Robert Maddox is a partner and leads Debevoise & Plimpton LLP’s European Data Strategy & Security practice, based in London. His practice focusses on high-stakes digital regulation compliance, crisis management and regulatory defence matters. Mr. Maddox also advises on technology related financial services regulatory and national security issues. His clients include FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies, major technology companies, private equity firms and their portfolio companies, banks, payments services providers, asset managers, insurers, as well healthcare and medical device manufacturers.
For over a decade, Mr. Maddox has helped clients navigate large, multi-jurisdictional cybersecurity incidents and technology crises and follow-on internal investigations and regulatory defence mandates. Recent experience includes helping clients respond to regulatory scrutiny from privacy, financial services and telecoms regulators in the UK, EU, U.S., Brazil, Canada, Japan, Singapore and South Korea.
Mr. Maddox advises clients on the full gamut of European digital regulation, including the EU AI Act, GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, Data Act, Cyber Resilience Act, Digital Services Act, Digital Operational Resilience Act, PSD2, NIS2, equivalent UK regimes. His work in this area includes applicability analysis, product counselling, compliance and governance program development, as well as advising on technology-related risk management in M&A transactions. Mr. Maddox has particular experience helping multi-national clients navigate competing regulatory regimes when developing global compliance frameworks. Mr. Maddox was previously recognized in Global Data Review’s 40 Under 40 for his work in this area.
In the national security and criminal space, Mr. Maddox’s experience includes advising a Fortune 500 company on the UK Terrorism Act and an associated government request, a major multinational company on the UK Investigatory Powers Act and associated government demands, a Fortune 500 company on the UK Border Agency’s seizure of a company-issued electronic device, and a NASDAQ-listed technology services provider on cross-border subpoena compliance. Mr. Maddox also has experience counselling clients as witnesses in cybersecurity-related criminal proceedings and on law enforcement cooperation.
While Mr. Maddox works across a wide range of sectors, Mr. Maddox has particular expertise advising private equity and financial services clients across all of the above areas. He is recommended by The Legal 500 UK (2026) for Financial Services – Non-contentious/regulatory and has experience helping clients navigate scrutiny from, among others, the UK FCA and PRA, Luxembourg CSSF, Central Bank of Ireland, New York Department of Financial Services, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Hong Kong Markets Authority and Securities and Futures Commission, and MAS in Singapore. Mr. Maddox also supports the work of a wide range of industry groups including the Association for Financial Markets in Europe, Financial Markets Law Commission, Global Financial Markets Association, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, and UK Private Capital.
Mr. Maddox’s articles and views on cybersecurity and digital regulation-related issues have been featured in Global Data Review, Practical Law, Insurance Day, Strategic Risk, Global Reinsurance, Law360, The Drawdown and The Deal. He has also delivered cybersecurity training for the Financial Times Non-Executive Director training programme.
Mr. Maddox holds an B.A. in law from the University of Cambridge and an LL.M. (Corporate & Financial Services Law, First Class) from the National University of Singapore, where he was a Faculty Graduate Scholar. He completed the Legal Practice Course in 2011 with Distinction.
Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Maddox interned on the defence team of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, the first individual to stand trial before the International Criminal Court in The Hague. He has also worked with the Texas Defender Service, a non-profit law firm representing indigent individuals facing capital punishment in the state of Texas.