ONE STEP AHEAD: Safeguarding your assets, promoting your department, and accelerating innovation in a world where change is the only constant
11-12th March 2025 | Meliá, Berlin
Agenda Day 1
8:00 am - 8:30 am
REGISTRATION & COFFEE
8:30 am - 8:35 am
OPENING REMARKS FROM IQPC
8:35 am - 8:45 am
OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIRPERSON
Lucy Johnson -
Partner & Chair,
HGF
8:45 am - 8:50 am
LIVE POLLING
8:50 am - 9:20 am
PRESENTATION: LITIGATION NATION – STRATEGIES TO PROTECT YOUR PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS ACROSS JURISDICTIONS
With budgeting continuing to pose a challenge for the IP department, more and more IP professionals are handling disputes and litigation in-house rather than seeking help externally. Whether a litigation has been planned or a complaint has been served, managing disputes in-house can greatly strain internal resources for IP counsels, reason for which certain measures must be taken to ensure the process is as smooth as possible.
- Learn to refine and prioritise your litigation negotiation strategies according to the current climate for a higher chance of success at a reduced cost
- Hear from in-house counsel operating in various different jurisdictions and weigh in on the differences between litigating in Europe, Asia and America, and explore the best tactics for each territory
- Discover current litigation trends and the impact of the digital age on resolving disputes
9:20 am - 10:00 am
PANEL DISCUSSION: ANGLES OF AI - EXPLORING ALL FACETS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGY SHAPING THE FUTURE OF IP
Tara Harris -
Group IP Lead - Digital & Regulatory,
Prosus
Axel Grzesik - VP, Section Head IP, Bosch
Georg Müller - Head of IP, TomTom
10:05 am - 10:35 am THINK TANK: UNLOCKING IP EXCELLENCE – MEASURING THE IMPACT AND SUCCESS OF YOUR TEAM AND PORTFOLIO
David Goodfellow - Chief IP Counsel, AptivIt can be difficult to understand and assess what your team is doing right, and where it may be lacking. The term ‘success’ in itself is a highly ambiguous one, and within the business as a whole, measuring the impact of your team and of your portfolio can pose an issue. Nevertheless, it can play a crucial part in determining what path you take or strategies you adopt both in the short and long term. Join this session to hear from others as to how they are evaluating their team and portfolio, identifying what next steps to take and covering all of their bases to ensure the IP department is as productive as it can be.
- Weigh in on indicators or KPIs others are using to determine their team’s success
- Discuss what success and productivity means to you within your company, and discover key steps to take to achieve this goal
- Explore ways of identifying potential within your portfolio, and of implementing actionable strategies to take advantage of these
10:05 am - 10:35 am 1:1 BUSINESS MEETINGS
10:40 am - 11:10 am LIVE DEMOS | COFFEE & NETWORKING BREAK
10:40 am - 11:10 am 1:1 BUSINESS MEETINGS
11:15 am - 11:45 am COFFEE & NETWORKING BREAK
11:15 am - 11:45 am 1:1 BUSINESS MEETINGS
11:50 am - 12:35 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION: GETTING AHEAD OF THE SCHEME – THE EVOLUTION OF COUNTERFEITING FROM AN IP PROBLEM TO A BUSINESS PROBLEM
Sébastien Vitali -
Head of Trademarks,
Johnson Controls
Itai Galmor - CRO, BrandShield
The whack-a-mole game of counterfeiting continues, but of recent years, schemes have become increasingly elaborate. With scams and phishing now taking centre stage and gravely affecting brand reputation and revenue, companies are increasingly having to come up with strategies that match the sophistication of such counterfeiting. The responsibility has also naturally shifted: while brand protection professionals might have been alone in tackling this beforehand, it has now become clear that everyone in the business, be it upper management, sales or marketing, must get involved and work together in order to detect these scams early and shut them down before the brand is affected.
- Listen to peers’ counterfeiting stories and approaches they have taken to updating their brand protection strategies in order to catch fake products and scams early
- Discover key ways to involve and educate other departments to maximize your brand protection strategy and keep your brand and customers safe
- Home in on the specifics of counterfeiters, including what platforms are being utilized and what tools can be used to address increasingly complex cases
12:35 pm - 1:35 pm
LUNCH
1:40 pm - 2:10 pm LIVE DEMOS | COFFEE & NETWORKING BREAK
Interested in hearing more about what a vendor can provide for your business? Tune in to a set of fifteen minute live demos, led by a solution provider representative, and seize the opportunity to have all of your questions about a particular tool answered.
1:40 pm - 2:10 pm 1:1 BUSINESS MEETINGS
2:15 pm - 2:20 pm
LIVE POLLING
2:20 pm - 3:05 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION: ACROSS THE POND – NAVIGATING THE US REGULATORY AND LEGAL LANDSCAPE AS A GLOBAL COMPANY
Will Covey -
Deputy General Counsel and Director for the Office of Enrollment and Discipline,
USPTO
Jennifer Chung - VP, Counsel, Simon & Schuster
The US regulatory and legal landscape is a challenging one, and especially so for in-house counsel based in Europe working in global companies, already needing to navigate their own jurisdiction. However, it is of the upmost importance to be able to do so, be it to protect assets in the US or to work efficiently with counterpart teams there. Join a group of in house counsel based in the US, who will share practical insights and strategies to help European legal teams understand and better manage the complexities of the US legal landscape.
- Discover key legislative changes in the US, and equip yourself with the necessary tools to better protect your assets
- Learn to bridge cultural and legal differences, be it with those you already work with or as you prepare to merge/open a new office in the US, and assess challenges US lawyers face, such as the ongoing battle against patent trolls
- Hear from a range of different voices from across industries to better understand the implications of topics such as AI and data privacy, or industry specific regulations in the US
Will Covey
Deputy General Counsel and Director for the Office of Enrollment and DisciplineUSPTO
3:10 pm - 3:40 pm THINK TANK (BRAND PROTECTION TRACK): IP OR IT? WORKING CROSS-FUNCTIONALLY TO PROTECT YOUR IP ASSETS
Roxana Sullivan - Head of Trademarks, GaldermaScammers continue to take advantage of brands online, with the likes of phishing and domain name infringement particularly rife. Cybersecurity remains a big issue for the IP department, but often responsibilities between legal and IT can become blurred when it comes to brand reputation and communications. Both teams will also have very different priorities, making this a potentially tricky relationship to navigate – nevertheless, it is crucial in being able to actively detect, limit and quash infringers and fraudulent activity.
- Learn the value of implementing joint systems to monitor online platform and domain registrations and detect potential infringements
- Understand the importance of developing training programs for IT (and the rest of the business) to understand the implications of infringement and assist you in your efforts to quash them
- Discover the key ways to create and collaborate on a trademark and domain name management strategy and of regularly auditing domains to reinforce your safeguarding techniques
3:10 pm - 3:40 pm THINK TANK (PATENT TRACK): SEPS – WHAT DOES THE NEW REGULATION MEAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
3:10 pm - 3:40 pm
1:1 BUSINESS MEETINGS
3:45 pm - 4:15 pm COFFEE & NETWORKING
3:45 pm - 4:15 pm 1:1 BUSINESS MEETINGS
4:20 pm - 4:50 pm THINK TANK (BRAND PROTECTION TRACK): THE DIGITAL SERVICES ACT – MAINTAINING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH ONLINE MARKETPLACES IN THE WAKE OF NEW REGULATIONS
The Digital Services Act (DSA) came into effect on 17 February 2024 to achieve a level playing field between brands and online service providers, or “intermediary services”. While the latter, including the likes of Amazon, Meta and Booking.com, must now be compliant with the DSA, brands must also be equipped to get the most out of it, and to ensure that communication with online marketplaces is as efficient as possible so that their brand’s reputation continues to be preserved.
- Home in on the ins and outs of the DSA, what it entails for online marketplaces and how you can begin to establish effective collaboration to limit fake goods and maintain brand reputation
- Explore the do’s and don’ts of reporting infringements and complaint handling procedures, such as correct filing and settlement procedures
- Assess the importance of providing resellers with an information package when advertising your product or service online in order to maximise your use of the DSA
4:20 pm - 4:50 pm THINK TANK (PATENT TRACK): FOCUS ON INNOVATION - DO IP PROFESSIONALS CONTRIBUTE SUFFICIENTLY TO THE COMPANY’S INNOVATION ACTIVITIES?
Christian Grünberger - Director IP, MTU Aero EnginesIP counsel play a critical role in supporting a company’s innovation practices, but their contribution can sometimes be limited if they are viewed purely as risk managers. So how can they have a say earlier on in the process and help drive innovation rather than simply mitigating risk? Working more closely with R&D teams firstly can help identify valuable IP early on, guide strategic patenting and ensure inventions are commercialised effectively, whilst also ensuring other departments are aware of the IP department’s
purpose. Join this session to discover how you can fuel business growth by adopting a more forward-thinking and proactive approach to innovation in your company.
• Learn to improve communications with R&D teams to identify, protect and educate early on in the process
• Discover key ways to adopt a strategic approach to patenting, by understanding the invention and discussing with R&D teams beforehand
• Weigh in on the importance of considering the wider picture, and of participating in business innovation discussions to act as driver rather than solely risk mitigator
4:20 pm - 4:50 pm
1:1 BUSINESS MEETINGS
4:55 pm - 6:00 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION & ROUNDTABLES: RAISING THE IP FLAG – DEMONSTRATING THE VALUE OF YOUR DEPARTMENT TO THE REST OF THE BUSINESS
Morten R Serup -
Senior Brand Protection Officer,
Bang & Olufsen
Jeroen Gaasbeek - Director IP, FrieslandCampina
Abier Wasouf - Global Anti-Counterfeit Counsel, Danfoss
Paula Dahlem - Legal Counsel, Hitachi Astemo
Sean Alexander - Head of IP, Umicore
Following their panel discussion, panellists will each join a table and delve into more detail with their peers, in order to draw actionable insights from the conversation and walk away with something new to try.
The IP department is one that largely operates behind the scenes, and with very little visibility within the rest of the company. And, even if other departments are aware of it, legal is very often sidestepped, circumvented with its image of pushing back projects with lengthy validation processes. In-house IP counsel must for this reason have the tools necessary to raise awareness around their function in order to limit leaks, ensure compliance and facilitate their role in the long run.
- Assess key stakeholders to raise awareness to and for what reasons, from upper management for improved budget allocation to employees for lower risk of leaks
- Discover key ways in which peers have educated and worked with other departments to demonstrate the importance of understanding IP in order to limit miscommunication and further work for the IP department down the line
- Weigh in on the importance of communication to maintain the good reputation of your brand, by firstly limiting leaks and ensuring compliance
