Dr. Gernot Fritz

About Dr. Gernot Fritz

Gernot is part of our international TMT practice and leads our tech and data team in Austria.

Gernot is a seasoned and experienced data and tech lawyer, advising on the full range of legal issues relating to data commercialization and use of data as well as data privacy matters, new data uses and analytics including AI, technology innovation, as well as tech and digital regulatory. His recent work has been centred around giving clients strategic advice on the EU Digital Strategy, e.g. on the Data Act, the Digital Services Act and the AI Act.

Being a hands-on and pragmatic advisor to companies, officers, directors and individuals, a major part of his cross-disciplinary practice is advising businesses on transactional carve-out, separation and integration, intellectual property and information technology matters, as well as the negotiation of commercial arrangements. His expertise also includes regularly advising companies on complex software-related contractual arrangements.

Working across many industries – including technology, automotive, telecoms, consumer products, life sciences, retail and financial institutions –, Gernot draws from a diverse range of experience helping companies develop privacy and data protection strategies for new products and services and privacy compliance programs for their customer and employee data, enabling them to leverage the value of their data while complying with evolving global privacy and data protection laws.

Gernot works globally, with activity spanning from Europe, U.S., Middle East and Africa. His practical experience is built on his academic background, which, in addition to his core legal training, includes a bachelor’s degree in “software and information engineering” and a master’s degree in “artificial intelligence”.

Recent work

• International companies on setting up comprehensive compliance structures and related processes in relation to its obligations under the EU Data Act.
• International companies on the EU AI Act.
• One of the world's largest energy companies on establishing a joint venture with an AI services provider in order to develop AI applications (data analysis, big data) for the oil and gas industry.
• Spectris plc and its subsidiary Hottinger Brüel & Kjaer GmbH on the acquisition of Piezocryst Advanced Sensorics GmbH, a global supplier of precision instruments and controls, from AVL List GmbH.
• Borealis AG on the carve-out and divestment of their worldwide fertilizer and melamine business to Agrofert.
• APG Asset Management, acting on behalf of its Dutch pension fund clients, on a joint venture with Orange Polska to create the largest independent wholesale fibre operator in Poland.
• A global car manufacturer on setting up a corporate structure as well as (data) governance to enable the brokerage and commercialization of vehicle and customer data within the group as well as with third parties.
• Bauer Media on the combination of its online comparison platform business with Netrisk.
• International companies on the EU Digital Services Act.
• A leading software company on drafting and negotiating tailored software reseller agreements, software run agreements and software development agreements with their customers for a number of different software products in a variety of countries.
• A Belgian software development company on the development of a dual licensing model (open source license and commercial license) for their software solution.
• A private equity investor on the potential acquisition of a leading company active in the field of commercial cooling solutions.
• ADNOC on the establishment of an international futures exchange for Murban crude oil in the Abu Dhabi Global Market, in partnership with Intercontinental Exchange.
• Western Union on the carve-out and sale of Western Union Business Solutions to Goldfinch Partners and Baupost Group.
• Mayr-Melnhof group on the carve-out and sale of two virgin fibre board mills in the Netherlands and Germany to Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
• One of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies on the sale of one of their manufacturing sites in Austria.
• An African mobile networks operator on a cooperation for towers lease and the use of dark fibres with an infrastructure provider in Nigeria.
• Austrian companies from different sectors on data protection related proceedings before the Austrian data protection authority and Austrian courts.
• International companies on the legal handling and investigation of data breaches.
• An association of mobile payment providers on the regulatory compliance of setting up a fund flow model between its members.
• An Austrian bank on a cooperation to set up a B2C car sharing mobility platform.
• Various NGOs (e.g. Light for the World) on a pro-bono basis on data protection issues.