Avast Appoints Shane McNamee as Chief Privacy Officer

Avast is a global leader in digital security and privacy products. The company, today, has announced the appointment of Shane McNamee as Chief Privacy Officer. McNamee will oversee Avast's global privacy strategy and drive the company’s privacy-by-design approach.

Talking about the appointment Kelby Barton, General Counsel at Avast, said, “Shane is a legal and policy professional. His experience focuses on regulatory approaches to data protection, consumer protection, and digital rights. Given the increasing complexity of the role of data in the technology industry, Shane is an important addition to our team. I am very excited to welcome Shane to Avast. He comes at a time when Avast is expanding the range of privacy products.”

The company stated that his appointment affirms their commitment to ensuring ethical data standards across their business.

About McNamee

McNamee has over seven years’ experience in regulatory and digital policy; focusing on data protection and digital rights in a number of high profile organizations; the Data Protection Commission of Ireland. He has also worked extensively on policy, research, and public awareness and has spoken and published on a range of complex topics including digital rights, fintech, software licensing, genetic research, and evolving and interconnected data protection regimes.

In the last two and a half years, he has been working on implementing and operationalizing the GDPR. This included significant awareness-raising and the production of guidance on data protection rights. This will draw on this experience to further shape Avast’s privacy strategy, said the company.

Of his appointment, McNamee said, "I'm delighted to join Avast and to bring my insights from the regulatory and academic perspective to the table. The challenges and opportunities that innovative technologies pose, particularly interest me. So, I look forward to promoting a privacy-centric approach at Avast to emerging and developing technologies such as online security, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things."