Expert addition to the team: Jan Decorte

The Data Protection Institute is introducing a new trainer for the first two days of its English five‑day Data Protection Officer (DPO) certification program in Brussels: Jan Decorte. Jan is Strategic Advisor and Client Relations Partner at BDO where he leads the AI, Data and Digital Law team, including a team of DPOs. He has over a 34 years of experience as a lawyer in Belgium and internationally, with a long-standing focus on digital and data protection law.

In addition to his Law practice, Jan teaches Data Protection Master Audit Classes at the Data Protection Institute. He is very much “in the thick of it”, combining a hands-on legal practice with active involvement as a board member or legal expert in various industry sector organisations, such as IAB Belgium, the Belgian Association of Marketing, DNS Belgium, BECI and AKT Wallonia.

Across the first two days of the training, Jan will guide participants through the legal foundations of the GDPR, translating regulatory requirements into real‑world applications. His background advising national and international organizations on both routine and complex data protection matters allows him to combine legal analysis with the practical realities DPOs face daily. Participants can expect clear explanations, structured insights, and plenty of opportunities to link theory with their own professional challenges.

Five Day Training Program

With two days of comprehensive legal foundation covered, the remainder of the five‑day program is delivered by DPI’s experienced training team focused on practical application of the more operational requirements of GDPR: the risk based approach, information security, DPIA’s and a helping hand in getting off the ground with the “First 100 days as DPO” chapter to finish the training material. All together the instructors bring almost fifty years of data protection experience, offering a unique blend of conceptual clarity and practical tools for new DPOs. The training week culminates on Friday, when participants sit for the certification exam, making this one of Europe’s most comprehensive certification trainings for aspiring Data Protection Officers.

For Whom?

The course is designed to be accessible to anyone looking into the role as a DPO, regardless of educational or professional background. Typical participants have a strong legal or IT / IT security knowledge: think legal counsels, lawyers, IT managers, and security officers. We also regularly see participants in more governance-oriented roles such as program and project managers and compliance officers. To be clear, none of these backgrounds are a prerequisite to participate in the training but it provides a good overview of the people whom you may encounter during the training.

In short, if you’re preparing for a role as a DPO or looking to build a solid foundation to ramp up your GDPR implementation, this course offers an applicable and expert-guided experience now strengthened even further with the addition of Jan Decorte.