Data Sovereignty, AI Risk & Ethical Tech with Samantha Simms
Privacy used to be the conversation. Now everyone's chasing AI, and the data rights of billions of people are getting left behind in the rush.
In this episode of MY GRC POV, I sit down with Samantha Simms, a digital compliance attorney, AI strategist, and global thought leader, for a wide-ranging conversation on what privacy really means in the digital age, why GRC professionals need to stop overcomplicating their message, and what it actually looks like to lead on data ethics at a global scale.
Samantha operates across the US, UK, Canada, and the Caribbean through her consultancy The Information Collective and law firm Noir Digital Law, and she brings a perspective on privacy and power that most compliance conversations never touch.
What we cover in this episode:
- Why privacy is universal — and why we overcomplicate it when we focus on frameworks instead of people
- Digital sovereignty and the uncomfortable truth about who actually owns your data
- Algorithmic bias in AI hiring tools and the discrimination hiding in plain sight
- How to get C-suite buy-in on privacy — speaking the language of the business, not the regulation
- Why Samantha flipped the DPO role into a strategic leadership function with her "DPO Like a Boss" coaching program
- What leaders need to do right now to build and maintain digital trust
This one goes deep. And it should.
Connect with Samantha Simms, Esq. on LinkedIn, Substack, and at samanthasimsesq.com.
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Digital Compliance Attorney, Strategist, and Global Thought Leader
Samantha Simms is a digital compliance attorney, strategist, and global thought leader shaping the future of ethical technology.
She is the founder and CEO of The Information Collective, a global advisory firm that delivers digital compliance solutions across the EU, UK, North America, and the Caribbean. Her work empowers Big Tech, startups, and scale-ups to navigate complex regulations related to data privacy, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and digital marketing. As Managing Attorney of Noir Digital Law, a New York-based
law firm, Samantha advises creative, travel, and tech businesses on digital legal strategy. Through Noir Digital Advisory, she supports early-stage tech founders with fractional C-suite leadership and regulatory guidance.
Samantha is also the creator of “How to DPO Like a Boss,” a leadership program designed to elevate the influence and impact of privacy professionals. She serves as the Caribbean Chapter Chair for Women in AI Governance, where she advocates for responsible innovation and digital equity across the region and its diaspora. Her international keynotes explore issues such as algorithmic bias, digital rights, and the future of AI governance.
Samantha has contributed to regulatory discourse in both the EU and the United States, and was recently featured in Forbes for her insights on the ethical dimensions of DNA testing platforms. She holds an LLB (Hons) in European Law and Languages, is a member of the New York Bar, and is certified in data privacy, risk management, and compliance and ethics.
