Ambassadors

Felipe Aguilera-Børresen is Senior IP Adviser at Innovation Norway, the Norwegian Government’s main instrument for innovation and development of enterprises and industry. He provides advice on intellectual asset management and business-driven IP strategies for startups and small and medium sized enterprises. Aguilera-Børresen is a member of the Advisory Board at CIP, the Center for Intellectual Property at the University of Gothenburg. He has previously been appointed as Expert Advisor to the European Commission on the enforcement of intellectual property rights for SME’s, and he has served as a board member of Licensing Executives Society (LES Scandinavia). His academic background is in industrial mathematics from the University of Oslo, Norway and Universidad Javeriana, Colombia. He holds an IPBA on intellectual property management form CEIPI, University of Strasbourg. In addition to executive education programs on innovation management and IP strategy from MIT, HBS, NTNU/CIP and IMD, where he is currently serving as a board member of the alumni club.

Shourabh holds significant IP operations experience across diverse IP domains including trade marks, copyrights and designs in numerous industries across clientele of Europe/ USA/ Africa and Asia with a premiere IP practice based in India. After moving to the UK in 2019, he pursued his master degrees MBA and LLM (Mediation & International Arbitration ) and is currently pursuing his PGCert- Trade mark Attorney qualification with Queen Mary University, London. To his credit, he currently is a contributor to the IP Journal (IP-Think Tank), (National University of Juridical Sciences) NUJS, Kolkata, India and a co researcher with University of Cambridge and NUJS, Kolkata on a project based on sustainable IP models or SME’s based on cultural heritage products/services (ICH- Intangible cultural heritage).

Since 2012 Dr. Paolo Beconcini has headed the firm’s China Intellectual Property team spanning over several offices, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. Since 2023 Paolo chairs the newly formed Global Brand Protection Practice Group within the firm. Paolo consults companies seeking protection for their IP rights in China and legal action against infringers, advising on issues of law and enforcement, conducting evidence gathering and piloting their cases through the Chinese legal system. A sought-after authority on IP protection and litigation in China, Paolo manages the trademark, copyright and design portfolios of European and US clients, conceives and implements IP litigation strategies, regularly appears in Chinese courts and attends IPR administrative and police raids on counterfeiters. His record of success in patent and trademark infringement lawsuits includes landmark cases designated “case of the year” by several IP journals. He leads business intelligence teams that pursue evidence of counterfeiting operations, particularly concerning automotive, fashion and consumer goods. Paolo is frequently invited to speak at conferences devoted to the growing field of Chinese IP, and has been actively involved in field projects, including trademark and patent enforcement training programs for Chinese civil servants. Paolo is regularly interviewed on China IP matters by media around the world such as The Wall Street Journal, CNN, BBC, The Times, Bloomberg, La Tribune and Il Sole24 Ore, to name a few. In China, where intellectual property disputes routinely involve multiple cultures, Paolo’s fluency in five languages, including Mandarin, helps him navigate international borders, and creates confidence in his clients. Paolo represents US and European clients in confronting the myriad cross-­cultural challenges – legal, commercial, political – that threaten patent and trademark assets.

Dr. Marta Bettinazzi is an Italian IP lawyer with a deep knowledge of the South East Asia IP landscape. She is now working as a Lawyer in Milan; her main clients are SMEs and freelancer. She helps her clients in building an effective strategy to protect and develop their intangible assets. Previously she was the IP Advisor of the South-east Asia IPR SME Helpdesk project located in Ho Chi Minh City. Marta, holds a master’s degree in law from the University of Pavia (Italy), and a PhD in Roman Law and European legal culture from the Universities of Pavia and Saarbrücken (Germany).

In the dynamic world of Intellectual Property, Paolo stands out orchestrating the protection and enhancement of creative and innovative assets. With over two decades of experience, Paolo has become a go-to strategist for Italian and international clients who seek to navigate the intricate melodies of IP and Information Technology law. Paolo advises Italian and international clients with a particular focus on cross-border profiles of complex matters and disputes. He advises clients on patents, trademarks, copyright and related rights, design and models, know-how and confidential information, unfair competition, advertising and communication law and data protection. He has experience in intellectual property and information technology garnered as a member and head of major Italian and international law firms. Such experience brought him to face complex transactional and litigation issues in a wide variety of business sectors, with a steadily high amount of mandates in the fashion, automotive, design and furniture, food and hospitality, banking and financial institutions and healthcare fields. Paolo is ranked as a leading lawyer by prominent international legal guides such as Chambers and Legal500. Paolo is Of Counsel at Chiomenti, a prestigious full-service Italian law firm renowned for its legal craftsmanship and innovative solutions. His role at Chiomenti started from the organization and design of the Intellectual Property team, which is currently co-heading and his tenure underscores his commitment to excellence and positions him at the forefront of legal innovation.

Roman Bieda Attorney-at-law and patent attorney. He has been gaining expertise over the last 20 years in the commercial law and the IT law. He deals with contract negotiations, a specially in the IT sector and advises on IP, data protection and electronic commerce, consumers protection. He is a CEO at AI LAW TECH Foundation (www.ailawtech.org). It is a think – thank, with joins IT lawyers and technology experts to do interdisciplinary research. Roman Bieda sat on a panel of experts of the Digitalisation Council created by the Minister for Digitalistion during its second term. He was head of the subgroup for legal aspects of AI on the panel of experts with the Minister for Digitalization regarding the drafting of the assumptions for AI strategy for Poland. He was the leader of the Working Party on Ethical and Legal Aspects of AI organized by Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland. Roman Bieda combines his professional duties with lecturing. He lectures on contract law, intellectual property law and IT/AI law at the Kozminsky University and Warsaw School of Economics. He supervises academic research work and lectures at the postgraduate programs of IT/IP Law, Cybersecurity Management, AI Law all offered by Kozminsky University. He has authored papers concerning IT law, AI law and data protection law.

Marek Bury is a Polish and European (EQE 2013) patent attorney specialising in electronics and ICT. He graduated from the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology at the Warsaw University of Technology in 2004 with an M.Sc. Eng. degree, specialising in Information Technology, Automation and Robotics, Electronics and Telecommunications, and an additional profile in Telecommunications - Electroacoustics and Television. In 2009, he was awarded a doctorate (with honours) in Technical Sciences with a specialisation in Telecommunications. His dissertation was awarded the third prize in the national competition for the best dissertation in the field of radio communication and multimedia technologies, as well as an individual 2nd degree award from the Rector of the Warsaw University of Technology for scientific achievement in 2009. Also in 2009, he passed the final examination and was registered as a Polish patent attorney under the number 3261. In 2010-2015 he simultaneously worked as a patent attorney in a large IP firm and as an assistant professor at Warsaw University of Technology. He has participated in a number of scientific and R&D projects concerning a wide range of issues related to radioelectronics, including digital television standards, localisation techniques, microwave imaging, radar systems, antennas and robotic emergency management systems. He has participated in government-sponsored programmes aimed at strengthening relationships between academia and industry. He is a member of IEEE. In 2013, his name was entered on the list of professional representatives before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO, formerly OHIM) and, after passing the European Qualification Examination, on the list of professional representatives before the European Patent Office (EPO). In order to meet the requirements for representation before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) in 2017, he completed a Master's degree in law. Accordingly, he was entered on the list of professional representatives before the UPC in 2023. Professionally, in IP, Marek Bury deals mainly with the cases concerning patents, particularly in the field of electrotechnics, mechanics, telecommunication and information technology. He is an author and co-author of approximately 30 scientific publications concerning radioelectronics and more than 10 works concerning industrial property. He often posts on LinkedIn statistical observation on various IP measures, predominantly European patents. He is involved in IP community both on Polish and on European level. In years 2013-2017 he was member of the Polish Council of Patent attorney. In years 2014-2017 he was a substitute member of European Patent Institute (EPI) council. Since 2014 he is a member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC): in years 2014-2017 he was a member of the main committee and a member of ICT sub-committee. Then in consecutive terms 2017-2020, 2020-2023, and 2023-2026 he was elected only to the ICT sub-committee and now is a co-chair thereof. He is also involved in quality in IP. Since 2020 he coordinates works of Quality Working Group of the EPPC and since was appointed to the Standing Advisory Committee of the EPO. Also, both on Polish and European level, he has been involved in patent attorney examination as a member of Examining Committee of the Polish Chamber of Patent Attorneys (2017-2021, 2021-2024) as

Stephen is an IP Consultant, a European Patent Attorney and Chartered UK Patent Attorney and has particular experience in medical technology and software. He is recognised in the ‘iam 300’ as one of the world’s leading IP strategists, “an outstanding educator and mentor for emerging businesses”. Stephen spent over 20 years in two London-based law firms before moving to a consultancy role, working with clients to develop and implement their IP strategies. He especially enjoys working with ambitious technology businesses to help them design and implement effective IP strategies aligned with their business goals. Stephen has a BEng and MPhil in Engineering from the University of Bath.

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I am a dedicated and passionate Techno-Legal Expert specializing in Patents, Science, Research, IP Law, and Technology. With a profound understanding of the intricate nexus between innovation and legal protection, I am committed to fostering an environment where groundbreaking ideas can thrive securely. My expertise lies in safeguarding intellectual property through meticulous patent management, navigating the complexities of legal frameworks, and ensuring the seamless approval of patents. I bridge the gap between technological brilliance and legal protection, fluently speaking the languages of both innovation and law. Beyond mere paperwork, I endeavor to cultivate a culture of innovation within organizations, recognizing that sustainable success requires a fusion of fresh ideas and robust legal strategies. I view intellectual property as the lifeblood of innovation, breathing life into concepts and propelling businesses forward. Whether you are a startup with a visionary concept or a seasoned corporation seeking to redefine industry standards, I invite you to connect with me. Let us embark on a journey to explore the transformative power of intellectual property in fostering sustainable success.

Vincent Couteau is born and bred in Belgium and has developed his professional career through large international exposure. He currently serves as Legal Director IP/R&D Transactions and Brand Protection with Eviden (eviden.com), an Atos group company, which holds worldwide leading positions in advanced computing, security, AI, cloud and digital platforms. Prior to that, he was serving as the Head of Legal IPR at Atos International and as a Legal Director with Worldline Global. Prior to joining Atos and Worldline, Vincent worked respectively with Israeli law firm Weiss & Porat, Anglo-German law firm Taylor Wessing, K.U. Leuven R&D (the tech transfer office of the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium) and Siemens Belgium-Luxemburg. Vincent is a qualified lawyer in Belgium and a qualified solicitor in the UK. His expertise mainly spans the following areas : IP/IT, M&A, legal aspects of R&D, tech transfer, licensing, public procurement, EU-law, comparative tax law. Current focus of activity goes to soft IP topics such as copyrights, open source, data, trademarks and domains and associated business models, transactions and litigious matters.

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IP executive with 14 years in R&D and IP strategy • 5 years as Academic researcher inside French, Slovenian and American laboratories • 6 years as IP strategy consultant for CAC 40 companyies Universities, TTOs, VCs, Consortia, the French Government and Startups • 3 years as Patent analyst in the metallurgy industry for automotive, aeronautic and packaging markets. Areas of expertise: − Transforming Patent Assets into Value, − Creating high-Value Patent Assets and KPIs, − IP Growth and market entry strategy.

I am the head of the medical device department at Ehrlich & Fenster, of the Ehrlich Group. I specialize in startup companies and multi-disciplinary inventions. My current IP passions are combined IP/business strategy and improving the state of IP understanding by business people. IP can be a great equalizer for the little guy and it is a pity it is not used more; I hope to change this. Every other week I publish on LinkedIn (and YouTube) a talk on an IP subject, as part of #IPTechTuesday. I am happy to talk about IP to any audience. Formally, I am Israeli patent attorney and a US patent agent with nearly 30 years experience in the field and hold degrees in Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science. As the Israeli market is relatively small, we have an international outlook when drafting and prosecuting. Our credo is that our job is to help the client understand what their invention might be, and, more important, figure out what IP can do to help their company succeed. I am also an inventor on 40+ patents.

Armelle FOUDA MVONDO is Partner at Cabinet T&F, a firm specialized in intellectual property in the OAPI region (17 countries in Africa ). She combines business acumen with IP knowledge to provide business-focused advice to companies and individuals. With a strategic approach, she helps companies to secure their investment and to reap Greater benefits from their innovation thanks to IP (trademark, patent, design). She is engaged on IP awareness and delivers diverse content and programs to ensure that IP should be used properly and contributes to the development of African Countries. She collaborates with incubators in Central and west Africa to raise awareness on IP as a tool of competitiveness and she is also lecturer in some prestigious Universities of Cameroon such as JFN Institute of Technology, JFN Center.

As an ambassador for IP Business Academy, I am eager to leverage my extensive background in auditing, risk management, and business development to inspire and educate. Currently serving as a Director at Connor, I have over ten years of experience in ensuring comprehensive contract, license, and royalty compliance across a wide range of industries and markets globally, with a focus on Intellectual property. My role involves spearheading intellectual property reviews and license agreements while also acting as an Account Executive for strategic accounts within the Connor network. Before joining Connor, my journey in intellectual property and risk management spanned significant roles at Deloitte and Ernst & Young, where I managed enterprise risk engagements and performed financial audits, respectively. These experiences afforded me a broad perspective on the complexities of intellectual property across diverse sectors, including media, technology, and life sciences, throughout various regions from Europe to the Asia-Pacific. My academic achievements include a Master's in Applied Economics – Business Engineering, with honors, from the University of Antwerp, specializing in international and European business and innovation management. This foundation is enhanced by my ITIL v3 Foundation and Third Party Risk Professional Workshop certifications, and my fluency in English, Dutch, and French enables me to connect with and advise a broad spectrum of stakeholders. At Connor, our ethos is centered on providing not just auditing services but acting as trusted advisors, offering insights that challenge the status quo and drive significant long-term value for our clients. This philosophy mirrors my professional approach—prioritizing continuous learning, strategic growth, and the cultivation of solid and lasting partnerships. As an IP Academy ambassador, I am excited to share my experiences and insights, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence in the intellectual property space.

Ari is a Partner at Assegaf Hamzah & Partners, one of the largest law firms in Indonesia. He has a wealth of experience advising both domestic and international clients in a wide range of industries and sectors, especially in ICT, intellectual property (IP), and the entertainment industry. In addition to practicing as a lawyer, Ari has also served as Project Director of Creative Commons Indonesia in 2009. He was also appointed by the President of the Republic of Indonesia as Deputy Chairman for IP Facilitation and Regulation at Indonesian Agency for Creative Economy (BEKRAF) (2015-2020), and Senior Advisor for the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (2020-2022). Ari is also active in various discussions on the topic of the influence of AI development on IP protection.

Giovanna Girardi is a lawyer specializing in business law and intellectual property. Clients hire her to build strategies to protect their designs, patents and trademarks and also profit from them. Giovanna also lectures at various business schools Geneva Business School, EAE, Garrigues and collaborates in global and European to raise awareness of intellectual property rights as a competitive tool for SMEs. In 2017, she participated in an ambitious project for the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to help harmonise practices within the network of European Union Intellectual Property Offices. Giovanna was born and raised in Brazil and holds Masters degrees from Pontificia Comillas University. You can follow her insights in intellectual property on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Freddy is an experienced IP manager with over 10 years of experience in research commercialisation and in the management of intangible assets. He has supported several licensing deal negotiations and the creation of numerous spinouts in leading technology transfer offices. Qualified European patent attorney, Freddy has field expertise in the identification and acquisition of intellectual property rights, comprising patents, trademarks, designs and trade secrets. Freddy has led IP & Exploitation work packages of a number of EU-funded collaborative R&D projects. He delivers training and workshops on Intellectual Property strategy and Innovative Business Modelling. Having started his career drafting medicinal chemistry patents in a French biopharma, Freddy’s broad experience include roles at The University of Manchester's and Imperial College's TTOs, medtech funder at the National Institute for Health and Care Research and, as an Innovation management consultant.

Andreas Sætre Hanssen is a lawyer specializing in business law and intellectual property. He helps innovative companies keep their products unique and competition fair using IP. With experience as a lawyer large corporate law firms such as DLA Piper, The Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO), and IP specialists Onsagers, Andreas now runs Zipip, creating new smarter IP solutions. Located in Oslo, Norway, Andreas has a Master of Law from The University of Bergen, Norway; an IP LL.M from Cardozo School of Law, NY, USA; and a Master of Intellectual Property Law and Management (MIPLM) from CEIPI, Strasbourg, France. You can see Andreas insights on LinkedIn

Patrick Heckeler is a German and European patent attorney as well as a UPC representative. He partnered with the renowned Munich law firm BARDEHLE PAGENBERG in 2021. With his studies of computer science, Patrick Heckeler has reliable expertise in the patentability of inventions in the field of computer technology, specifically in the areas of artificial intelligence, telecommunications, computer architecture, operating systems, databases, embedded systems, multimedia technology, virtualization, and network technology. His main areas of practice include patent prosecution, opposition and appeal proceedings as well as infringement and nullity complaints.

As the World’s top IP coach, Raymond Hegarty coaches C-suite executives of growth-stage technology and life science companies on how to build intangible value and mitigate IP risks to scaling. For six years, he was Vice President of Global Licensing for Intellectual Ventures, where he managed a portfolio of 40,000 patents. Prior to that, Mr Hegarty built IP-intensive businesses in Japan, Ireland and Luxembourg, developed teams and implemented processes and systems for IP exploitation. He has closed billions of dollars of patent and trademark transactions. Mr Hegarty is the author of two bestselling books on IP strategy – Billion Dollar IP Strategy (2019) and Intellectual Property for Executives (2018) – and co-author of the chapter on IP transfer pricing in Tolley’s Transfer Pricing Risks Post-BEPS. He has served as an expert advisor to the European Commission, the OECD and policymakers in several countries on national and international innovation and intangible taxation strategies. Mr Hegarty is a regular conference speaker and is connected to the global professional IP community. He has been recognised by IAM Magazine every year since 2011 as one of The World’s Top 300 IP Strategists.

Anatol Heib is a content specialist and storyteller at the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property. He has 20 years of experience as a journalist and has also completed a CAS IP Law programme in the field of intellectual property. The topic fascinates him anew every day. The discussions with inventors, start-ups and other creative people are very inspiring. This makes it all the more important that they are aware of the opportunities that IP offers.

Nabiry is Partner and Head of the Intellectual Property (IP) at ECA, working with many International law firms in the IP field by supporting their client's IPR matters in Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) in the areas of Trademarks, Patents, Designs, and Copyrights Registration and Prosecution, Draft and submit oppositions, Cancellation and appeal actions, Trademark infringement, IPR Registrations/Renewals, Anti-unfair competition matters, IP Enforcement & Litigation, Domain and trade name protection, Corporate and Legal Advisory and Customs protection of intellectual property rights, as well as negotiation on various Intellectual Property issues.

Dr. Malte Köllner, from Köllner & Partner, is a German and European Patent Attorney as well as Trademark and Design Attorney. In 2019 he was ranked in the category “Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz (Industrial Property)” as being one of Germany’s Best Lawyers for the fifth consecutive year by the German business newspaper “Handelsblatt”. He was also recognized as Germany's most influential patent attorney. Dr. Malte Köllner holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry and a diploma in Physics from the University of Heidelberg. His areas of expertise include physics, physical chemistry, optics, lasers, biotechnology, medical devices and software. With a vast experience in the field of Intellectual Property, Dr. Malte Köllner is also the editor-in-chief of the German journal for patent law "Mitteilungen der Deutschen Patentanwälte" and a lecturer at various conferences and universities. Dr. Malte Köllner has authored a handbook on the Patent Cooperation Treaty as well as numerous publications on the economic and legal side of the IP system. His notable achievements in the IP area have listed him, year after year, as one of the world’s leading lawyers and IP strategists. Dr. Malte Köllner regularly presents current trends and developments in the IP industry in his lectures. Dr. Malte Köllner developed several legal services such as Flat Fee Prosecution and made a fundamental contribution to the area of patent valuation.

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Tobias brings more than ten years of experience in the field of intellectual property (IP), specializing in IP and innovation management. With his extensive expertise in developing and implementing IP strategies for a diverse range of companies and start-ups across various technology sectors, he possesses a deep understanding of the nuances of IP protection and innovation. Passionate about creating and safeguarding IP, Tobias leads workshops on invention harvesting and IP design, with a focus on areas such as medTech, artificial intelligence, and sustainability. Drawing from his own experience as an inventor, Tobias offers valuable insight into crafting technologies eligible for IP protection. In 2016, Tobias founded an innovation and technology transfer department, offering tailored IP and innovation support services to research institutions and companies. This venture equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of the unique needs of different organizations, enabling him to develop effective strategies to meet their requirements. In 2018, Tobias launched Lipp+Tech Consulting (www.lipp.tech), a consultancy specializing in multidimensional IP and business analysis. Through interdisciplinary advice, Lipp+Tech aids start-ups, SMEs, and multinational corporations in optimizing the value of their IP assets and fostering innovation within their industries. In 2023, Tobias co-founded valuia® (www.valuia.com), a consulting firm collaborating with accelerators and incubators to educate and empower their start-up communities on leveraging Intangible Assets (IA) and IP. Through comprehensive IP management advisory and educational programs, valuia® aims to foster innovation and growth. Aside from his consultancy work, Tobias is a partner of QIMP (Quality Initiative for IP Management) and serves as a reader in certification courses at the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Centre d'Etudes Internationales de la Propriété Intellectuelle (CEIPI). In this role, he shares his expertise with fellow professionals in the IP field, contributing to the advancement of IP management practices.

Partner at Venturini IP, a boutique Intellectual Property firm based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Louis is an IP Attorney-at-Law with over 10 years of legal experience with international clients. Previous to Venturini IP, he worked as a Director of Business Development for the largest IP group in Portuguese and Spanish speaking countries, helping develop IP portfolios of Brazilian companies and subsidiaries of foreign companies located in Brazil. Louis also had the opportunity to work as a Patent litigation specialist at one of the most renowned Brazilian Patent Litigation firms, with specific focus on the telecommunication (standard-essential patents), pharmaceutical and med-tech industries. Louis is an expert in IP Strategic and Management Consulting, as well as Patent Licensing. He holds an MBA from IMD Business School, Lausanne-Switzerland; a Post-Graduate degree in IP Law from Universtié Paris-XII, France; and a Post-Graduate degree in Civil Procedure Law from Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Admitted to the Brazilian Bar (2012) and to the French Bar Exam (CAPA – 2009).

Passionate about entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, business model development and human-centered design process. Experienced connecting local entrepreneurs with resources to create, launch and sustain businesses. I hold strong skills in strategy design; proposal building; execution, managing and completion of projects related to the promotion of entrepreneurship and competitiveness. With the ability to connect actors from the private sector, academia and public sector to achieve the proposed objectives. I have significant experience in entrepreneurship education, assessing in the development of entrepreneurial ideas and coaching teams to improve and build new business models and value propositions.

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Jean-Pierre Junior NYEMEG BISSEK is a Business Lawyer and an Industrial Property Attorney from Cameroon. For nearly 10 years, he has been assisting individuals and companies in the formulation and implementation of their intellectual property strategy in the OAPI region. He has also an extensive experience in training and raising awareness on IP matters, as exemplified by his participations in local training programs and international conferences dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. He works with various intergouvernemental organizations in the execution of projects related to the development of IP in Africa, such as Africdeezayn, the ECOWAS-WIPO collaborative project on industrial design.

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In my professional career, I have established from the scratch IP/TMT practices in two top-tier Ukrainian law firms (Arzinger and Avellum). I have strong experience of dealing with business matters as internal counsel due to leading IP department in FMCG-giant “Roshen” and working for the top beverage company “Global Spirits” (TMs “Khortytsa”, “Morosha”)

During the recent years of professional activity, I have received a number of recognitions (either as an individual lawyer or as a member of the firms I worked at): by Chambers Europe, WTR 1000, The Legal 500 EMEA, IAM Patent 1000, Managing IP (IP Stars) and Best Lawyers. As an in-house lawyer, I was included in WTR 300 (in 2017 and 2018) and recognized as the Best In-house IP Counsel in Ukraine (in 2018).

Qualifications
Patent Attorney of Ukraine, 2015 (Certificate No. 476)
Attorney-at-Law, 2012 (Certificate No. 2607)

Education
Master of IP Law (with honours), 2012, Intellectual Property Institute, National University “Odesa Law Academy”
Master of Laws (with honours), 2006, Kyiv National Economic University

Hobbies: I am in love with the piano since childhood, currently play keyboards in Van Kuver band (YouTube channel) and practice boxing

Intellectual Property and Strategy. Over the last 25 years John has helped thousands of businesses to protect their competitive advantage and profit margin using Intellectual Property in the most effective way. John’s experience includes Co-founding the Global Intellectual Property Strategy Business of EY; Managing Director Europe for the leading intellectual property brokerage ICAP, Senior VP at IP legal tech firm CPA Global during which time the business doubled and sold for £1bn. John started his career at P&G and as a Strategy Consultant at Accenture, he has a BSc in Biochemistry/Physiology from Kings, London and an MBA from Warwick Business School. John is passionate about advising how Intellectual Property can protect competitive advantage and increase business value. He is particularly focussed on Brand and the intersect between Trade Secret Management, Information Security, and IP Culture.

Raffaele is the head of the trademark practice at Notarbartolo & Gervasi and director of the trademark business unit. He has significant experience in IP litigation, including large, complex patent litigation and trademark and design lawsuits. He has developed a more holistic interest toward intellectual property, fostered by serving as an assistant and tutor at the IP department of the University of Milan, where he authored several articles on IP topics and serving as a lecturer on IP postgraduate courses at Politecnico di Milano. He has participated as an IP expert in a government task force concerning the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and his a member of the EU Observatory for anti-counterfeiting. Raffaele advises a wide range of clients ranging from blue-chip companies to start-ups. He manages large trademark portfolios for his clients, designing global strategies aimed at enforcing clients’ IP assets. He is a global and imaginative thinker, with robust experience in all aspects of intellectual property. He distinguishes himself with his profound understanding of opposition proceedings before the EUIPO and the IPTO and has successfully pursued global anti-counterfeiting strategies with a special focus on Far East, including opposition proceedings, raids, customs seizures and lawsuits. Raffaele is ranked in WTR 1000, IAM 300, WIPR, Leaders League as top leading IP professional. They say about him: “Raffaele is a peacemaker, a maverick, in law and the international IP world. He seeks to push the parameter of law and is an incisive and effective practitioner.” WTR 1000 2023 and “Raffaele’s ability to look beyond the norm and seek out creative solutions is testament of his wider outlook. Everything he produces can be considered a masterpiece”. WTR 1000 2021

Nora is a patent engineer with a dual degree in engineering, a MBA business law (AIM/FH Burgenland 2021) and a LL.M/MIPLM (CEIPI 2022). She started her career as patent engineer at Harting, is since 2018 patent engineer at the Grimme and started her own part-time IP engineering office Rüter in 2023.

Biswajit Sarkar is widely regarded in industry circles as one of the pioneers of Intellectual Property in India. When he specialized in Intellectual Property and started professional practice in 1991, many stared at him. Intellectual Property, as we know it now, was in a nascent stage. Trademark protection was, by and large, restricted to the registration of trademarks and the issuance of warning notices. Copyright was mainly limited to music and publishing industries. Patents were few and far between. After signing the WTO/GATT agreements, India has now become the country with the maximum potential for the Intellectual Property Right matters. Today, Biswajit Sarkar is one of the most sought after lawyers in the country for Intellectual Property matters and he successfully completed two world renowned cases, such as registration of a particular address as trade mark of 6 Ballygunge Place and creating copyright protection for Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa. His clientele includes industry leaders and blue chip companies. Mr. Biswajit Sarkar is empanelled with different Foreign Embassies and Consulates as well as various Chambers of Commerce. To give back to the society, his firm regularly takes interns from law institutes country wide. Mr. Sarkar is regularly invited by Universities , Law Colleges, Kolkata Police, National Judicial Academy , Government Bodies and various Chambers of Commerce to give lectures to spread awareness of the role of IP in modern business. Biswajit Sarkar is honoured and humbled to represent Mother Teresa’s Organisation: Missionaries of Charity for legal issues.

Dr. Heiko Seeger is the Partner and a European and Italian Patent and Design Attorney at Studio Torta S.p.a.

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Anelia Stoikova is economist with sound experience in public and private sector dealing with international trade, science, innovation, education, culture, and regional development policy and projects. She is running a consulting entity with key portfolio focused on technology transfer offers, business optimization, trade performance, intellectual property management, and sustainable development advisory services. Anelia has experience in different working groups in Brussels and Geneva and articulates the importance of knowledge and research for development, new waves of innovation, foreign trade, sustainability policy, and participates in projects and initiatives in this context. She holds a master’s degree in Intellectual property and technology transfer, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski in partnership with the CEIPI, EPO, USPTO, WIPO, and master’s degree in Forecasting and planning of economic systems, University of National and World Economy. Supplementary specializations in Arizona State University, Joint Vienna Institute – trade negotiations WTO, the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael, Institute for marketing Sofia – design, Sofia University Journalism Faculty – advertising and graphic design, etc.

Mohan is a passionate engineer with over 17 years of experience in the IP industry. His skills include New IP Product Development/Management, Customer Success, IP analytics, BD and Marketing in the IP industry. He is enthusiastic about IP analytics, new product development and AgriTech. Mohan served as an IP Advisor for the European Union SME IPR Helpdesk for India, worked in management roles at German IP consulting and law firms, and played a key role in scaling up an IP services startup.

Based in Paris, Magda began her career in intellectual property in 2011 as a journalist on IP policy and rights, and then she continued her work as a business engineer of IP software and services, and more recently, she is focusing on public affairs in Europe. She is a member of the I3PM Association and LES France. Magda holds a Graduate Master's degree in Marketing and Business Development from IFOCOP Paris, an LLM in Intellectual Property Law from the University of Edinburgh, a Postgraduate Master's degree in Business Economics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and a Law degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. She is registered in the Bar Association of Rio de Janeiro, as a non-practicing lawyer. 

Matthew began his career in Intellectual Property in 2001. His insights in the intersection of IP, business intelligence, and marketing led to prominent roles in investment funds and commercialization responsibilities for patents/patent portfolios. Matthew has managed commercialization efforts of patent portfolios as large as 5,600 assets. He has been recognized as one of the top 300 thought leaders globally in intellectual property every year since 2017 by leading the IP publication IAM. He is an author of Keiretsu Capital’s Exit Strategy Handbook, the 2021 ICC Intellectual Property Roadmap update, an IP fund formation advisor, a Venture Partner for Venture Funds, and a Co-Chair for the I3PM Risk Committee.

There are great opportunities for the use of AI/DLT in supporting SMEs and start-ups with the tools that use this technology to add real value for investment and growth. AI/DLT will enable SMEs and others, to use their IP to grow, unlock hidden opportunities and open real investment. Too many SMEs do not have any IP (9% by recent EUIPO studies), I wish to reach the 91% who are unaware of the value of IP and ensure the 9%, exploit to the fullest extent their existing IP and realise the benefit of having IP for their growth and long term investment potential. AI with DLT offers great opportunities, enabling SMEs to understand the true value their IP delivers, see where they stand in relation to their industry competitors and chart a clear path to build strong and successful businesses.

coming soon

Martin Wilming has been a partner at Hepp Wenger Ryffel since 2008. His main areas of activity are international grant procedures, opposition and appeal proceedings before the European Patent Office and the enforcement of intellectual property rights of all types. In addition, he advises and represents clients in proceedings before the Swiss Federal Patent Court, which has had jurisdiction over patent litigation cases since the beginning of 2012. In addition to patent law, he is also active in trademark law and design law. He not only has extensive experience of analysing questions of infringement and the legal validity of intellectual property rights, but also provides clients with practicable recommendations for action from a commercial perspective. He frequently advises and represents clients in complex disputes, coordinates multinational IP litigation and drafts and negotiates technology-related agreements, in particular licensing, cooperation and technology transfer agreements. In technological terms, the main areas of his activity are chemistry, pharmaceutics, adhesives and coatings, dental technology, food technology and mechanical engineering. Martin Wilming runs a blog (www.patentlitigation.ch) which provides a running commentary on the case law of the Swiss Federal Patent Court, and has also contributed as a co-author to the Patentrechtskommentar (Patent law commentary) by Fitzner/Lutz/Bodewig. In addition, he is a lecturer on the CEIPI Basic Training Course in European patent law. Martin Wilming has a doctorate in bio-organic chemistry and has worked for Hepp Wenger Ryffel since 2002. He is a European and Swiss Patent Attorney. In addition, he has undertaken additional training in economics and has specialized further in the field of the management of IP rights (LL.M. in IP Law and Management (CEIPI)).

Linus has 25 years of experience supporting IPR and innovation processes, starting as an examiner at the Swedish Patent office, now focusing on IP management, prior art search methodologies and AI supportive tools. He has a M5aster of Science in Physics & Electronics and a French DEA degree in Microelectronics, and additional MBA studies on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He is actively engaged in the IP community and was the president of the Confederacy of European Patent Information User Groups (CEPIUG) 2012-2017 and since 2017 on the board of the ISBQPIP foundation for certification of Patent Information Professionals. Linus is the co-founder of and was also CEO 2000-2018 at Uppdragshuset, providing high-end patent information search services. He is since 2018 Co-founder and CEO of IPscreener, a spin-off company from the EUROSTAR project with the Technical University of Vienna & Uppdragshuset on AI assisted exploring and understanding of patents. Since 2023 he is an IP advisor to the Industry Common Foundation (ICF) to provide support on how to us AI to facilitate for researchers to explore, understand and better benefit from IP and patents.

Stephen Yang is a Chinese patent attorney and managing partner of IP March, a Chinese IP law firm. His practice covers patent search, drafting, prosecution, invalidation, opinion and litigation in mechanics, electronics, energy and high tech areas. His IP career began in 1997. In addition to practicing in IP firms in China, he once worked in-house in Canada. Stephen’s technical background is mechanical and industrial engineering. He received double Bachelor’s degrees from Tsinghua University in China and a Master’s degree from University of Toronto in Canada. Stephen is a frequent speaker and author of many articles. In particular, he is the lead author of the book "IP Protection in China", published by ABA Publishing. Stephen has been consistently recognized by various sources as a leading IP practitioner in China.

Anita Yaryna is a seasoned legal expert with extensive experience in technology, AI, IP law, commercial transactions, and compliance. As the former Head of Legal, she excels in optimizing legal operations under Ukrainian, U.S., and EU legislation. Her core competencies include AI and tech law, IP and data protection, risk assessment, and product management. Anita advises AI/ML companies and SaaS models, ensuring GDPR and privacy regulation compliance. Anita has formulated and executed comprehensive policies, protected intellectual property, and negotiated high-value contracts. She has led data protection and privacy compliance initiatives, significantly improving legal operations and cross-department collaboration. Her role includes supporting global company structuring, addressing legal risks, and providing expert counsel throughout product development. Anita holds a Master's degree in IP Law and Management from the University of Strasbourg and certifications in Information Privacy Law, Video Game Law, and GenAI from the Berkeley Law School (University of California). Anita is a prominent member of the global video game law community, with strong ties to developers and support companies. Anita's commitment to aligning legal strategies with technological innovation and business goals positions her as a valuable asset to any forward-thinking legal team.

Dynamic and accomplished professional with a diverse academic background and extensive experience in strategic areas of finance, marketing, intellectual property, and management. Seeking opportunities to apply expertise in driving business growth and fostering innovation.