REDMOND, Wash., June 23, 2003 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that Peter Cullen, a recognized privacy leader and current corporate privacy officer for Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), is joining the company as chief privacy strategist.
Cullen, who will join Microsoft on July 14, brings more than a decade of experience in privacy and data protection work to Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing initiative. Cullen will report to Scott Charney, chief Trustworthy Computing strategist, working closely with him to help ensure that privacy protections and best practices are incorporated into all Microsoft®
products, services, systems and internal processes.
“Peter Cullen has the experience to drive Microsoft’s commitment to privacy protections to the next level. With his deep background in privacy and data protection practices and their relationship to customer value, Peter will be an effective advocate for strong and innovative consumer privacy safeguards,”
Charney said.
“We look forward to having Peter apply his experiences and skills to benefit Microsoft’s customers and partners through the privacy pillar of our Trustworthy Computing initiative.”
Cullen is widely recognized as a pioneer in privacy and helped develop the financial industry’s best practices around the collection and use of information. His work resulted in Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) establishing important competitive differentiation that remains an example to several industries.
While at RBC, Cullen established the Corporate Privacy Group and its practices, a first for a Canadian financial institution. He also implemented an integrated privacy management/compliance structure for U.S. operations, which included six affiliate companies. As a result, Cullen helped RBC become recognized as a North American leader in the area of privacy management.
Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing initiative reflects the company’s belief that technology must truly be trustworthy if it is ever to realize its full potential to enhance people’s lives. Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing effort is focused on four key pillars: security, privacy, reliability and business integrity.
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Security means ensuring that one’s information and data are safe.
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Privacy means placing people in control of their personal information as well as respecting their right to be left alone.
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Reliability means ensuring that technology works every time people need it.
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Business integrity means being clear, open, fair, respectful and responsive to customers and the public.
Cullen said he decided to join Microsoft because of its commitment to driving privacy protections and programs within the company and throughout its industry.
“I look forward to joining Microsoft to help the company deliver on its vision of trustworthy computing,”
Cullen said.
“Microsoft has placed a priority on privacy, and I look forward to applying my experience in developing innovative privacy practices and programs to deliver high-quality technologies and services to our customers and partners.”
Cullen holds an MBA from Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. He is a founding member of two networks of chief privacy officers and is an active public speaker.
About Microsoft
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“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
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