ritchie po, cybersecurity, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, vancouver, bc, lawyer, yvr

Ritchie Po: Data Privacy, AI Governance, and the Art of the Four-Minute Pivot

Ritchie Po is a data privacy lawyer and consultant based in Vancouver. Since his last profile in Portfolio.YVR in June 2024, he has expanded his practice to encompass AI governance and cross-jurisdictional legal compliance.

He has partnered with TechImpossible, a Vancouver-based IT security consultancy founded by Peter Skaronis, focusing on GDPR compliance, and with Monachus, working alongside Sean Kuriyan on HIPAA and other industry-specific data privacy frameworks. He is also continuing his long-term collaboration with Anthony Green as he builds GreenHat Security, a new IT security auditing firm.

Ritchie has taken on long-term retainers with institutional clients as external legal counsel, which includes responding to access-to-information requests, building privacy management programs, and handling ongoing privacy queries. As his client base becomes increasingly multinational, his work has expanded from domestic privacy and cybersecurity into cross-jurisdictional compliance. It is an invigorating challenge that has deepened his understanding of how AI shapes daily life and where government overreach in personal data processing begins.

ritchie po, cybersecurity, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, vancouver, bc, lawyer, yvr

Ritchie’s view is that privacy is not dead. Rather, it needs stronger regulation and greater industry respect. Without data integrity, there is no trust.

Within Vancouver’s AI and tech sector, he has been advising a growing number of emerging companies and startups. Even a foundational grasp of the ethics of data privacy — not just the legalities — goes a long way toward building a meaningful privacy program.

Ritchie is looking forward to this year’s conference season, including Web Summit Vancouver. Last year’s inaugural Vancouver gathering was memorable for its calibre of speakers — such as Dr. Cornel West’s unforgettable keynote — and for the vibrant community it convened: engineers, compliance officers, founders, and lawyers engaging in rich conversations about technology’s future. A personal highlight was the NEXUS Night “Fast Five” interview with Portfolio.YVR, conducted on a rooftop overlooking downtown Vancouver at sunset.

One of Ritchie’s favourite professional stories dates back to the start of COVID, when he was laid off and texted Michael Argast at Kobalt — and within four minutes had a meeting lined up that grew into a long-term collaboration. When people ask him the shortest time it took to find a new gig, he always says: four minutes. Yes, like the title of the Madonna song.

Six years into his journey as an independent consultant, Ritchie Po has learned how to manage clients, grow a business, create opportunities, and — just as importantly — advocate for himself, not only for others. As he looks ahead through 2026 and the next decade of AI and privacy governance, he is energized.

Ritchie says, “It took time to reach a steady state, but as Alysa Liu said stepping off the ice after her gold medal performance: ‘That is what I am [redacted] talking about!’”

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Collaborator: This story is created in collaboration between Helen Siwak and the featured subject. As the founder and publisher of Portfolio.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, Helen works closely with entrepreneurs to share their paths of innovation, resilience, and growth. Each story in this series is co-developed through interviews and first-person insights, blending authentic voices with Helen’s editorial expertise to highlight the remarkable individuals shaping British Columbia’s business landscape.