Premier League club West Ham United has partnered with cyber security firm Foregenix in an effort to safeguard its data in preparation for the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

GDPR rules come into force in May next year and require firms to adhere to strict data protection regulations or face substantial fines if they fail to do so. West Ham will look to include a number of new cyber security initiatives as part of the deal with Foregenix and build on the work carried out as part of the club’s move to their new London Stadium home.

Mike Bohndiek, head of IT at West Ham, said it would benefit both fans and employees alike. He commented: "Football clubs like West Ham United maintain a huge amount of personally identifiable information data that must be used and protected in line with the General Data Protection Regulation which comes into force next year.

“Ticketing, fan membership, hospitality and player medical data are just a few examples where GDPR will have an impact. With less than a year before it becomes law, it is important that we are prepared for what is widely acknowledged as a long overdue revamp of the Data Protection Act.

“We chose Foregenix because they have a long pedigree in payment security and compliance. With the Payment Industry Card Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) and GDPR inextricably linked in certain areas it makes sense to use someone who can optimise our efforts to comply with both requirements.”

Benj Hosack, chief commercial officer of Foregenix, added: “We’re pleased to be working with West Ham to safeguard its data for players, staff and fans and let the only defence the club has to worry about be on the pitch and not online.”

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