Christian Wiese Svanberg
Christian Wiese Svanberg advises primarily on data protection law (GDPR), cybersecurity, and the use of artificial intelligence in the private and public sectors. In addition, he assists public authorities and companies subject to public law regulation with advice on issues of access to information, legal basis, decision-making and handling of requests for access to information, etc.
Christian is an internationally recognised expert in data protection law with more than 20 years of experience in the field.
His broad experience in the intelligence and law enforcement areas gives him special qualifications to assist clients in high-risk cases, supervisory visits from the Danish Data Protection Agency and sectoral authorities under the NIS 2 Act, and in handling cyber incidents.
He is a frequent speaker at Danish and international conferences and has on two occasions been called upon by the European Parliament's LIBE Committee as a data protection expert and has been a guest lecturer at the United States Military Academy (West Point).
For three years, Christian was head of the legal department at the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (FE). In this capacity, he was responsible for all legal matters related to signals intelligence (SIGINT), offensive cyber operations (CNE/CNO), and international affairs. He was also responsible for providing legal advice to the Center for Cyber Security (CFCS) and thus has concrete experience in handling the most difficult cyber incidents, data breaches, and cyber threats.
At the Danish National Police, he was the data protection officer (DPO) for the Danish police and the Danish police's PNR unit. In this role, he gained experience in finding business-friendly solutions in difficult and extensive compliance projects.
During Denmark's EU Presidency in 2012, Christian chaired the Council's expert group (DAPIX) that negotiated the GDPR and the Law Enforcement Directive.
In addition to advising on data protection and cybersecurity, Christian assists Danish and foreign clients who are suppliers to defense authorities in Denmark and abroad, or who in other contexts require assistance in navigating sensitive matters related to national security.
Since 2010, Christian has been an external lecturer in EU law and European data protection law at the University of Copenhagen.
The Danish Association for Data Protection Law
Member of the Danish Industry Association's Information Security Committee
Member of the Danish Bar Association's Professional Committee for Security and Preparedness
- Assisted a multinational company in handling a major cyber incident, reporting to the authorities under the NIS 2 Act, and coordinating incident management across multiple jurisdictions.
- Advised a major public authority on GDPR compliance in connection with the testing and development of a solution based on artificial intelligence (AI).
- Conducted internal training for boards of directors of several large and medium-sized companies on cybersecurity, geopolitical issues, and the requirements of the NIS 2 Act.
- Responsible for legal compliance in connection with the Danish police's implementation of Palantir's "Gotham" platform (POL-INTEL)
- Advising a major consultancy firm on the implementation of a multinational cloud solution
- Member of the Danish delegation to the European Court of Justice in the cases La Quadrature du Net (C-511/18) and Privacy International (C-623/17)
- Assisted a major Danish utility company with compliance with the requirements of the NIS 2 Act when entering into agreements with the company's suppliers.
- Assisted a Danish multinational company with the preparation of standard requirements for use in managing supplier requirements under the NIS 2 Act.
- Assisted a major Danish pharmaceutical company with issues related to the interpretation and application of the GDPR in connection with a major tender.
Attorney, Director, DLA Piper Denmark, since 2025
Attorney and Partner, CO:PLAY Law Firm, 2024-2025
General Counsel, Danish Defence Intelligenve Service & Danish Centre for Cyber Security, 2021-2024
Head of Centre, Danish National Police, 2016-2021
Attorney, Plesner, 2014-2016
Senior Consultant, the Agency for Modernisation (Danish Ministry of Finance), 2012-2014
Head of Section, Danish Ministry of Justice, 2005-2012
Assistant Prosecutor, Copenhagen Public Prosecutor, 2009-2011 (part time)
Head of Section, the Danish Data Protection Agency, 2003-2005
Vice-chair, the Danish Association for Data Protection Law
Member of the Board of Directors, 2Operate A/S
Christian Wiese Svanberg is recognized by The Legal 500 within Data Privacy and Data Protection
"Christian Wiese Svanberg is a true subject matter expert with a breadth of knowledge within data privacy, and he also provides top-notch level when it comes to practical guidance. He has a deep understanding of the topic and was part of the negotiations of the GDPR, which gives further nuances to his guidance. He is very approachable and always makes himself available."
"Christian Wiese Svanberg and the team are meticulous, quick, and proactive, with excellent drafting and project management. The team feels integrated rather than siloed, which differentiates them from competitors."
"Charting a New European Approach to Security and Data Protection", blog post published on Lawfare, August 25, 2025.
"Liability for fines under Article 83 of the General Data Protection Regulation and section 41 of the Danish Data Protection Act based on the case law of the European Court of Justice" (published in Danish only), co-authored with Professor, Doctor of Law, Henrik Udsen, Juristen (a Danish legal journal), no. 3-4, October 2024, page 112
Contributing author of the commentary on Articles 32-34 in "The EU Law Enforcement Directive (LED), A Commentary", Eleni Kosta and Franziska Boehm (eds), Oxford University Press, 2024
Contributing author of the commentary on Articles 89-91 in "The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), A Commentary", Christopher Kuner, Lee A. Bygrave, Christopher Docksey (eds) and Laura Drechsler (ass. ed.), Oxford University Press, 2020
"The Proposed Data Protection Regulation: The Illusion of Harmonisation, the Private/Public Sector Divide and the Bureaucratic Apparatus", Professor Peter Blume and Christian Wiese Svanberg, Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies, Volume 15, 2013, pp. 27-46, Cambridge University Press
“Private investigation of criminal offences – Selected aspects of personal data law,” Juristen 2011, p. 269ff