IPH appoints Francis Gurry as strategic advisor
22 October 2020
IPH Limited, the intellectual property professional services group in the Asia Pacific region, has appointed Francis Gurry, the former director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), as a strategic advisor to the group.
Gurry is a leading authority on intellectual property matters, having served as director general of WIPO from October 2008 to September 2020.
WIPO is the global forum for intellectual property services, policy, information and cooperation. It is a self-funding agency of the United Nations, with 193 member states.
“We are pleased to have secured an executive of Francis’ calibre to the group as a strategic advisor,” said Andrew Blattman, CEO of IPH Limited.
“Under Francis’ leadership, WIPO has been at the forefront of managing the impact of rapid technological change on international patent and copyright systems and ensuring that the IP system continues to serve its fundamental purpose of encouraging creativity and innovation. We will be able to draw on Francis’ unparalleled knowledge, insights and experience in global IP matters for the benefit of our clients and our IP professionals across the group.”
Gurry said he was pleased to join IPH as strategic advisor. “IPH is one the major patent filers globally and has been an innovator in the IP sector, including being the first IP services group to list on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2014. I look forward to bringing my experience to the group and assisting IPH progress its strategy to be the leading IP services group in secondary IP markets and adjacent areas of IP.”
IPH is the holding company of AJ Park, Griffith Hack, Pizzeys, Practice Insight, Shelston IP and Spruson & Ferguson, and was the first IP services group to list on the Australian Securities Exchange.
