As the Chair of the Jersey Data Protection Authority (JDPA), Jacob is ultimately responsible for implementing the Data Protection Authority (Jersey) Law 2018 and overseeing the regulation of the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018 by the Jersey Office of the Information Commissioner (JOIC). 

Jacob has been in post as Chair of the JDPA since 2018.

The Chair of the JDPA, along with other voting members, are appointed by the Island’s Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture in line with the Data Protection Authority (Jersey) Law 2018. Jacob actively engages with Government of Jersey regarding the JDPA and data protection issues.

Jacob served as chair/commissioner of the Dutch Data Protection Authority in the Netherlands from 2004 to 2016 and as chairman of the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party for six years; the advisory body composed of the chairs of all Data Protection Authorities in the European Union. Jacob also served as chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners for four years. Previously, he was also chairman of the Dutch Euthanasia Review Committee. Jacob has served as chair of the Dutch Restitutions Committee since October 2021.

Earlier in his career, Jacob was a member of the Dutch parliament for nearly 25 years and served as state secretary for Home Affairs.