Strategic Innovation, Technology and Intellectual Property Management

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Background
• Content
• Who should attend
• Key Benefits
• Faculty
• Learning Method
• Award of Certificate
• About WIPO
• Brochure [PDF]
• Course Information
• Brochure [PDF]
• Registration
• General Information for Participants [PDF]
• Hotel Accommodation

Overview 

A four-day intensive program designed for middle to senior level executives who wish to learn how to strategically use the intellectual property regime to fuel innovation, maximize return on investment in R&D and move their firm up the technology ladder. The program blends innovation and technology management with IP management to offer a unique learning experience. Thought leaders from leading business schools and the corporate world will reveal unique insights and experiences using lectures, case studies, best practices and group discussions. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from each other, share experiences, reflect and apply the principles and practices of innovation, technology and IP management in their own business environment. The program includes the essentials of product design and development, technology assessment and forecasting.

Background

Creativity and innovation are key to survival and profitability in a rapidly evolving, complex and hypercompetitivtive global business environment. Technology is integral to virtually every facet of business. It plays a pivotal role in the development, manufacture and delivery of innovative products and services to the market. Markets demand new products with better design and more features within shorter time frame at a lower price. Effective management of innovation, research and development is important for technology leadership. The alignment of technology strategy with the business strategy is challenging and yet critical for bottom line growth.

Recent and ongoing developments in the intellectual property arena offer exciting opportunities to situate R&D, design, product development and manufacturing operations at the most favorable location across the globe, minimize the cost and risk of innovation and preserve the ownership and control of ideas and knowledge within the firm. Strategic management of intellectual property plays a vital role in driving innovation, creating value and in sustaining profitability and competitive advantage. The management of Intellectual Property (IP) is a vital component of all research activities. It is not just an issue to consider at the time research results are generated, but should be part of a company’s thinking, even at the early stages of conception of a research project.

A major engineering company invests one million dollars in research and development and finds out that the 'novel' technology was disclosed in a published patent five years earlier and the information was available for a couple of dollars. A major provider of mobile e-mail services faces shutdown and ends up coughing over 600 million dollars to ward off a patent infringement challenge. A major pharmaceutical company is reluctant to introduce certain drugs in a country with a large and growing market because of inadequate patent laws and weak enforcement regime. Another company generates over a billion dollars by licensing non-essential patents. Latest patent statistics suggest that the centre of gravity of innovation is shifting to North East Asia. Certain drug companies face serious ethical issues as they are charged with biopiracy or exacerbating the HIV/Aids pandemic.

TRIPS agreement and advances in communication and information technology have ushered in a new era and dramatically changed the rules of the game for technology led enterprises. The knowledge economy, on the one hand heralds a brave new world of exciting opportunities for growth and profitability, on the other hand it presents a dangerous landscape mined with devastating infringement lawsuits, patent thickets and freedom to operate issues. Life and death of firms where intangible assets now comprise over 75% of the total value depends increasingly on how well it generates, manages and extracts value from intellectual property. How do you journey to prosperity and reap the rewards of your research and development efforts in the face of uncertainties? Can you draw a reliable technology road map on the shifting sand dunes? A carefully crafted and effectively managed IP policy must underpin any innovation and technology strategy to create value and sustain competitive advantage.

Content

 

Who Should Attend

The programme is designed for executives and managers involved in R&D or with responsibility for the development and management of new products and processes including corporate technical staff, laboratory directors, managers responsible for the product or project engineering organisations, heads of research programmes and managers with a heavy stake in the successful running of the company's R&D effort. Entrepreneurs, board members, general managers, vice presidents, and executives in functional areas such as marketing, brand management, research and development, design, and operations in large and small firms and R&D organizations who seek to integrate intellectual property strategy into the corporate innovation and technology strategy will also find the program useful.

The program will also be valuable to senior general and technical executives who are responsible for corporate strategy, including but not limited to, CEOs, Presidents, Vice Presidents, Heads of product development, R&D, engineering, technology transfer, marketing, finance; senior managers from the legal and IP department; Heads of human resources.

Key Benefits

Faculty

Walter Herbst, Professor, Kellogg School of Management, Chicago

 

Walter Herbst is a faculty member in the Marketing Department at Kellogg School of Management. He also serves as the Director of the Master of Product Development program and is a clinical professor in the mechanical engineering department of Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Walter Herbst's strong technical background coupled with professional management skills has resulted in the successful growth of the firm since he founded it in 1962. Herbst LaZar Bell Inc. is the largest independently owned design firm in the country.

Mr. Herbst's specific responsibilities include his role as chairman, where he reviews HLB's strategic business plan, while maintaining hands-on responsibilities as a senior account supervisor. His specific research and expertise have culminated in HLB being recognized as "Experts in the Process of Product Development".

Mr. Herbst holds over 85 patents in hardware, housewares and medical products. He is listed in "Who's Who of American Inventors," as well as other "Who's Who" publications. Mr. Herbst is a frequent contributor of articles in various trade journals and is a co-author of the PDMA Handbook of Product Development, which has become the industry standard. Amongst his numerous design awards, he was recognized by BusinessWeek magazine and the Industrial Design Society of America as one of the "Best of the Decade" for his design work with the Gillette Company. An expert in his field, he is frequently invited to speak at national and international industry trade shows and events.

Walter is Advisory Board Member of Northwestern University, Kellogg/McCormick, joint degree program (MMM/MBA) and Arizona State University, Material and Sciences Department. He is a Fellow of Institute of Design Engineering and Applications - Northwestern University, McCormick School of Engineering and a Member of the Industrial Designers Society of America

Robert Pitkethly, University Lecturer, Said Business School, Oxford University

 

Mr. Pitkethly is currently University Lecturer at Oxford University based in the Said Business School, Fellow and Tutor in management St. Peter's College and senior research associate of the Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre.

Between February 1996 and October 1997 Mr. Pitkethly was an ESRC Research Fellow at Cambridge University based in The Judge Institute of Management Studies and working with the Centre for Business Research in the Department of Applied Economics. He was also a member of CIBAM the Centre for International Business and Management based in the Judge Institute and is still an Associate Member of CIBAM. Between September 1995 and February 1996 he was a visiting researcher at the Institute of Intellectual Property in Tokyo. Prior to this he was a visiting fellow at Templeton College, Oxford University and a Research Associate of St. Peter's College Intellectual Property Centre in Oxford. Between May 1993 and May 1994, Mr. Pitkethly was a Visiting Research Fellow at the National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP), Science and Technology Agency, Japan.

Robert is qualified as a UK Chartered Patent Agent and European Patent Attorney and has an MBA from INSEAD, France, a MSc in Japanese Studies and a DTI Executive Diploma in Japanese from Stirling University UK. He also has a DPhil in Management Studies from Templeton College, Oxford University based on research into the use and management of Intellectual Property by Japanese and Western companies. He has worked as a Management Consultant with a wide range of industries and before that as a Patent Attorney in both private practice and in industry. He originally studied Chemistry at Merton College, Oxford University.

His research interests bridge the fields of Strategic Management and Intellectual Property Law and primarily concern Intellectual Property Management. This includes material which might fall within the fields of Business and Corporate Strategy, Intellectual Property Law, Management of Intellectual Property, Management of Technology, Valuation of Technology and Intellectual Property, Asian Studies and especially but not exclusively, Japanese Studies - relating to the above topics.

Stephen Sammut, Lecturer, Wharton School and Venture Partner, Burrill & Company, Philadelphia

 

Mr. Sammut is Senior Fellow, Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs and Health Care Systems, and Venture Partner, Burrill & Company, a San Francisco based life science merchant bank. At the Wharton School he teaches venture capital management, corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, biotechnology entrepreneurship, intellectual property strategy, and private equity in emerging markets, and a special seminar on private sector participation in international health. He works actively with a student-alumni organization called the Wharton Health International Volunteer Program. At Burrill & Company, Mr. Sammut focuses on Asia –Pacific venture activity, with a special focus on global health venturing.

Mr. Sammut is also Founder and Chair of the International Institute for Biotechnology Entrepreneurship, a non-profit organization offering intensive training programs throughout the world for managers of biotechnology companies, He actively conducts research on the indigenous capability of emerging market countries to participate in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Mr. Sammut has been involved in the creation or funding of nearly 40 biotechnology, Internet, and information technology companies globally. He is on numerous Boards of Directors and Advisory Boards including Doctors of the World, Mitsubishi Corporation, the Royal Bank of Canada Technology Venture Fund, the Cornell University Research Foundation, Combinent BioMedical Systems, Dynamis Pharmaceuticals, Gentis, Biowizard.com, Doctors of the World, the International Finance Corporation Bioethics Advisory Board (World Bank), the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, Red Diamond Capital (a mid-market buyout fund) Zad (an Arabian crescent venture fund), The Asia-Alpha Venture Fund, and several other organizations. He is also on the editorial board of the European Venture Capital Association Publications and the Private Equity Review.

Mr. Sammut previously held the positions of Vice President of Development of Teleflex Incorporated where he created and managed acquisitions and alliances, and at S.R. One, Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline’s venture capital fund. He was also Managing Director of Access Partners, a venture fund focused on formation of companies around university technologies and capitalized by corporate strategic investors.

He was also Managing Director of the Center for Technology Transfer at the University of Pennsylvania, where he spun out over one dozen companies over a two-year period. He held a similar position at Jefferson Medical College. He is also co-founder and former CEO of the Philadelphia Organ Transplant Program, the largest transplant organ bank in the United States.

He holds degrees in biology and humanities from Villanova University, attended Hahnemann Medical College for two years and holds an MBA from the Wharton School.

Tony Tangena - Senior Vice President  and Country Manager Netherlands, Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

 

Tony Tangena is senior vice president and country manager Netherlands of Philips Intellectual Property & Standards (IP&S). IP&S is the worldwide organisation responsible for all IPR matters within Royal Philips Electronics. IP&S employs more than 500 persons worldwide. About half of these are in the Netherlands. Tony did a Masters in solid-state physics and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. He worked in Philips Research before joining IP&S in 1989. He is a qualified Dutch and European patent attorney. He has been country manager of IP&S- UK in London, patent licensing manager and portfolio / counseling director, responsible for the worldwide Philips patent portfolio and for worldwide counseling issues. He was appointed in his present position in January 2005.

 

Guest Speakers

Senior executives from WIPO and leading personalities from the corporate world will share their thoughts and experiences on the most recent developments on the international IP scene and latest IP management practices during Power Lunch sessions.

Francis Gurry, Deputy Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

 

Francis Gurry, a national of Australia, is Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva. He is responsible for WIPO's activities in the area of patents, which include patent policy questions and the administration of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), under which some 145,000 international patent applications were filed in 2006; biotechnology and genetic resource policy questions; traditional knowledge; and the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, which has administered over 27,000 disputes over Internet domain names since 2000.

Dr. Gurry holds law degrees from the University of Melbourne and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

He is the author of a textbook on the law of trade secrets and confidential information, entitled Breach of Confidence, published by Oxford University Press in the United Kingdom in 1984, and co-author, with Frederick Abbott and Thomas Cottier, of The International Intellectual Property System: Commentary and Materials, published by Kluwer in July 1999. 

Ernesto Rubio, Assistant Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

 

Ernesto Rubio, a national of Uruguay, is Assistant Director General at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

A juris doctor graduate from the Universidad de la República in Montevideo, Mr. Rubio supervises the Sector of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications at WIPO. The Sector has responsibility for international law development in the framework of the WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT). The Sector is also responsible for the administration of the International Registration Systems for trademarks (Madrid Agreement and Protocol), industrial designs (Hague Agreement) and appellations of origin (Lisbon Agreement), as well as for the administration of the International Classifications for trademarks (Nice and Vienna Classifications) and designs (Locarno Classification).

Mr. Rubio joined WIPO in 1983. He has held several positions within the Organization, including, for 11 years, the position of Director of the WIPO Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (1991-2002). Before joining WIPO, he worked for the Government of Uruguay and was engaged in private practice as an attorney at law, in Montevideo.

 Giampiero De Luca - Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Serono International S.A.

 

Dr. Giampiero De Luca is Chief Intellectual Property Counsel of Serono International S.A. His current responsibilities include management of Serono's patent portfolio, oversight of patent-related litigation and coordinating the Intellectual Property Department's support of the company's licensing activities.

Dr. De Luca began his career at the European Patent Office in 1979 as a Patent Search Examiner and, subsequently, as a Substantive Patent Examiner. In 1988, he joined Serono as Corporate Patent Executive. From 1990 to 1996, he assumed responsibilities involving the management and coordination of research and development activities within the Serono Group. In 1996, he was charged with establishing Serono's Corporate Intellectual Property Department in Geneva. In this role, he has occupied the positions of Vice President, Intellectual Property & Technological Collaborations (1996-1999) and Chief Intellectual Property Counsel (1999-present).

Since 2003, Dr. De Luca is also a member of Serono's Executive Management Board. He holds a doctoral degree in industrial chemistry from the University of Milan, a Diploma in General Microbiology from the Institut Pasteur and is a chartered European Patent Attorney.

 

Learning Method

• Lectures
• Case Studies
• Group Discussions

Pre-study materials on intellectual property will be provided to registered participants ahead of the program.

Award of Certificate

WIPO Worldwide Academy will award a Certificate of Participation on successful completion of the program by the participant.

About WIPO

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest. WIPO administers 24 international treaties and carries out a rich and varied program of work with over 183 member States.

WIPO’s activities in fields such as standardization and progressive development of IP laws, international industrial property registration and dispute resolution services and international technical cooperation programs continue to oil the wheels of international trade and commerce which in turn brings economic gain, efficiency and certainty to business enterprises around the world.

The WIPO Worldwide Academy

The WIPO Worldwide Academ y is the education and research arm of WIPO. It was founded in response to global demand for knowledge and skills in intellectual property. It serves as a center of excellence in teaching, training and research in IP. Its programs cater to different target audiences - inventors and creators, business managers and IP professionals, policy makers and government officials of IP institutions, diplomats and representatives, students and teachers of intellectual property and the civil society.

The Executive Program of the WIPO Academy Academy is geared towards developing IP skills and competencies in business organizations. Drawing on WIPO's vast expertise and resources and a carefully selected group of eminent academics, thought leaders and experts from renowned business schools, major global corporations, professional bodies and management consultants, the WIPO Academy offers a unique interdisciplinary learning experience in the theory and practice of international intellectual property management.

The WIPO Advantage

Course Information

Dates
April 16 to 19, 2007

Venue
Geneva, Switzerland

Language
English

Fee
2,500 Swiss Francs

The fee covers tuition, study materials, refreshments and lunches. The fee does not cover accommodation. Please note that no scholarships, fee waivers or discounts are available for this program.

Timetable
The program will run from 4.30 p.m. to 8..00 p.m. on Monday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Tuesday to Thursday.  Participants should arrive before 4.00. p.m. on Monday in order to complete formalities.  Please note that the timetable may be subject to minor change.

How to Register

Please complete the online registration form.

Places are limited. Candidates are registered on first come first served basis subject to availability of space. Early application is encouraged.

Candidates are expected to be fluent in English. Organizers reserve the right to decline registration and refund the fee in the event it is considered that the profile of the applicant is better suited for another program.

Registration deadline
Extended to April 13, 2007

Cancellation

Cancellation after registration is subject to the following penalties: 

Up to four weeks before the program: 25% of the fee; Between four to two weeks before the program: 50% of the fee. No refunds are available for cancellations received during the two weeks preceding the program or for not showing up at the program. However, substitution of participant may be permitted at no extra charge with prior agreement of the organizers. All cancellations must be received in writing.
 

Hotel Accomodation

April is a very busy period in Geneva.  Participants are strongly advised to arrange their hotel accommodation as early as possible.

A limited number of rooms have been blocked until April 6, 2007 at the following hotel:

HOTEL DIPLOMATE
46, rue de la Terrassière
1207 GENEVE
Tel. : +41 22 592 87 87
Fax : +41 22 592 87 78
Web: www.geneva-hotel.ch/diplomate
E-mail: hoteldiplomate@bluewin.ch
Map: http://map.search.ch/d/mu1ngq4nm.en.html
Price: Sfr. 298 (inclusive of taxes and breakfast)

The hotel is close to the lake in the downtown area about 30 minutes by public transport (bus/tram).

Should you be interested in staying in this hotel, please contact Sandrine at the hotel to confirm your booking.

Alternatively, online booking can be made from the Geneva Tourist Office site  http://www.geneva-tourism.ch/?lang=_eng 
and the Swiss Tourism site  http://www.myswitzerland.com/en.cfm/accommodation/online_booking

A list of hotels in Geneva and the neighboring region at United Nations preferential rate is available for your information

 

Further Information

Mrs. Silvia Nunez
Program Coordinator
Research & Executive Program
WIPO Worldwide Academy
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
34, chemin des Colombettes
1211 Geneva 20 - Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 338 9703
Fax: +41 22 740 1417
E-mail: execed.academy@wipo.int
Website : www.wipo.int/academy/en/execed