How to Break Into Privacy Engineering

Privacy engineering is booming—and you don’t need a JD to join the movement. In this episode, Amir sits down with Hoang Bao, Global Head of Privacy and Data Privacy Officer at Axon (formerly at Netflix, Google, Twitch), to break down what privacy engineering is, how it overlaps with data governance, and why it’s one of the most accessible and high-impact areas emerging in tech today. Whether you're a software engineer, data professional, or policy nerd, this episode shows you how to pivot into privacy—no legal background necessary.

📌 Key Takeaways:

Privacy engineering is still defining itself—and that's an opportunity.

You don’t need a legal degree to work in privacy, but you do need to understand regulations.

Certifications + champion programs are a great entry point into the field.

The rise of AI and data complexity is accelerating demand for privacy talent.

Diverse paths exist—privacy roles can sit in legal, security, engineering, even marketing.

⏱️ Timestamped Highlights:

[00:01:06] What is privacy engineering? Why there's no universal definition yet.

[00:03:52] Data governance vs. privacy—how they intersect and where they differ.

[00:06:00] How data governance pulled Hoang into privacy nearly 20 years ago.

[00:08:00] The impact of GDPR and global regulations on team growth.

[00:10:13] The historical dominance of legal backgrounds in privacy—and why that’s changing.

[00:13:24] How non-lawyers can break into the field: certifications and community.

[00:17:00] Becoming a “privacy champion” inside your org as a tactical first step.

[00:20:00] Where privacy lives: legal, infosec, engineering, or elsewhere.

[00:21:00] Will the Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) become more common?

[00:22:49] DPO vs. CPO—compliance vs. strategy roles.

[00:24:45] Why people are finally realizing they can become privacy engineers.

Featured Quote

"Even though a legal degree is not necessary, understanding the regulation and the law is important. What I've found that could help folks get that foundation is to think about certification that will give you one foot into the door."

Career Action Items

Immediate Steps:

Research IAPP certifications and privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.)

Identify your company's privacy team or who handles privacy functions

Connect with privacy professionals on LinkedIn

Medium-term Goals:

Volunteer as a privacy champion at your current company

Attend privacy engineering meetups and conferences

Build relationships in the privacy community

Long-term Strategy:

Consider formal privacy certification

Look for privacy-adjacent roles in your current organization

Explore opportunities at data-heavy companies

Resources & Links

International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) - iapp.org

Privacy Engineering Advisory Board

GDPR and global privacy regulations research

Why This Matters Now

With AI driving increased focus on data governance and privacy regulations expanding globally, privacy engineering sits at the intersection of technology, law, and business strategy. Companies need professionals who can implement privacy by design, not just react to compliance requirements.

The bottom line: This is your chance to get in early on a field that's about to explode. The community is small enough that networking actually works, companies desperately need help, and you don't need to go back to law school to make the transition.

Ready to explore privacy engineering? Share this episode with someone who's looking for their next career move in tech.