FRANCESCA BLYTHE advises international clients on a wide range of data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity issues. She has in-depth experience with a number of industries, including asset management and private equity, payments, technology, e-commerce, and manufacturing. Francesca has a particular focus on life sciences, where she advises on a broad range of issues in relation to, for example, real world evidence and secondary research, clinical studies / investigations, digital health, and use of novel technologies (including artificial intelligence).
Francesca was previously in-house counsel at the largest international health and beauty retailer in Asia and Europe. While there, she regularly gave advice on compliance and strategies relating to data protection laws, including subject access requests, Privacy Impact Assessments, direct marketing campaigns, biometrics, and employee monitoring. Francesca also assisted in the planning and delivery of a UK-wide privacy audit and managed a global privacy compliance project.
Francesca has received acknowledgement from numerous industry ranking guides:
- Chambers UK 2024 – Named as “Up and Coming” for Data Protection and Information Law, where sources noted that "When it comes to privacy advice, Francesca stands out to me as a knowledgeable and practical counsel.”
- The Legal 500 UK 2024 – Recognized for Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity, where clients commented that “Francesca Blythe is extremely commercially minded and pragmatic. Her advice is already ‘ready to use’ and I don’t need to spend more time digesting what she says.”
- Chambers UK 2023 – Named as “Up and Coming” for Data Protection and Information Law, where clients commented: “Francesca is amazing. She is incredibly efficient, knowledgeable and a true pleasure to work with.”
- The Legal 500 UK 2023 – Recognized for Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity, where clients describe her as “very responsive, pragmatic and clear in her advice.”
- Who’s Who Legal 2023 – Ranked as a Thought Leader for Data Privacy and Protection and Data Security and as Global Leader for Data Privacy and Protection, Data Security, and Information Technology.
- Women in Business Law EMEA Awards 2022 – Won the “Rising Star – Corporate” award.
- Law.com International’s 2022 – Included on the “Rising Stars: The UK’s Best Up and Coming Female Lawyers” list. The annual feature highlights the “25 women aged under 40 paving ways in the UK legal industry as the next generation of female legal powerhouses.”