Dean Forbes

Dean Forbes is an accomplished global privacy and compliance adviser and has experience in the areas of privacy strategy, data governance and use, and consumer protection. Dean will advise clients on legal matters related to privacy, security and personal data governance and use.

Dean is widely known for his work on cases of first impression—including landmark FTC privacy and information security matters, Geocities (1998) and Eli Lilly (2002)—and for designing, developing and executing global privacy programs that manage privacy risks and protect companies and their stakeholders. 

Dean brings more than two decades of experience in both the private sector and public service. He has advised on privacy and information security programs that enable multinational companies to protect personal data and execute mission critical business strategies. As a senior staff attorney for the Federal Trade Commission, Dean investigated, litigated, negotiated and settled various consumer protection matters, including landmark law enforcement actions involving allegedly deceptive or unfair practices related to consumer advertising, information privacy and security, and technology fraud. In private practice, Dean has held the Global Privacy Officer role for Schering-Plough Corporation, has held senior global Privacy compliance leadership positions for Merck & Co., Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, and, most recently, has served as the Global Lead for the Commercial Privacy Practice at Booz Allen Hamilton and has led his own data privacy strategy consulting firm. He has advised clients in the healthcare & life sciences, financial services, technology, retail, manufacturing and education sectors.

Dean has extensive knowledge of U.S. and international privacy and security laws and regulations. He is highly regarded for his work in designing, developing and executing effective, legally-compliant global privacy programs and for leading cross-functional teams to manage business risk, to protect companies and their stakeholders, and to use privacy as a business enabler to implement best practices.