Data Protection Officer "DPO": Chile and El Salvador

The Data Protection Officer (DPO) is the professional in charge of supervising compliance with data protection regulations, advising the organisation and acting as a point of contact with authorities and data subjects, with independence in the exercise of his or her functions.

In Chile, his or her appointment is regulated in Law No. 21.719 and will be mandatory in certain cases, such as the adoption of breach prevention models. They must have specialised knowledge and their role is focused on supervising, advising and promoting good practices within the organisation.

In El Salvador, the appointment of the DPO is mandatory under the Data Protection Law (2024), being responsible for managing ARCO-POL rights and coordinating internal compliance. Their appointment must be formalised and registered with the competent authority.

Beyond the regulatory requirement, having a DPO strengthens risk management, improves data governance and builds trust, while its absence can expose organisations to non-compliance and sanctions.