1. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected and processed across the Kress Cooper global network, including:

• Kress Cooper Chartered Accountants & Professional Advisors
• Regional Branches & Representative Offices (including the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and international jurisdictions)
• Kress Cooper Affiliates & Ecosystem Partners, including Kress Cooper Technologies (KC Tech) and Kress Cooper Academy

We process personal data in compliance with applicable international and regional data protection laws, including the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on Personal Data Protection (PDPL), the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and other relevant local regulatory frameworks.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal information:

A. Information You Provide Voluntarily

• Contact Details: Full name, business email address, phone number, physical address, and country/region.
• Professional & Business Information: Company name, job title, industry sector, and scope of business.
• Inquiries & Communication: Information provided when submitting contact forms, requesting proposals, booking consultations, or subscribing to industry insights and newsletters.
• Recruitment & Training Data: Resumes, CVs, employment history, certifications, and educational credentials submitted when applying for career opportunities or enrolling in Kress Cooper Academy training programs.
• Client Onboarding & Compliance Data: Identification documents, corporate ownership information, and tax identification numbers required under statutory Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations.

B. Information Collected Automatically

• Technical Data: IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting, operating system, and device platform.
• Usage Data: Pages viewed, duration of visits, referral sources, and navigation patterns across our website.
• Cookies & Tracking Identifiers: Small data files used to enhance site functionality, remember your regional preferences, and generate aggregated performance analytics.

3. How We Use Your Information

We process personal data for the following legitimate business purposes:

• Service Delivery: To deliver our audit, tax, accounting, corporate finance, risk advisory, and technology consulting services.
• Responding to Inquiries: To address messages, questions, and consultation requests submitted through our website.
• Client Relationship Management: To send engagement updates, administrative notices, and service-related communications.
• Marketing & Thought Leadership: To share industry newsletters, tax/regulatory alerts, webinar invites, and service updates (with the option to opt out at any time).
• Statutory & Legal Compliance: To satisfy auditing standards, tax laws, anti-money laundering regulations, and professional code of ethics requirements.
• Site Security & Optimization: To maintain website security, prevent fraud, troubleshoot technical issues, and improve user experience across different regional storefronts.

4. Legal Bases for Processing

Under applicable data protection laws, we rely on one or more of the following legal grounds to process your personal data:

• Contractual Necessity: Where processing is necessary to perform a contract with you or take requested pre-contractual steps.
• Legal & Regulatory Obligations: Where compliance with statutes, accounting standards, or government mandates is required.
• Legitimate Interests: To conduct, protect, and improve our business operations without overriding your fundamental privacy rights.
• Consent: Where you have explicitly granted permission (e.g., opting in to marketing communications or accepting optional cookies).

5. Sharing and Disclosure of Information

Kress Cooper maintains strict professional confidentiality. We do not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties. We disclose personal data solely under the following circumstances:

• Within the Kress Cooper Network: Across our regional offices and affiliate entities (including Kress Cooper Technologies and Kress Cooper Academy) to deliver seamless multi-jurisdiction client solutions.
• Approved Service Providers: To vetted third-party vendors who provide IT hosting, cloud infrastructure, email dispatch, CRM, and analytics services under binding non-disclosure and data protection contracts.
• Legal & Regulatory Authorities: When required by statutory law, court subpoenas, or governmental authorities (such as the Federal Tax Authority or regulatory oversight bodies).
• Corporate Transactions: In connection with any merger, business restructuring, or transfer of practice assets, subject to confidentiality protections.

6. International Data Transfers

As an international professional services firm operating across the UAE, UK, and other regional markets, your personal information may be transferred to and stored in countries outside your jurisdiction of residence.

Whenever personal data is transferred internationally, we implement recognized transfer mechanisms—such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), inter-firm data transfer agreements, and regulatory adequacy determinations—to ensure your personal data receives an equivalent standard of protection.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was gathered, including satisfying legal, audit, accounting, and tax retention rules (typically between 5 to 10 years for statutory accounting and engagement files).

When data is no longer legally or operationally required, it is securely destroyed, permanently erased, or anonymized.

8. Data Security

We implement comprehensive technical, administrative, and physical security measures to safeguard your personal data against unauthorized access, accidental loss, misuse, or alteration. These safeguards include:

• SSL/TLS encryption protocols for data in transit across our platforms.
• Enterprise firewalls, role-based access restrictions, and multi-factor authentication.
• Confidentiality agreements and regular cybersecurity awareness training for all staff members.

9. Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law (such as the UAE PDPL or UK GDPR), you may be entitled to exercise the following rights:

• Right to Access: Request a confirmation and copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate, outdated, or incomplete information.
• Right to Erasure: Request the deletion of your personal data where retention is no longer legally mandated.
• Right to Restriction or Objection: Request that we restrict or cease processing your data under certain circumstances.
• Right to Data Portability: Obtain your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Revoke previously granted consent for communications or processing at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses essential and performance cookies to deliver a personalized browsing experience, recall regional preferences, and assess site traffic. You can adjust your cookie settings through your web browser at any time; however, disabling certain cookies may impact features of our website.

11. Third-Party Websites and External Links

Our website may contain links to external platforms, including our learning academy portal (Learnura), social media channels, and professional associations. Kress Cooper is not responsible for the privacy practices, policies, or content of third-party platforms.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may revise this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect statutory amendments or updates to our operational processes. Any changes will be published directly on this page with an updated “Last Updated” revision date.

13. Contact Information

If you have any questions, inquiries, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data protection practices, please contact us at: