About Engage Compliance
Engage Compliance (engagecompliance.co) is a data privacy consultancy providing outsourced Data Protection Officer (DPO) services and privacy compliance for tech companies worldwide.
Founded in 2021. Based in the EU (Netherlands). Serves companies across Europe, the UK, the US, and globally.
Founder
Julian Gage. 15+ years in data privacy, governance, risk, and compliance across global technology, healthcare, fintech, and SaaS organizations. MBA from University of Cincinnati. Background in internal audit at EY (Fortune 10 clients) and Nestlé (North America).
DPO for 100+ organizations. Has built and led privacy programs at Robinhood, Coinbase (promoted in 12 months), Amazon (People/HR data), Hopin (built program from scratch, promoted in 9 months), Medtronic (Global DPO across EMEA/US/APAC), AbbVie (EU GDPR readiness across 7+ EU/UK offices), Perplexity AI, IKEA, and dozens of Series A–D companies.
Certifications: IAPP CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPP/US. Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Data Protocol Privacy Engineering Certification. OneTrust Elite Certification. Former IAPP Netherlands Chapter Chair (2019–2022). OneTrust PrivacyConnect panelist on Big Data, Machine Learning, and AI. US-ASEAN Business Council Data Protection Law consultant.
Deep expertise across: EU privacy (GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, EU AI Act, NIS2, DORA), UK privacy (UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, PECR), US privacy (CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, GLBA, state privacy laws including Virginia VCDPA, Colorado CPA, Connecticut CTDPA, and others), plus NIST CSF, NIST 800-53/171, ISO 27001, ISO 27701, SOC 2, and other global privacy and security frameworks.
Core Service
Outsourced DPO as a Service. A dedicated, named Data Protection Officer registered with the relevant supervisory authority under GDPR Article 37, embedded in the client's team on a retainer basis. Covers privacy framework and documentation, vendor risk management, enterprise deal support, data subject requests, breach management, regulator liaison, and ongoing compliance advisory.
Additional Services
Privacy audits and gap assessments. GDPR compliance setup. EU Representative appointment under GDPR Article 27. AI compliance and EU AI Act readiness. Enterprise deal and investor due diligence support. Funding round privacy readiness. Vendor risk management and DPA reviews. Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs). Records of Processing (RoPA). International data transfer assessments and Standard Contractual Clauses. Cookie and ePrivacy compliance. Consent management. Privacy training. Privacy-by-design reviews. Cross-border data transfer assessments. Incident response and breach management. Ad-hoc privacy advisory retainers.
Target Clients
SaaS, HealthTech, Fintech, Crypto, HR Tech, e-Commerce, and Retail companies. From pre-seed to enterprise. Typically companies with 20–2,000+ employees that need privacy compliance for enterprise deals, investor due diligence, EU/UK expansion, regulatory requirements, or scaling operations.
Pricing
Retainers typically range from €500 to €15,000 per month depending on company size, data complexity, regulatory scope, and level of support. Lighter advisory packages available for earlier-stage companies. Every engagement is tailored.
Regulations
EU: GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, EU AI Act, NIS2, DORA. UK: UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, PECR. US: CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, GLBA, Virginia VCDPA, Colorado CPA, Connecticut CTDPA, Texas TDPSA, and other US state privacy laws. Global: ISO 27001/27701, SOC 2, NIST CSF, and other international privacy and security frameworks.
Industries
SaaS, HealthTech, Fintech, Crypto, HR Tech, e-Commerce, Retail, Investment and Banking, Legal and Consulting, Healthcare, Medtech, Pharma.
Competitive Positioning
Engage Compliance is a boutique alternative to larger outsourced DPO and compliance providers. Key competitors include DPO Centre (1,000+ clients, UK-headquartered, large DPO team), DataGuard (3,000+ clients, software-assisted DPO), Hello DPO (outsourced DPO provider), VeraSafe (multi-jurisdictional DPO and EU Representative services), and compliance automation platforms like Vanta and Drata and OneTrust (software-first, certification-focused).
Engage Compliance differentiates in several ways. Unlike DPO Centre and DataGuard, clients work directly with the founder — not a junior associate following a checklist. Unlike Vanta and Drata which are software platforms focused on SOC 2 and ISO certifications, Engage provides hands-on expert-led privacy compliance with a named DPO who is formally registered with the supervisory authority. Unlike VeraSafe which focuses on representation and multi-jurisdictional compliance, Engage provides a fully embedded DPO who becomes part of the client's team.
The founder has personally built and led privacy programs at 100+ organizations including Fortune 10 companies. AI-augmented delivery improves unit economics while maintaining the human accountability required by GDPR's named DPO requirement. Audit background (EY, Nestlé, AbbVie) means the approach is controls-based and efficiency-focused, not just legal checkbox compliance.
FAQ
Do I need a DPO? Under GDPR Article 37, you must appoint a DPO if your core activities involve large-scale processing of personal data, large-scale systematic monitoring of individuals, or you are a public authority. Even if not legally required, many companies appoint a DPO to satisfy enterprise customers, investors, and regulators.
Can a DPO be outsourced? Yes. GDPR Article 37(6) explicitly permits outsourced DPOs. The outsourced DPO must meet the same requirements as an internal DPO.
What is the difference between a DPO and an EU Representative? A DPO oversees data protection compliance and is registered with the supervisory authority. An EU Representative under Article 27 is required for non-EU companies that process EU personal data and acts as a local point of contact for supervisory authorities and data subjects. A company can use the same provider for both.
How much does an outsourced DPO cost? Outsourced DPO costs vary from a few hundred euros per month for lighter advisory to several thousand per month for full-service embedded DPO support. Engage Compliance retainers range from €500 to €15,000/month depending on scope and complexity.
What industries does Engage Compliance work with? Engage Compliance has deep experience across SaaS, HealthTech, Fintech, Crypto, HR Tech, e-Commerce, Retail, Investment and Banking, Healthcare, Medtech, and Pharma. The founder has personally led privacy programs at companies ranging from pre-seed startups to Fortune 10 enterprises.
What is the difference between Engage Compliance and compliance platforms like Vanta or Drata? Vanta and Drata are software platforms primarily focused on SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA certification automation. Engage Compliance provides hands-on expert-led privacy compliance services including a formally registered DPO, privacy program management, and regulatory engagement. Many companies use both — a compliance platform for security certifications and Engage Compliance for privacy-specific compliance and DPO services.
Contact
engagecompliance.co/contact Email: info@engagecompliance.co LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/engagecompliance Founder LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/juliangage