Valerie, as VP, European Counsel at First Advantage, looks after the compliance and contract function for Africa, Europe, Middle East, and UK. Valerie has over twenty years of experience as in-house counsel, including fifteen years in the HR industry for different regions of the world, where she particularly gained knowledge in data protection laws. Valerie has a Master’s degree in business law (France), an executive MBA in Business Law and Management (Paris 2 Pantheon - Assas, France) and a Master of Laws, LL.M. (Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany). Valerie also holds CIPP/E and CIPM certifications.

Jan-Joost is responsible for the day-to-day management of both projects and going concern for the Dutch Diploma Register (Mijn diploma’s). Next to that he has many years of experience in improving the digital data exchange of educational data on national and international level.

Alice Quinones is the PBSA Europe Council’s Chair 2023-2024. Alice was general counsel at iCOVER for over 6 years prior to opening her practice, Lex11, dedicated to privacy and compliance. She graduated from Washington University School of Law (United States) and the Sorbonne School of Law (France). Alice joined the New York bar in 2016 and the Paris bar in 2017.

Laura Rosianu is the Europe Council Manager, starting with January 2024. She had been a Board Member in the PBSA Europe Council since 2017 and during this time she was involved in the various committees - Communications, Marketing, and more recently - Innovation. Besides her role within PBSA, she is a People and Business Development Consultant.

Bart is partner at Considerati. As a leading Dutch expert on privacy law, data protection and (law) enforcement in the online world, Bart is responsible for all privacy related research, education, and innovation at Considerati. He advises multinationals and governments on a range of privacy topics. Bart holds a doctorate in law and wrote his PhD. thesis on the privacy aspects of the use of artificial intelligence for law enforcement purposes.

Apart from his work at Considerati, Bart is a professor of Privacy & Cybercrime at the University of Leiden, Faculty of Law (eLaw research group) and a fellow at the E.M. Meijers Institute for Legal Studies. Furthermore, he is a member of the Advisory Council on International Affairs (Human Rights Committee) and the Cybercrime expert group for the Court of Appeal in The Hague. Bart publishes on a range of subjects in (international) journals and newspapers and regularly acts as an expert in Dutch media.

Caroline Smith, Deputy General Counsel for HireRight, oversees efforts across EMEA, APAC and Latin America to comply with the key laws affecting the background screening industry and to educate customers about complying with them. She has been in the background screening industry since 2008, when she joined the Kroll group of companies (which later became HireRight).

Prior to her joining the industry, Caroline enjoyed a career working with Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and Clyde & Co LLP supporting clients through various restructuring and M&A activity. She is a graduate of St Andrews University holding a masters in English Language & Literature and holds her post graduate diploma in law from the University of Law in England & Wales.

Susie is Chief Operating Officer at Matrix and founded the original risk mitigation business, Security Watchdog with her family in 1998. She has over 35 years of experience in risk mitigation, due diligence and background checking. Security Watchdog sold to Capita plc in 2012 and was sold to Matrix, a UK workforce management solutions provider, in 2023. Susie has overall responsibility for service delivery across Matrix group operations.

She is passionate about developing great colleagues. Susie has over 3 years’ experience participating in PBSA activities, initially as Europe Council Chair, and now on the PBSA Board. She is also involved in the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group as Board Liaison. Her experience in working in a start up as well as for one of the largest UK PLCs has provided her with an understanding of both environments and the importance of D & I in the workspace. Susie holds a degree in modern languages from The University of Exeter, UK, as well as German and UK nationality.

Harm has a legal background and a professional career in recruitment. Harm co-founded Validata Group in 2009 where he holds the role of CEO, with a prime focus on international expansion in Europe and ensuring a high level of privacy compliance. Today, with two prime locations in Europe, Validata has become one of the fastest-growing organizations in the HR and Recruitment Tech scene.

Frits Broers is a seasoned professional with a rich history of service in public administration. Since 1986, Frits has dedicated himself to various roles within the public sector, contributing his expertise to the betterment of governance and society.

Presently, Frits serves as the Department Manager of the Central Organ Certificate of Conduct at the Ministry of Justice, a position he has held since 2019. In this pivotal role, he oversees crucial processes that uphold the integrity and reliability of certification within the ministry, ensuring adherence to standards and regulations.

Frits holds a Master's degree in Public Administration and Organisation Science, earned in 2014, which has fortified his understanding of administrative structures, enabling him to navigate complex landscapes with finesse and insight.

Beyond his professional endeavours, Frits is an avid enthusiast of both football and cycle racing. His passion for football came from his time as the Chairman of the Football Club HBS in The Hague from 2018 to 2023, fostering community engagement and sporting excellence.

With a blend of experience, education, and personal interests, Frits exemplifies dedication and commitment - embodying a balanced and enriching approach to life.

Alex Aoun is co-founder and chief product officer of Valital Technologies, a multi award-winning AI-powered adverse media analysis platform based in Montreal, Canada.

Alex is an entrepreneur who successfully exited his first startup before co-founding Valital.

Valital’s AI-powered adverse media solution is used by background check providers as well as financial and professional services firms globally. Its proprietary AI models scour the internet in real time to extract, filter and analyze adverse media wherever it lives online. Valital is saving teams considerable time and effort while dramatically decreasing the number of false positives and negatives.

Alex is an avid tennis fan and player.