About Thierry Burnens
Thierry Burnens is a Swiss-qualified attorney and Counsel at Chabrier Attorneys at Law LLC. He advises clients on legal matters related to the digital economy, technology, and data, with extensive expertise in data protection, cybersecurity, copyright law, licensing, e-commerce, social media, marketing, software, and artificial intelligence.
Thierry supports clients in both contentious and non-contentious matters, including advisory and transactional work. Recently, he has assisted organizations across various sectors in Switzerland in implementing AI governance frameworks, with a strong focus on data protection regulations and intellectual property considerations. He has significant experience in ensuring clients' operations and technologies comply with Switzerland’s legal and regulatory requirements.
Thierry holds a master’s degree in Law and Economics from the University of St. Gallen and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E) and a Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), both awarded by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). He is a regular speaker at industry events and contributes to leading publications in his field.
Data Embassies Securing the Future of Digital Sovereignty and E-Governance
As we look toward 2030 and beyond, the concept of data embassies offers a groundbreaking solution for safeguarding critical digital infrastructure and preserving the stability of e-governance in an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape. Data embassies are a novel legal and technical construct designed to mitigate risks to public e-services and protect sensitive databases from unauthorized access or disruptions by foreign actors. These embassies operate as digital strongholds, circumventing risks posed by submarine cables and foreign surveillance while ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of information and personal data. Just like traditional embassies, data embassies benefit from international legal protections, ensuring their sovereignty and security even when hosted on foreign soil. Estonia and Ukraine have already pioneered this innovative approach, demonstrating its value in both peacetime and crisis situations. Additionally, following Luxembourg’s lead, Saudi Arabia has announced plans to facilitate the creation of data embassies within its territory, further solidifying this model as a key element of future digital sovereignty strategies. This session will explore the role of data embassies in shaping digital democracy, addressing future challenges in cybersecurity, and safeguarding critical assets. Attendees will gain insights into how this futuristic model could revolutionize public services and digital sovereignty in the next decade. Key provisions:
1. Safeguarding Digital Sovereignty
Data embassies extend diplomatic protections to critical digital infrastructure, ensuring that national and organizational data remain sovereign, even when hosted on foreign soil. This aligns with the evolution of governance frameworks necessary for the next wave of digital industrialization.
2. Mitigating Risks from Surveillance and Infrastructure Vulnerabilities
As industries increasingly rely on AI, cloud computing, and quantum technologies, securing digital assets from cyber threats, espionage, and geopolitical risks becomes crucial. Data embassies provide a decentralized, resilient infrastructure, mitigating threats from foreign surveillance and attacks.
3. Future-Ready E-Governance and Digital Democracy:
Just as past industrial revolutions required stable energy and communication networks, future digital economies will depend on trusted and uninterrupted data flows. Data embassies create a secure foundation for AI-driven economies, digital governance, and cross-border collaboration, ensuring industrial and societal continuity in an era of rapid technological transformation. Data embassies represent a forward-thinking solution to protect digital democracy, offering robust protection for critical assets in both peacetime and wartime, with applications that extend to 2030 and beyond.