About Gillian Cossey

Gillian leads RSM UK’s Data Protection and Privacy Advisory practice within Consulting. She helps organisations address privacy challenges in a practical and commercially realistic way, balancing legal requirements, business objectives, customer expectations and operational priorities. Gillian works with clients to design, assess and improve privacy programmes that reflect their risk appetite, support responsible use of data and enable growth.

Her areas of focus include privacy governance and operations, privacy risk management, incident response and remediation, privacy due diligence, training and awareness, and helping organisations develop privacy teams that are trusted by the wider business and able to balance privacy requirements with commercial and operational objectives.

Having spent most of her career in-house, Gillian understands the realities of implementing data protection requirements within complex organisations and helps clients find workable solutions that support innovation and growth while remaining on the right side of the law. Gillian is an award-winning data protection and privacy professional with over 20 years of practical experience. Before joining RSM, she spent nearly a decade leading data protection at Virgin Atlantic and previously held roles at Avios and Sky TV.

She has worked across television, broadcasting, internet services, telecommunications, food and beverage, aviation, loyalty, travel and leisure, consumer products, technology and media, as well as supporting public sector organisations. Gillian holds the Information Systems Examination Board data privacy qualification and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Communications.

She is the PICCASO Europe Outstanding Data Protection Officer award winner (2023).

“I protect humans - data protection is about people. The law provides the framework, but good privacy practice starts with understanding how the use of personal information affects individuals, customers and employees. I enjoy helping organisations move away from seeing privacy as a blocker and towards using it to make better decisions, build trust and support responsible growth. Having spent most of my career in-house, I understand the pressure of balancing legal duties with commercial and operational realities. My aim is to give clients clear, practical advice that works in the real world, protects people and keeps the organisation on the right side of the law.”

Outside of work, Gillian enjoys gardening, growing fruit and vegetables, ballroom dancing, and the occasional dose of reality television.

RSM timeline:

• 2025: joined RSM as Data Privacy Advisory Director