Privacy Policy
How we collect, use and protect personal data — on this website and in the course of our work.
On this page
Note: this policy is a starting template prepared for Gulf Sentinel Intelligence. It should be reviewed by a UAE-qualified lawyer before publication, and updated to reflect exactly how the business handles data in practice.
1. Who we are
Gulf Sentinel Intelligence ("GSI", "we", "us") provides corporate intelligence, due diligence, KYC and KYB screening and risk advisory services from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
This policy explains what personal data we collect through our website and in the course of providing our services, how we use it, and the rights available to you. It should be read alongside our Terms of Engagement.
2. Information we collect
Information you give us
- Name, job title, company and contact details when you submit an enquiry or correspond with us
- Information contained in the instructions and materials you provide for an engagement
- Billing and payment details where you become a client
Information we collect automatically
- Technical data such as IP address, browser type, device type and pages visited
- Approximate location derived from IP address
Information collected during engagements
Delivering our services involves researching individuals and entities that are the subject of a client instruction. This may include personal data obtained from public registries, court and litigation records, sanctions and watchlists, regulatory filings, published media and other lawful sources. We process such data as part of a legitimate business and compliance purpose, and we do not disclose the identity of the instructing client to the subject of an enquiry.
3. How we use your information
- To respond to enquiries and provide the services you have requested
- To perform our own client onboarding, anti-money-laundering and sanctions checks
- To administer contracts, invoicing and payment
- To operate, secure and improve our website
- To meet legal, regulatory and record-keeping obligations
We do not sell personal data. We do not use your data for automated decision-making that produces legal effects concerning you.
4. Legal basis for processing
Depending on the circumstances, we process personal data on the basis of: your consent; the performance of a contract with you; compliance with a legal obligation; the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; or our legitimate interests in operating and protecting the business, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
5. Who we share it with
We share personal data only where necessary, and only with:
- The client who instructed the engagement, in the form of a report
- Service providers who support our operations (for example IT hosting, email and professional advisers), under confidentiality obligations
- Regulators, law enforcement or courts where we are legally required to do so
We do not disclose client identities or engagement details to third parties except as set out above or with the client's written consent.
6. How long we keep it
We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, and to satisfy legal, regulatory and professional record-keeping requirements. Engagement files are retained for a defined period after completion and then securely destroyed. Enquiries that do not proceed to an engagement are deleted within a reasonable period.
7. How we protect it
We apply technical and organisational measures appropriate to the sensitivity of the information we hold, including access controls on a need-to-know basis, encryption of data in transit, secure storage, and confidentiality obligations binding on all personnel. No system is completely secure, but we take our obligations seriously and review our controls regularly.
8. Your rights
Subject to applicable law and to the exemptions available to us, you may have the right to:
- Request access to the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
- Request deletion of your data in certain circumstances
- Object to or request restriction of processing
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
- Request transfer of your data to another party where technically feasible
Certain rights may be limited where compliance would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, the establishment or defence of legal claims, a regulatory obligation, or the confidentiality of a client engagement.
To exercise a right, contact us at info@thegsi.ae. We may need to verify your identity before responding.
9. Cookies
Our website uses only the cookies necessary for it to function and, where enabled, basic analytics to understand how the site is used. We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies. Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies through their settings.
10. International transfers
Some of our service providers may process data outside the United Arab Emirates. Where personal data is transferred abroad, we take steps to ensure it remains protected to a standard consistent with applicable UAE law, including appropriate contractual safeguards.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised. Material changes will be highlighted on this page.
12. Contact us
Questions about this policy or about how we handle personal data:
Gulf Sentinel Intelligence
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Email: info@thegsi.ae
Telephone: +971 55 776 8007
Personal data in the UAE is governed principally by Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data, administered by the UAE Data Office. If you believe we have not handled your data properly, please contact us first so we can try to resolve it. You may also raise the matter with the relevant supervisory authority.