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The 7th Business of Intellectual Property Asia Forum - Special offer to MARQUES members

Dr Gregor Versondert, Chair of the Council of MARQUES, is the Honorary Advisor of Business of IP Asia Forum. And as a token of appreciation of collaboration between MARQUES and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, MARQUES members can enjoy 50% discount to join BIP Asia this year (two-day pass original price: US$230, discounted price: US$115, Promo code: BIP2017IPREPM), register here.

Your guide to piloting through the ever-changing global IP landscape

As an unseen asset with enormous business potential over the long-term, the Intellectual Property sector can appear to many people as highly complicated to deal with and understand.  

But, because Intellectual Property (IP) rights have now become a part of the business world everywhere — from the copyright on music, to industrial designs, and mobile phone this is the one commercial topic that business people ignore at their peril.

However, help is at hand. The upcoming Business of Intellectual Property Asia Forum (BIP Asia Forum) thus offers a solid platform for participants to grasp the intangible asset that is central to protect idea owners, creates business opportunities and enhances knowledge-sharing and technology transfer.

Jointly organised by the Hong Kong SAR Government, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong Design Centre — BIP Asia Forum brings together IP experts and general business leaders from all around the world to discuss the latest developments in the IP world. The intriguing programmes on offer include both macro- and micro industry perspectives that will provide valuable insights and immediate benefits to both new and long-time IP owners, as well as to service providers, angel investors, investment bankers, and government officials working in this constantly developing field.

Taking place on December 7 and 8, at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, this 7th edition of the BIP Asia Forum will be themed “IP & Innovation: Propelling Change, Growth and Connectivity.” And now, with Asia the world’s fastest growing IP filing region, the timing for this important conference could never be better.

What makes this forum so valuable, is that more than 80 internationally renowned speakers will be on hand to share with their audience the latest trends, insights and strategies for managing your IP, arbitration, patent and trademark issues, and future developments into the next decade. Expected to join in these fascinating discussion will be some 2,500 business leaders, plus more than 90 exhibitors.

Forward-looking plenary session

Just as China has launched its first nationwide campaign to protect its intellectual property rights and the US is now pushing its own patent reforms, the BIP Asia Forum comes in the right time to invite worldwide IP and Patent Offices to discuss their international IP policies.

In the Forum’s opening and plenary session one, representatives from various international and national organisations, including the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China, the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC), Cabinet Office of Japan and Turkish Patent and Trademark Office — will focus a spotlight on the current global IP landscape as various nations try to nail down an international policy which everyone can agree to.

Today, the key players in the international IP scene are multinational corporations. So how has the changing landscape affected how these global multinationals protect their vast (but easily pirated) portfolio of IP assets? Find out in BIP Asia plenary sessions!

Then in the second plenary session, Gustav Brismark, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson; and Toshimoto Mitomo, Sony Corporation Executive responsible for the Intellectual Property and Mid-to-Long-Term Business Development will discuss effective IP integration into the global business strategy.

Preparing for the wave of Artificial Intelligence in IP world

Yet another Forum highlight is the Global Tech Summit that will focus on the explosive growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While AI’s ability to handle huge volumes of data in short time, identifying patterns and quickly analysing the optimal solution is applying in various industry, it will also benefit the IP industry, for example the time intensive IP administrative tasks.

The summit titled “The Revolution of Artificial Intelligence” will have lead speakers from Microsoft Research Asia, Nvidia AI Technology Centre and Sequoia Capital China. They will present their views about how AI will be a complete game-changer for the world of international business.

To present a more in-depth look in different industries, the summit has also invited Asian industry pioneers from The National Eastern Technology Transfer Center, IBM China, Ubtech Robotics, Codex Genetics and Airport Authority Hong Kong, applying to the banking, robotics, medical and transportation sectors to share their experiences with the latest trends in Artificial Intelligence.

Comprehensive programmes from global to individual levels

Held concurrently, breakout sessions offer a wide range of IP related insights: business practices, legal tips, market insight, industry-specific IP and IP basics. The majority of speakers deal with IP issues on a routine basis.

On brand defence, speaking on the subject of anti-counterfeiting strategy for brand protection, international law firm Bird & Bird LLP counsel Andrew Robinson will share with audience his more than 20 years' experience in brand protection.

"Despite the efforts of governments and industry, counterfeit and illicit trade have proliferated across the world costing governments billions of US dollars in lost taxes and brands being diminished, legitimate business being cheated and consumers put at risk." He will further discuss the "critical need" for partnership and cooperation between the public and private sectors, and why more needs to be done against this potentially de-stabilising global phenomenon.

The Business of IP Asia Forum, meanwhile, is not only a knowledge-sharing platform, but also a hub that provides plenty of opportunities for business networking with pioneering entrepreneurs and savvy industry experts from around the world. Similarly, the 7th Business of Intellectual Property Asia Forum will provide those attending this unique conference with a wealth of exciting new ideas, as well as a timely road map about all the upcoming legal and technical changes taking place in the intellectual property sector.