Open Future Forum ("Open Future Forum", "we", "us" or "our") operates the website openfutureforum.com and convenes a community of executives, founders and investors through Forum Select gatherings and Forum Events. This policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. It applies to this website and to inquiries you send us.
Information we collect
- Information you give us. When you apply to Forum Select, register for an event, subscribe to updates, or contact us, we collect the details you provide — such as your name, email address, company, role, and any message or context you share.
- Usage and device information. When you visit the site, our analytics providers automatically receive standard technical data such as your IP address, browser and device type, pages viewed, referring pages, and interactions with the site.
- Cookies and similar technologies. We and our providers use cookies and similar technologies to run the site, remember preferences, and understand how the site is used.
How we use your information
We collect and process personal information for a broad range of business purposes, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including:
- Reviewing and responding to applications, registrations and inquiries, and providing our community and events.
- Operating, securing, personalizing, analyzing and improving the website, our community and our events.
- Sending updates, invitations, marketing and other communications (subject to your marketing choices where required by law).
- Analyzing and profiling usage, deriving insights, conducting research, and developing new products, services and offerings — including by combining your information with information from other sources.
- Advertising and promoting our community and partners, and measuring the effectiveness of that activity.
- Protecting our rights, property and safety and those of others, preventing fraud and misuse, and complying with legal obligations.
- Any other purpose disclosed to you or to which you consent, and any additional compatible purpose permitted by law.
Legal bases for processing (EEA / UK)
Where the EU or UK GDPR applies, we rely on one or more of the following legal bases: our legitimate interests in operating, promoting, securing and growing our community and events (interpreted broadly and balanced against your rights); your consent (for example, for certain marketing and cookies), which you may withdraw at any time; performance of a contract with you; and compliance with our legal obligations.
Analytics and third-party services
We use trusted third-party services that process data on our behalf, including:
- Google Analytics — website usage measurement. See Google's Privacy Policy.
- Microsoft Clarity — aggregated usage and interaction analytics. See Microsoft's Privacy Statement.
- Google Fonts — web typography delivered from Google's servers.
- Substack — if you subscribe to Murray Newlands' newsletter, your email is processed by Substack under Substack's Privacy Policy.
- Event and registration tools — event sign-ups may be handled through our events platform, which processes your registration details to manage attendance.
These providers act as our processors or independent controllers and use your information in accordance with their own policies.
Sharing your information
We may share the personal information we collect with: our affiliates and team; service providers and processors acting on our behalf; event, marketing, analytics and advertising partners; sponsors and collaborators; and professional advisers. We may also disclose or transfer information in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization or sale of assets, to comply with law or legal process, and to protect our rights, property, safety and interests and those of others.
Some of this activity may constitute a "sale" or "sharing" of personal information, or processing for "targeted advertising," as those terms are broadly defined under certain U.S. state privacy laws. Where it does, we honor your right to opt out — see "Your privacy rights" below.
International data transfers
We are based in the United States, and we and our providers may process information in the U.S. and other countries whose data protection laws may differ from those where you live. Where required by law, we use appropriate safeguards — such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses — for these transfers.
Data retention
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, to operate and grow our community and events, and to establish, exercise or defend legal claims — and for as long as otherwise permitted by applicable law. We may keep de-identified or aggregated information indefinitely. When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete or anonymize it.
Your privacy rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, update or delete your personal information; to obtain a copy or port it; to restrict or object to certain processing; to withdraw consent; to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information and of targeted advertising; to limit the use of sensitive personal information; and to appeal a decision or lodge a complaint with your data protection authority. We will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.
You can unsubscribe from marketing at any time using the link in our emails, and control cookies through your browser settings (blocking some cookies may affect how the site works). To exercise any of these rights — including to opt out of any "sale" or "sharing" of your personal information — contact us (see below); we will verify your request and respond as required by applicable law.
Security
We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Children's privacy
The site and our events are intended for business professionals and are not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date above. Material changes will be reflected on this page.
Contact us
If you have questions about this policy or your personal information, reach out to Murray Newlands, Founder of Open Future Forum, on LinkedIn:
Open Future Forum
Murray Newlands, Founder
Connect on LinkedIn