Future of Privacy Forum Announces 2026 Award Recipients Honoring Leadership in Data Protection and Privacy in Europe

Brussels, Belgium — The Future of Privacy Forum, a global non-profit focused on data protection, AI, and emerging technologies, today announced the recipients of its 2026 Awards honoring outstanding contributions to data protection and privacy in Europe.

The awards were presented during the Awards night held on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Brussels Privacy Symposium, bringing together leaders from the EU data protection community to celebrate a decade of dialogue and progress in the field. 

The 2026 award recipients are:  

• European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), EU Regulator Award: Recognized for its leadership in safeguarding privacy and data protection across the European Union, ensuring that EU institutions and bodies uphold fundamental rights in their processing of personal data and helping shape responsible governance of emerging technologies. 
• Christopher Kuner, Lifetime Achievement Award: Visiting Fellow, ECPC, Maastricht University and FPF Senior Fellow, Dr. Kuner is a leading scholar and author on EU data protection law, the lead editor of the seminal “GDPR: A Commentary” (OUP), and founder and former editor-in-chief of the International Data Privacy Law journal. He has spent more than three decades shaping European and international data protection law with lasting influence on the whole field.   
• Corinna Cellarius, Career Excellence Award: An esteemed technology policy and data protection professional, Corinna, now Head of SAP’s Brussels Office,  has served as Senior Director, EU Government Affairs for more than a decade, working at the intersection of business, technology, and public policy, and helping translate evolving European policy and regulatory developments into practice. She also serves on the FPF Advisory Board. 

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“The progress of data protection in Europe has been shaped by leaders who have brought together legal expertise, scholarship, public policy, and practical experience,” said Jules Polonetsky, CEO of the Future of Privacy Forum. “These honorees have given the privacy community decades of insight and dedication, helping us meet new challenges with greater clarity and confidence. We are proud to celebrate their achievements.”

“At a crucial time for privacy and digital policy around the world at the dawn of the AI age, drawing lessons and guidance from the experience of thought leaders who have shaped our field is a necessity”, added Gabriela Zanfir-Fortuna, VP for Global Policy at the Future of Privacy Forum. “As we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Brussels Privacy Symposium, we are honoring leaders whose voice has constantly inspired us, and the global policy world, to contribute to the next generation of data protection and digital policy governing rapidly evolving technologies”.   

European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) 

Established in 2004, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) is the European Union’s independent data protection authority, working to safeguard privacy and personal data across EU institutions and bodies. The EDPS combines independent oversight, legal expertise, and policy guidance to help institutions navigate evolving challenges in data protection, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. It works closely with national and international authorities, policymakers, and other stakeholders to promote strong and consistent data protection standards. Through this work, the EDPS plays a vital role in upholding privacy as a fundamental right and strengthening trust in Europe’s digital future. Wojciech Wiewiórowski has served as European Data Protection Supervisor since 2019, overseeing the authority’s work at a time of rapid technological and regulatory change. 

Christopher Kuner

Dr. Christopher Kuner is Visiting Fellow, ECPC Maastricht University, Senior Privacy Counsel in the Brussels office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Affiliate Professor of Data Protection Law at the University of Copenhagen, and Senior Fellow at the Future of Privacy Forum. A widely respected authority on European and international data protection law, Kuner has practiced in Brussels and Germany since the early 1990s, bringing together legal practice, scholarship, teaching, and policy. He previously served as Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Brussels Privacy Hub at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). He was also a visiting professor at Maastricht University and has taught at the University of Cambridge, the European University Institute, and the Hague Academy of International Law. Throughout his career, he has engaged closely with international organizations including the Council of Europe, OECD, UNCITRAL, and the European Commission, and spent a decade as chair of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Task Force on Privacy and Personal Data Protection. A prolific author and influential scholar, Kuner founded and served as editor-in-chief of International Data Privacy Law and is a principal editor of the Oxford University Press commentary on the GDPR. His scholarship has informed courts, regulators, practitioners, and policymakers around the world, while his work on international data transfers has helped shape modern data protection law.

Corinna Cellarius

Corinna Cellarius is Head of Brussels Office, EU Government Affairs at SAP. She has followed the development of European data protection policy for many years, including the negotiation and adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and has played a role in its practical implementation within SAP. Her work brings together policy, legal, and business perspectives to help navigate Europe’s evolving digital regulatory landscape. Corinna is active in the wider European policy community, serving as Chair of the European and External Affairs Committee of the SPD Wirtschaftsforum e.V. and as policy lead of the Privacy & Security Committee of DIGITALEUROPE. She also serves on the FPF Advisory Board. A lawyer by training, Corinna holds a law degree from the University of Münster and a bachelor’s degree in law from the District Court of Düsseldorf.

FPF’s Annual Awards recognize individuals whose work has had a lasting impact on privacy protections, responsible innovation, and the advancement of ethical technology governance worldwide. 

Past FPF award winners are listed below.

Career Achievement Award

• Dale Skivington (2019) – former Chief Privacy Officer, Dell & Eastman Kodak
• Sandra Hughes – former privacy executive, Procter & Gamble
• Jane Horvath (2023) – Partner, Gibson Dunn, former Chief Privacy Officer, Apple
• Jim Halpert (2024) – General Counsel, White House Office of the National Cyber Director, Partner, DLA Piper
• Barbara Cosgrove (2025) – VP & Chief Privacy and Digital Trust Officer, Workday
• Anita L. Allen (2026) – Henry R. Silverman Professor of Law in the Penn Carey Law School and professor emeritus of philosophy in the School of Arts & Sciences.
• Nuala O’Connor (2026) –  former President and CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) first Chief Privacy Officer of the Department of U.S. Homeland Security 
• Harriet Pearson (2026) – Managing Principal at Axia Advisory, first Chief Privacy Officer and Security Counsel, IBM Corporation

Distinguished Public Service Award

• Jessica Rich (2017) – former Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission
• Helen Dixon (2019) – Data Protection Commissioner, Ireland
• Maneesha Mithal (2023) – Partner, Wilson Sonsini, former Associate Director, Division of Privacy & Identity Protection, Federal Trade Commission

Excellence in Career Award

• Patrice Ettinger (2024) – Chief Privacy Officer, Regeneron, former Chief Privacy Officer, Pfizer

Community Builder Award

• J. Trevor Hughes (2019) – President & CEO, IAPP

Outstanding Academic Scholarship Award

• Peter Swire (2019) – J.Z. Liang Chair, Georgia Tech School of Cybersecurity & Privacy             Senior Counsel, Alston & Bird

Global Responsible AI Leadership Award

• Government of Singapore (2024)
• Brazil’s Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados (ANPD) (2025)

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Julie Brill (2025) – Founder and Principal, Brill Strategies, former Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission, former Chief Privacy Officer, Corporate Vice President for Global Privacy, Safety and Regulatory Affairs, Microsoft

To learn more about the Future of Privacy Forum, visit fpf.org.