7 December 2012 – More than 1,400 intellectual property professionals and government officials from 21 countries and regions took part in today’s Business of IP Asia Forum at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event attracted twice as many participants as attended last year’s inaugural forum.
Hong Kong SAR Government Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory So delivered the Forum’s opening remarks, emphasising Hong Kong’s strengths as an IP trading centre.
“Together with our sound financial and legal systems, a low-tax regime and world-class service industries, Hong Kong is fully equipped to pioneer new frontiers in the evolving IP landscape,” said Mr So. “The government is committed to facilitating and promoting Hong Kong as a regional IP trading hub. Our Intellectual Property Department is reaching out to all relevant sectors to champion the cause,” he added.
Asian IP Opportunities
“A key factor driving IP trading today is the dramatic economic shift from West to East, and the equally significant rise of Asian consumption, particularly on the Chinese mainland,” said Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Executive Director Fred Lam, who also spoke at the opening. “Those realities bring with them extraordinary IP opportunities here in Asia, particularly for Hong Kong business and the growing critical mass of IP-related companies based here,” added Mr Lam.
The HKTDC organised the day-long event together with the Hong Kong Design Centre.
High-Profile Speakers
Nearly 40 prominent speakers participated in the event’s panel discussions and sessions, with topics ranging from trademarks and licensing to the latest software copyright trends, and IP in biotechnology and traditional Chinese medicine. An afternoon session featured a session on IP valuation.
Speakers at the Forum’s opening session, “Global IP Business: Trends and Strategies,” included the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Grégoire Bisson and the World Trade Organization’s Wolf Meier-Ewert.
International Cooperation
Jesper Kongstad, Director-General and CEO of the Danish Patent and Trademark Office, and Vicki Loise, Executive Director of the Association of University Technology Managers, were among those speaking at the morning’s “IP in the 21st Century: Trading out of the Box” session. Yesterday, the HKTDC signed IP cooperation agreements with the US and Danish organisations, along with IP exchanges from Beijing and Shanghai.
Liu Yanxin, from the China Patent Information Center, State Intellectual Property Office, delivered the keynote luncheon address following remarks by Hong Kong SAR Government Intellectual Property Department Director Peter Cheung.
Concurrent Events
The Forum took place alongside HKTDC World SME Expo and HKTDC Inno Design Tech Expo, 6-8 December, at the HKCEC. The latter fair is showcasing an “IP Trading and R&D zone,” featuring more than 70 exhibitors. They include the Hong Kong Science & Technology Park and the Hong Kong Invention Association, along with exhibitors from the mainland, Switzerland and Taiwan.
Forum Website: http://www.bipasiaforum.com
Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Corporate Communication Department:
Joe Kainz
Tel: (852) 2584 4216
Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org
More than 1,400 intellectual property professionals and government officials took part in today’s Business of IP Asia Forum. Discussions covered such topics as global IP trading, IP portfolio management, patent protection and business opportunities in mainland China