Privacy Policy

Who I am

This site is operated by Olena Bilan, an independent adviser based in London, United Kingdom.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, I am the data controller for personal information collected through this site and through the enquiry form linked from it.

You can contact me at office@olenabilan.com.

I am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office as a data controller under registration reference ZC236004.

What information I collect

This website does not use analytics, advertising or tracking cookies, tracking pixels or similar marketing technologies.

The website host may process limited technical information, such as IP addresses and request data, where this is necessary to deliver, secure and maintain the website.

If you use the enquiry form, I receive the information you choose to provide. This may include:

• your name and contact details;
• your organisation and role;
• your LinkedIn profile or other professional information you provide;
• information about the matter, decision, programme or situation you would like to discuss; and
• any other information you choose to include in your enquiry.

If you book a call, I also receive information relating to the appointment you select.

The form provider may also process limited technical or submission information where this is necessary to operate the form or where specific form features are enabled.

I collect the information you provide directly from you.

You are not legally required to provide information through the enquiry form. However, without basic contact information and sufficient information about your enquiry, I may not be able to respond or consider the matter properly.

Why I use your information

I use personal information to:

• respond to your enquiry;
• understand and assess the matter you would like to discuss;
• prepare for and hold conversations or meetings with you;
• communicate with you about a potential or existing engagement;
• provide advisory or related professional services where we work together;
• maintain appropriate business records; and
• meet legal, tax and accounting obligations.

For an initial business enquiry, I generally rely on my legitimate interest in responding to an enquiry that you have initiated and in operating my professional practice.

If you ask me to take steps towards a possible engagement, or if we work together, processing may be necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to perform a contract with you.

Where I am required to retain or process information by law, including for tax or accounting purposes, I rely on compliance with a legal obligation.

You may object at any time to processing based on legitimate interests by contacting me.

I do not sell your personal information.

I do not use enquiry information for unsolicited marketing and I will not add you to a mailing list without asking you first.

Who processes your information

I use a small number of service providers to operate the website and manage enquiries:

• Tally: enquiry forms;
• Calendly: appointment scheduling;
• Netlify: website hosting; and
• Google Workspace: email, documents and business communications.

These providers process information where necessary to provide their services.

When you use Tally, Calendly or another third-party service, that provider's own privacy and cookie information also applies to its service.

International transfers

Some service providers may process or store personal information outside the United Kingdom, including in the United States and the European Economic Area.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, I use providers that rely on a transfer mechanism recognised under UK data protection law, such as an applicable adequacy arrangement or appropriate contractual safeguards.

The mechanism used may depend on the provider and where the information is processed. Further information is available in the relevant provider's privacy and data protection terms. You can also contact me at office@olenabilan.com if you would like information about the safeguards applicable to your personal information or how to obtain a copy of them.

How long I keep information

Enquiries that do not lead to an engagement are deleted within 24 months of our last contact, unless there is a specific legal or professional reason to retain limited information for longer.

Client and engagement records are normally retained for six years after the engagement ends, where this is reasonably necessary for contractual, professional or legal purposes.

Financial and tax records are retained for at least the period required for self-employed business records in the United Kingdom, currently five years after the 31 January Self Assessment submission deadline for the relevant tax year.

Limited information may be retained for longer where necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims or where another legal requirement applies.

How I protect information

I take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, including access controls, strong account security, two-factor authentication where available and appropriate device security.

Access to personal information is limited to what is necessary for operating my professional practice.

Confidentiality

Information you provide about your organisation, programme, decision, commercial position or other professional matter is treated as confidential.

It is not disclosed except where necessary to provide the relevant service, where you have authorised disclosure, or where disclosure is required by law.

Any separate confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement between us applies in addition to this Privacy Policy.

Automated decision-making

I do not use your personal information to make solely automated decisions about you that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

I do not use enquiry information for behavioural profiling or advertising.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law, depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• access the personal information I hold about you;
• have inaccurate information corrected;
• ask for personal information to be deleted;
• restrict how your information is used;
• object to certain processing;
• receive certain information in a portable format; and
• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

These rights are subject to the conditions and exceptions provided by law.

You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests.

To exercise any of your rights, contact office@olenabilan.com.

I will normally respond within one month. If your request is complex, or you have made a number of requests, I may extend the response period by up to a further two months. If I do so, I will tell you within the first month and explain why.

Complaints

If you have concerns about how I handle your personal information, you can contact me at office@olenabilan.com.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK data protection regulator:

ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint

You do not need to contact me before making a complaint to the ICO.

Changes to this policy

I may update this Privacy Policy if my services, systems or legal obligations change.

The current version will be published on this page with the date of the latest update shown at the top.