Privacy Policy

Global Trade Connect ("GTC", "we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of every individual who engages with our platform, events, and services. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, register for our events, or interact with us in any capacity.

We operate across multiple jurisdictions — including Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Singapore, and the European Union — and we are committed to complying with all applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), and equivalent legislation in the countries where we operate.

By accessing our website or registering for our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please refrain from using our services and contact us to discuss your concerns.

We collect information that is necessary to deliver our services, facilitate international trade connections, and ensure the safety and integrity of our events. The categories of information we may collect include:

Personal Identification Information: Full name, job title, organisation name, professional role, and government-issued identification details where required for visa assistance or official invitation letters.

Contact Information: Email address, telephone number, mailing address, city, country, and postal code.

Professional & Business Information: Industry sector, areas of trade interest, company size, export/import history, and business objectives — collected during registration to facilitate meaningful B2B matchmaking.

Payment Information: When you purchase a delegate pass or accommodation, payment details are processed securely through our payment processor (Stripe). We do not store full card numbers or sensitive payment credentials on our servers.

Event Preferences: Session preferences, dietary requirements, accessibility needs, accommodation preferences, and networking interests.

Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device identifiers, pages visited, time spent on pages, and referral sources — collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies.

Communications: Records of correspondence when you contact us by email, phone, or through our website forms.

We use the information we collect for the following purposes, each grounded in a legitimate legal basis:

Event Administration & Delivery: To process your registration, issue delegate passes, coordinate accommodation, and ensure a seamless event experience. This is necessary for the performance of our contract with you.

Invitation Letters & Visa Assistance: To prepare and issue official invitation letters for visa applications to host countries (UAE, Kenya, Singapore). This requires sharing relevant personal details with event venues and, where necessary, with relevant government authorities. We will always inform you before doing so.

B2B Matchmaking & Networking: To connect you with other delegates, exhibitors, and trade partners whose interests align with yours. Participation in matchmaking is voluntary and governed by your preferences.

Communications: To send you event updates, schedule changes, logistical information, and post-event materials. Where required by law, we will obtain your explicit consent before sending marketing communications.

Payment Processing: To process delegate pass purchases and accommodation bookings securely through our payment partners.

Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, court orders, and governmental requests, including anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations.

Safety & Security: To protect the safety of delegates, staff, and venues, and to prevent fraud or misuse of our services.

Service Improvement: To analyse usage patterns, gather feedback, and improve our website, events, and services. Where possible, we use anonymised or aggregated data for this purpose.

We respect the trust you place in us and do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

Event Partners & Co-Organisers: With vetted event partners, venue operators, and co-organisers who require access to delegate information to deliver event services. All partners are bound by confidentiality agreements and data processing agreements.

Government & Immigration Authorities: Where you have requested visa assistance or an official invitation letter, we may share relevant personal details with host country immigration authorities or consular services. We will always inform you of this in advance and obtain your consent.

Service Providers: With trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, processing payments, sending communications, and delivering events. These providers are contractually obligated to process your data only on our instructions and in accordance with this policy.

Legal Requirements: Where required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, we may disclose your information to the relevant authorities.

Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

International Data Transfers: As a global organisation, your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your home jurisdiction. Where such transfers occur, we implement appropriate safeguards — including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission — to ensure your data receives an equivalent level of protection.

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right of Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, along with information about how it is used.

Right to Rectification: You have the right to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal information we hold about you.

Right to Erasure: In certain circumstances, you have the right to request that we delete your personal information. Please note that we may be required to retain certain information for legal or contractual reasons.

Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Right to Data Portability: Where processing is based on your consent or a contract, you have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.

Right to Object: You have the right to object to processing based on our legitimate interests, including direct marketing.

Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

Right to Lodge a Complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we have not handled your personal information in accordance with applicable law.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer at [email protected]. We will respond to all legitimate requests within 30 days.

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyse site traffic, and support our marketing activities. We categorise cookies as follows:

Strictly Necessary Cookies: Essential for the website to function correctly. These cannot be disabled without affecting core functionality, such as maintaining your session or remembering your language preference.

Analytics Cookies: Used to understand how visitors interact with our website, including pages visited, time spent, and navigation paths. This data is aggregated and anonymised where possible.

Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant content and, where you have consented, personalised advertising. These cookies may be set by third-party advertising partners.

Preference Cookies: Used to remember your preferences, such as language selection and cookie consent choices.

You can manage your cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner or through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. For more information, please refer to our Cookie Policy, available on request.

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

Specifically: - Delegate registration data is retained for a period of seven (7) years following the event, to comply with financial record-keeping requirements and to facilitate future event participation. - Invitation letter and visa assistance records are retained for five (5) years to comply with immigration-related record-keeping obligations. - Payment records are retained for seven (7) years in accordance with applicable financial regulations. - Marketing communications preferences are retained until you withdraw your consent or request erasure. - Website analytics data is retained in anonymised form for up to three (3) years.

When your data is no longer required, we will securely delete or anonymise it in accordance with our data disposal procedures.

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

- Encryption of data in transit using industry-standard TLS/SSL protocols - Encryption of sensitive data at rest - Access controls limiting data access to authorised personnel on a need-to-know basis - Regular security assessments and penetration testing - Staff training on data protection and information security - Incident response procedures to address any data breaches promptly

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the relevant supervisory authority as required by applicable law.

Our services are intended for business professionals and are not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately at [email protected] and we will take prompt steps to delete such information.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email (if we hold your contact details) and by posting a prominent notice on our website prior to the changes taking effect.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy indicates when it was most recently revised. Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Data Protection Officer:

Global Trade Connect — Data Protection Officer Email: [email protected] Telephone: +1 (506) 555-0190 Postal Address: 1140 Prospect Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 3C1, Canada

For delegates in the European Union, you may also contact our EU Representative or lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. For delegates in the United Kingdom, you may contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

We are committed to working with you to resolve any concerns about your privacy in a fair and transparent manner.