This Privacy Policy explains what personal information BILD (British Indians Living in Dubai) collects, why we collect it, who we share it with, how long we keep it, and the choices you have. It applies to this website, to BILD membership, to BILD events, to the BILD Business Directory, and to the BILD WhatsApp and social media communities.

Last updated: 9 September 2026

1. Who we are

BILD is operated by B.I.L.D AE Events Organizing & Managing, licensed by the Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism under trade licence number 1466833. For anything relating to this policy or your personal information, contact us at connect@bild.ae. This is the only email address BILD uses for privacy and data protection requests.

2. Information we collect

2.1 Membership applications

When you apply to join BILD we ask for:

your full name, email address, UAE mobile number and WhatsApp number;
the emirate you live in, and the date you moved to the UAE;
your gender and year of birth;
your marital status, and your partner’s name and mobile number where you give them;
whether you have children, and their ages, so we can plan family-friendly events;
your religion, which is optional and used only to plan cultural and religious celebrations;
the city you are from in the UK and, where relevant, in India;
your company name, job title, industry and business type, for professional networking;
your LinkedIn and Instagram handles, where you give them;
how you heard about BILD, and the name and mobile number of the member who referred you;
whether you are interested in sponsorship or promotional opportunities.

We keep application details even if you do not complete payment, so that we can follow up with you and so that you do not have to start again. If you tell us you no longer wish to join, we will delete them.

2.2 Eligibility information

BILD membership is limited to people who meet its eligibility criteria. When you apply you confirm that you meet those criteria, that the information you have given is true, and that you accept the Terms and Conditions. We record those confirmations, and the date you gave them, as evidence that the application was properly made. We may ask for further information if an application is unclear.

2.3 Payment information

Payments for membership, event tickets, directory listings and Featured placements are processed by Stripe. BILD never sees or stores your card number, expiry date or security code. Those details go directly to Stripe. What we store is the amount, the currency, the payment status, the date, a Stripe reference for the transaction and a link to your Stripe receipt, so that we can confirm your payment, issue receipts and handle refunds.

2.4 Event registrations

When you book a place at a BILD event we collect:

your first name, last name, email address and phone number;
the number of tickets and the names of the guests you are bringing;
any dietary requirements or allergies you tell us about, which we share with caterers and venues only so that they can cater for you safely;
any accessibility needs or notes you give us.

2.5 Business Directory listings

If you list a business in the BILD Business Directory we collect:

the business name, description, category, and the emirate or country it operates in;
a contact name, email address and phone number for the business;
the business website, Google Business profile and social media handles;
your logo, banner image, photographs and any video you upload;
the member offers you want promoted to the BILD community.

Most of this information is published on your listing, which is what a directory listing is for. The contact name, email address and phone number you give us for administration are used to contact you about your listing and are not published unless you ask us to publish them.

2.6 Licence and registration documentation

Businesses applying to be listed must upload a valid trade licence or company registration document, and we record the expiry date so we can ask you to renew it. These documents are held securely, are visible only to BILD administrators, and are never published, shared with other members or used for any purpose other than checking that the business is registered. Checking a registration document is not an endorsement of the business, and is described on the listing as “Registration Checked” for that reason.

2.7 Reviews, testimonials and feedback

If you submit a testimonial about BILD we collect your name, your rating and what you have written, and we publish it once it has been approved. Where BILD collects feedback about a listed business, we also ask for the reviewer’s email address and mobile number so that we can check the review is genuine. Those contact details are visible only to BILD administrators and are never published.

2.8 Photographs and video

Photographs and video are taken at BILD events and may be published on this website, in the Photo Vault, in Faces of BILD, and on BILD social media accounts, to promote BILD and record its events. If you do not wish to be photographed, please tell the organiser before the event, or email us at connect@bild.ae and we will remove an image of you.

2.9 Children and family events

We collect the ages of members’ children so that we can plan appropriate activities, group children sensibly and meet venue requirements. We collect children’s names only where they are attending an event as a named guest. We do not knowingly collect any other information about children, we do not market to children, and children may not apply for BILD membership themselves. Any information about a child is given to us by their parent or guardian and is used only to run the event concerned.

2.10 WhatsApp and community groups

BILD runs a community WhatsApp group and a number of specialist sub-groups. To add you to a group we use the mobile number you gave us when you applied. Your mobile number and your WhatsApp display name and photo are visible to every other member of any group you join. BILD cannot control what other members do with information you post in a group. Please do not post anything in a group that you would not want other members to see or keep. Members must not collect, export or reuse other members’ contact details, and doing so is a breach of the Community Rules. WhatsApp is operated by Meta and its own privacy policy applies to your use of the app.

2.11 Marketing communications

We send members emails about events, membership, the directory and BILD news. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email, or by emailing connect@bild.ae. We will still send you service messages you need to receive, such as a payment confirmation, a ticket confirmation or a renewal reminder, because these relate to something you have bought.

2.12 Website and technical information

When you use this website we collect standard technical information, including your IP address, browser and device type, the pages you visit and how you arrived at the site. We use Google Analytics to understand how the site is used, and Sentry to detect and diagnose errors. This information is used in aggregate to improve the site. We also count how many times a Featured business profile has been viewed, and we report that count to the business as a number only, never as a list of who viewed it.

3. Why we use your information

To assess your application and confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria.
To take payment and issue receipts, and to handle refunds.
To add you to the BILD community groups and give you access to member services.
To organise and run events, including catering, capacity and safety.
To publish and administer Business Directory listings.
To communicate with you about your membership, your bookings and your listing.
To promote BILD and its events, including through photographs and social media.
To keep the community safe, enforce the Community Rules and the Terms and Conditions, and prevent misuse.
To meet our legal, licensing, accounting and tax obligations.

4. Our legal basis

We process personal information on the basis of your consent, given when you submit an application, book an event or submit a listing; because it is necessary to provide the membership or service you have asked for; because we have a legitimate interest in running and protecting the community; and because we are required to by law. Where we rely on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time by contacting us, although that may mean we can no longer provide part of the service.

5. Who we share your information with

BILD does not sell your personal information, and does not share it for anyone else’s marketing. We share it only with the service providers we need to run BILD:

Stripe - payment processing.
Supabase - the database and file storage behind this website.
Vercel - website hosting.
Resend - sending transactional and community emails.
Google - Analytics, and Google Business reviews shown on the site.
Sentry - error monitoring.
WhatsApp (Meta) - community groups.
Event venues, caterers and suppliers - only the details needed to run an event, such as a guest list or dietary requirements.

We may also disclose information where we are required to do so by law, by a regulator or by a court, or where it is necessary to protect the safety of a member or the public.

6. Where your information is held

Our service providers operate internationally, so your information may be stored or processed outside the UAE, including in the European Union and the United States. We only use established providers that apply recognised security and data protection standards.

7. How long we keep it

Member records - for as long as you are a member, and for up to three years after your membership ends, so that we can deal with any question about your membership or payment.
Incomplete applications - for up to twelve months, so we can follow up with you.
Event registrations - for up to three years, for accounting and event records.
Payment records - for as long as UAE accounting and tax law requires.
Business listings and licence documents - for as long as the listing is live, and for up to two years afterwards.
Photographs and video - indefinitely, as part of BILD’s record of its events, unless you ask us to remove an image of you.

8. Your rights and choices

You may ask us at any time to:

tell you what personal information we hold about you;
give you a copy of it;
correct anything that is wrong or out of date;
delete your information, where we are not required to keep it;
stop sending you marketing emails;
remove a photograph of you from this website or BILD social media;
remove you from a WhatsApp group;
withdraw a consent you previously gave.

Email connect@bild.ae and we will respond within 30 days. We may ask you to confirm your identity first. Deleting your information will normally end your membership, and the membership fee is not refunded on deletion.

9. Security

Access to member records, licence documents and reviewer contact details is restricted to BILD administrators. Data is transmitted over encrypted connections and held in access-controlled systems. Card details never reach BILD’s systems at all. No system is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security, but if a breach affects your information we will tell you and take the steps the law requires.

10. Cookies and analytics

This website uses cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for the site to work, and Google Analytics cookies that help us understand how the site is used. You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings, although parts of the site may not work correctly if you do.

11. Other websites

The Business Directory and other pages link to websites and social media profiles that BILD does not control. This policy does not apply to them, and BILD is not responsible for how they handle your information.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it was last changed, and continued use of BILD’s services after a change means you accept the updated policy.

13. Contact us

For any question, request or complaint about your personal information, email connect@bild.ae. This policy should be read together with BILD’s Terms and Conditions, its Refund Policy and its Community Rules.