Protection Officer at Škoda Auto.
