Manish Chasta, Co-Founder & CTO, Eventus Security
The Co-Founder and CTO of Eventus TechSol Pvt. Ltd., Chasta brings over 18 years of expertise in application and network security consulting. A visionary in the cybersecurity domain, he has consistently delivered business value and optimal solutions across diverse industries and high-growth corporate environments.
Known for his innovative problem-solving and holistic approach, he excels in team leadership, client management, service development, and project execution. His unique blend of technical expertise and strategic vision positions him as a driving force in the cybersecurity space.
The author highlights how data privacy has evolved from being a compliance-driven function to a critical leadership and business priority and endeavours to explore why “taking control of privacy” today extends beyond individual responsibility and has become central to organisational trust, resilience, and long-term growth.
As the world observes Data Privacy Week (January 26–30, 2026), this year’s call to action — “Take Control of Your Privacy” — carries a sense of urgency that extends far beyond individual users. It is now a clear call to action for organisations and leadership teams to take ownership of how data is managed, protected, and governed. In an era where digital ecosystems power every business function, privacy is no longer a personal concern alone — it has become a strategic business priority.
At Eventus, we believe data privacy has outgrown its traditional role as a compliance or legal function. In today’s hyper connected environment, privacy is a boardroom issue, a brand issue, and a business continuity issue.
Privacy Is No Longer a Checkbox
For years, many organisations treated data protection as a regulatory obligation — policies drafted, audits completed, and checklists ticked. But the digital ecosystem has evolved. Cloud adoption, remote work, AI-driven tools, and platform integrations have dramatically expanded the data footprint of enterprises.
The result, Privacy risk now moves at the speed of digital transformation. A single incident can lead to regulatory scrutiny, operational disruption, reputational damage, and erosion of customer trust that takes years to rebuild.
Trust Is the New Currency
Customers, partners, and stakeholders today are far more aware of how their data is used. They expect transparency, accountability, and responsible handling of personal information. When organisations fail on privacy, the fallout goes beyond penalties — it directly impacts brand perception, customer loyalty, and market value.
Building trust therefore requires moving from reactive compliance to proactive privacy governance embedded into business strategy.
What “Taking Control” Really Means
“Taking control of privacy” is about operationalising it across the enterprise. This includes:
- Visibility: Knowing where sensitive data resides, how it flows, and who has access. Without visibility, risk remains invisible until it becomes a crisis.
- Response Readiness: Having clearly defined incident response plans, trained teams, and tested processes to act swiftly when a privacy event occurs. Speed and transparency during an incident are critical to limiting damage.
- Cyber Resilience: Integrating privacy with cybersecurity and business continuity. Systems, people, and processes must be designed to withstand, respond to, and recover from disruptions while protecting data integrity.
Privacy as a Leadership Responsibility
Data privacy decisions now shape customer experience, product design, and digital innovation. Leaders must therefore champion a culture where privacy is considered at the design stage — not after deployment.
This means:
- Making privacy part of risk management discussions
- Aligning technology investments with data protection goals
- Empowering teams with training and accountability
- Treating privacy metrics as business performance indicators
The Road Ahead
As digital services scale and data becomes central to every interaction, organisations that lead on privacy will differentiate themselves in the market. Those that lag risk more than fines — they risk relevance.
This Data Privacy Week, Eventus urges organisations to move beyond policies and paperwork and focus on practical control, operational resilience, and trust-building measures. Because in today’s digital economy, protecting data is not just about avoiding loss — it’s about enabling sustainable growth.
Privacy is no longer just about protection. It’s about leadership.
