A Look At Who’s Who In Geneva IP Policymaking And Beyond

Doesn’t it always seem like as soon as you know who covers what at the permanent missions in Geneva, terms end, new assignments begin and you’re left exchanging business cards again? Well, we have it sorted with a substantial (but non-exhaustive) list of delegates responsible for IP issues this year in the world’s centre of diplomacy. Additionally, you’ll find the latest IP people news across national and regional governments, nonprofit organisations, and the private sector.

 

Geneva Delegates

Below is a partial list, alphabetised by country, of who is responsible for IP issues at some of the permanent missions to the UN in Geneva and to the WTO this year. Names not in italics indicate recent arrivals or imminent departures. This list is non-exhaustive and if your name isn’t on the list please send your details to info@ip-watch.ch.

Algeria: Ahlem Sara Charikhi, attaché (WIPO)

Argentina: Rodrigo Bardoneschi, first secretary (WIPO, WTO)

Australia: David Kilham, first secretary (WTO, WIPO, WHO)

Bangladesh: Nazrul Islam, counsellor (WIPO, WTO)

Brazil: Leandro Alves da Silva, second secretary (WIPO, WTO); Bruno Henrique Neves Silva (WHO)

Canada: Sophie Galarneau, second secretary (WIPO, WTO)

Chile: Andrés Guggiana, counsellor (WIPO, WTO, WHO)

China: Yi Wang, first secretary (WIPO)

Colombia: Juan Camilo Saretzki, first secretary (WIPO); Catalina Gaviria, commercial counsellor (WTO)

Denmark: Christian Wegener, minister counsellor (WIPO, WTO), arrival September 2012

Ecuador: Juan Carlos Sánchez Troya, first secretary (WIPO); Homero Larrea, second secretary (WTO)

Egypt: Mokhtar Warida, first secretary (WIPO, WTO, WHO)

EU: Délphine Lida, first counsellor (WIPO, WHO); Tomas Baert, first secretary (WTO, WHO)

France: Olivier Martin, counsellor (WIPO), arrival August 2012; Isabelle Nuti, agriculture counsellor (WTO, GI); Pauline Girot de Langlade, judicial counsellor (WTO, IPR)

Germany: Heinjörg Herrmann, counsellor (WIPO)

India: Alpana Dubey, first secretary (WIPO); Hemant Kotalwar, counsellor (WTO)

Indonesia: Lynda Kurnia Wardhani, first secretary (WIPO); Mardhiah Ridha Muhammad Farid, third secretary (WTO)

Israel: Rodolfo Rivas, assistant deputy permanent representative (WTO)

Japan: Kunihiko Fushimi, first secretary (WIPO, WTO)

Kenya: James Kihwaga, counsellor (WIPO); Elijah Manyara, first minister counsellor (WTO)

Mexico: José López de León, second secretary (WIPO)

Morocco: Nor Dine Sadouk, counsellor (WIPO), arrival September 2012

Netherlands: Richard Roemers, first secretary (WIPO)

Pakistan: Ahsan Nabeel, second secretary (WIPO, WHO); Shandana Gulzar Khan, legal affairs officer (WTO)

Peru: Luis Mayaute Vargas, counsellor (WIPO, WTO), arrival July 2012; Magaly Traverso Zegarra, second secretary (WHO)

Russia: Stepan Kuzmenkov, first secretary (WIPO)

Senegal:  Ndèye Ndèye Fatou Lo, counsellor (WIPO); Ndiaga Mboup, first counsellor (WTO)

Singapore: Thaddaeus Hoo, first secretary (WIPO, WTO); David Ho, first secretary (WHO)

South Africa:  Tshihumbudzo Ravhandalala (Zane), first secretary (WIPO), departure December 2012; Mandixole Matroos, first secretary (WIPO); Wamkele Mene, counsellor (WTO); Lindiwe Makubalo, minister (WHO)

South Korea: Kim Yong-Sun, counsellor (WIPO)

Sweden: Per Linnér, second secretary (WIPO, WTO), arrival September 2012; Katarina Martholm Fried, counsellor (WHO)

Switzerland: Patrick Pardo, counsellor (WIPO); Alexandra Grazioli, senior legal advisor, Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (provides expertise from the capital regularly at WIPO); Martin Baumgartner, scientific collaborator (WTO)

Taiwan: Susan Chi-Chuan Hu, first secretary (WTO)

Thailand: Kanita Sapphaisal, first secretary (WIPO, WHO); Chakra Yodmani, minister counsellor (WTO)

Turkey: Günseli Güven, legal counsellor (WIPO, WTO)

UK: Nicola Noble, second secretary (WIPO)

US: Todd Reves, IP attaché (WIPO); Karin Ferriter, IP attaché (WTO)

 

International Organisations, National/Regional Governments

Gaudenz Silberschmidt will take on a senior advisor role in the World Health Organization Office of the Director-General starting from 8 October. On secondment from the Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs where he is head of the international affairs division, Silberschmidt will primarily assist with WHO reform (IPW, WHO, 30 August 2012).

In the UK, Lord Jonathan Marland was appointed parliamentary under secretary for Intellectual Property in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, succeeding Baroness Judith Wilcox. Previously with the department for Energy and Climate Change, Marland’s new responsibilities include the direction of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

Additionally, the UK government appointed Sheila Alves as IP attaché in Brazil to support UK business development there. With public and private sector experience in IP management, Alves began her new role on 13 August.

In Japan, a new head of the country’s patent office has been named: Commissioner Hiroyuki Fukano. He succeeds Yoshiyuki Iwai and will assume his new position by the end of September.

The EU Observatory on the Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights, based in Alicante, Spain, has named Paul Maier as the first director of the network established to spread best practice on IP matters. Currently president of the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market’s (OHIM) Board of Appeals, Maier will begin his new appointment in January 2013.

Alberto Casado Cerviño was appointed to the European Patent Organisation (EPO) as vice president. Formerly the director general of the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, Cerviño succeeds Peter Vermeij of the Netherlands and will occupy the EPO position for the next five years.

Former head of Legal Service at the European Medicines Agency Vincenzo Salvatore left his post in June 2012 to work in the European life sciences regulatory practice of law firm Sidley Austin where he will advise clients on EU legal regulations related to the pharmaceutical industry. The move was flagged by the Corporate Europe Observatory, a nonprofit research group focused on exposing corporate influence in EU policymaking, for violating revolving door rules.

In the US, the White House has launched a “Presidential Innovation Fellows” programme, which aims to support entrepreneurs while improving federal government efficiency. Selected from a pool of 700 applicants, 18 innovators will work on projects that range from expanding electronic access to health information to broadening the digital availability of government data.

Non-Governmental Organisations

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington, DC-based public policy research institution, has named Scott Miller, former director of global trade policy at Procter & Gamble, as the new William M. Scholl Chair in International Business. He succeeds Meredith Broadbent, who was nominated by President Barack Obama to the International Trade Commission.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a US-based nonprofit organisation protecting online civil liberties, announced the winners of its 2012 Pioneer Awards. Andrew Huang was selected for his work as a user-rights activist; Jérémie Zimmermann of La Quadrature du Net was selected for his work in protesting the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA); and the Tor Project was named for its role in protecting the anonymity of activists, journalists, and others on the web.

Public Knowledge (PK), a Washington, DC non-profit organisation promoting internet openness and access to knowledge, announced new staff additions. Christopher Lewis, formerly deputy director of the Office of Legislative Affairs with the Federal Communications Commission, has been named vice president of government affairs, replacing Ernesto Falcon who remains with the organisation in an advisory role. Additionally, Bartees Cox has joined the organisation as a communications associate.

The New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit institution that supports open architectures and open source innovations, granted its 2012 IP3 Award to “Consent of the Networked” author Rebecca MacKinnon for her contributions in three “IP” fields: intellectual property, information policy, and internet protocol. MacKinnon is a Bernard L. Schwartz Senior Fellow and her work spans across the fields of journalism, human rights, and corporate responsibility.

The International Intellectual Property Institute (IIPI), a nonprofit organisation that promotes the use of IPR to spur economic growth in developing countries, chose Lynne Beresford to join its board of advisors. Former Commissioner of Trademarks at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Beresford held several management positions throughout her career including chair of WIPO’s Standing Committee on Trademarks, Industrial Designs, and Geographical Indications.

Industry

Ambassador Peter Allgeier has been tapped to preside over the Coalition of Service Industries (CSI), replacing Bob Vastine. Previously, Allegier was president of C&M International, the trade consulting affiliate of Crowell and Moring; US Ambassador to the WTO; and Deputy US Trade Representative. His appointment is effective 17 September.

Legendary copyright attorney Fritz Attaway retired from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) after 36 years with the organisation. The MPAA praised him for his role advocating on behalf of the motion picture industry during some of the most important copyright and trade agreements concluded in the past three decades.

Following the resignation of David Brennan, former CEO of AstraZeneca, as president of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), Masafumi Nogimori, chairman of the Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc., was named acting president in June 2012. Additionally, Stefan Oschmann of Merck KGaA became the association’s acting vice president. Permanent leadership positions will be decided during the IFPMA Assembly in October 2012.

Indian generic drug maker Cipla has injected its management team with a dose of senior pharmaceutical experience. Frank Pieters has been hired on to head the company’s European business, joining the company from Teva where he worked as a senior vice president. Pieters also has years of management experience with the British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) announced a new chief of its Brussels office: James Waterworth. Experienced in internet policy and regulation, telecommunications, IP, and international trade, Waterworth was previously president of the European Digital Media Association.

Starting 24 September, David Carson, general counsel of the US Copyright Office, will join the International Recorded Music Industry Association (IFPI) as head of global legal policy. According to a press release issued by the London-based association, Carson will “help coordinate the organisation’s outreach to policymakers worldwide” (IPW, Lobbying, 29 August 2012).

The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) has boosted its executive team with three new directors. Gadi Oron, previously deputy director of IFPI’s global legal policy, has been named director of legal and public affairs; Adrian Garcia of the European telecommunications company Colt Technology Services has been hired on as director of information systems; and Anne Fortier, formerly with the thermal and acoustic insulation systems manufacturer Pinta Elements, is now director of finance and governance.

Combining complimentary services, Metis Partners, a Glasgow-based IP assets management firm, has teamed up with Ocean Tomo, a Chicago-based IP merchant bank. Metis Chief Executive Stephen Robertson said, “Our partnership will bring a new generation of corporate recovery and restructuring services to the European market as we demonstrate to companies, their bankers and investors, the real but hidden value in IP assets and how they can attract new funding using IP assets as security.”

Law Offices

The Hogan Lovells law firm has recently added five IP partners in their Silicon Valley and San Francisco offices. The new partners—Edward Kwok, Jennifer Lantz, Steve Levitan, Christian Mammen, and Clark Stone—will cover IP litigation in federal, state courts, the International Trade Commission (ITC) and arbitration proceedings, focusing on patent and trademark litigation for West Coast and Asia-based technology clients. Co-CEO Warren Gorrell said, “These new partners give us additional capabilities and critical mass in one of the most important technology and IP markets in the world.”

The international law firm DLA Piper has announced that Ann Ford, who was named one of Washington, DC’s top IP lawyers by the Washington Business Journal, will take on the role as US vice-chair of the IP and Technology Practice. Chair of the firms’ Trademark, Copyright and Media practice and member of the Executive and Policy committees, Ford’s experience is in counselling mature and emerging companies on developing and strengthening brands in a wide variety of industries.

In New York, three patent and trademark attorneys, Tedd Van Buskirk, Pamela Fekete, and Dillon Kim, have joined the offices of Polsinelli Shughar. The trio, who worked together previously, were brought on to expand the firm’s services to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

Meanwhile, Kenneth Suzan, previously a partner at Hodgson Russ in Buffalo, New York, has joined Barnes & Thornburg’s Minneapolis office as counsel in the IP Department. Suzan specialises in trademark law and strategy, including domain name, internet, social media, and new media matters.

Additionally, Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman has welcomed Jonathan Waldrop, who specialises in patent and trademark law, and Laura Fahey Fritts, who specialises in pharmaceutical and chemical patent litigation, as partners in the firm’s Atlanta-based IP litigation practice.

Finally, Maschoff Gilmore & Israelsen announced that Kirk Harris and Mark Ford have joined the Utah-based firm that specialises in IP law. Focusing on litigating patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright, Harris joins the firm as a shareholder, while Ford, who specialises in litigation and prosecution practices, joins as a senior associate.

 

Related Articles:

http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/06/27/people-keeping-pace-with-the-ip-crowds-latest-moves/

http://www.ip-watch.org/2011/10/12/comings-and-goings-in-the-world-of-ip/

http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/01/16/change-of-year-brings-changes-in-ip-policy-law-communities/