Speech by Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee at the Opening Ceremony of the 2005 Europe Asia Patent Information Conference
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Professor Alain Pompidou, President, European Patent Office,
Mr Ian Harvey, Chairman of the Intellectual Property Institute and
the UK Government Intellectual Property Advisory Committee,
Distinguished guests from National IP Offices,
Ladies & gentlemen
Good morning.
- It is with great pleasure together with my colleagues from Singapore, that I recognise and welcome you to the opening of the 2005 Europe Asia Patent Information Conference or EAPIC for short, a key collaborative effort between the European Patent Office or the EPO and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore or IPOS.
- I remember when I launched the inaugural EAPIC three years ago, I had alluded to intellectual property being the “new gold” of our time, waiting to be unearthed and exploited. Businesses today are all competing to unlock maximum value from their IP portfolio. The key to success is how effectively a company manages its IP hence, this whole concept of patent information sharing.
- For companies in the technology sector, patent information, in particular, is a goldmine of data that can help them determine what they need to do to stay ahead of the competition. For instance, by tapping patent databases, a company can find out which other firms have or are filing for patents in the same technology field as itself. This will enable the company to identify its competitors as well as potential collaborators. An analysis of patenting trends can also enable a company to identify gaps in its technology field so as to better direct its R&D efforts. There is little point spending a large sum of money developing, say a new manufacturing process, only to find that it has already been patented. It might have been far cheaper to license than develop the technology in the first place.
- In short, a good understanding of the patent landscape can help a company create business leverage and develop appropriate IP strategies to complement its business plans. Opportunities abound for those with the foresight to make full use of this resource. However, sifting through this mountain of information to find the gems presents a significant challenge. They require effective mining tools and competent expert miners.
- This is where EAPIC has been an important catalyst in spurring companies to recognize the wealth of patent information and leverage on it to develop their IP strategies. The growth of EAPIC over the past three years, from first conveying the importance of patent information, to now bringing greater technical understanding of its application in IP strategies, has been in tandem with the development of the IP agenda here in Singapore.
- Although the foundation of the IP sector is still very much defined by its legal aspects, we have seen its evolution in Singapore into one that is multi-disciplinary. Accountants, management consultants and venture capitalists, have all influenced the shift from a legal to a business focus on IP, where buzzwords such as “IP management” and “IP strategies” are now abound.
- With this shift, we have witnessed the growth and development of special technical competencies to meet business needs in IP management. One example is patent mapping and IP intelligence services, where information from vast databases are mined, analyzed and applied to help companies develop their IP, R&D and business strategies. However, there is a need to go further to help businesses develop their IP management capabilities.
- As EAPIC deepens in technical focus, in parallel with the growth of IP needs in Singapore and the region, it has become a platform where new collaborations are forged. This gathering of industry leaders, technical experts and government representatives, hence, provides an excellent platform to exchange ideas on how to bring businesses to the next level in IP management.
- In this regard, it is my pleasure to announce that this year’s EAPIC will witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Hong Kong Productivity Council or HKPC and IPOS, to develop an IP management protocol or IPMP for IP audits.
- HKPC and IPOS have each developed independent tools to help companies develop their IP management capabilities. HKPC’s InKnow Enterprise Audit Model analyses facets of innovation, commercialisation, IP management and IP capitalisation. IPOS’ SCOPE-IP provides a series of questions for companies to conduct a self-analysis of their management needs in IP creation, protection and exploitation. Both sets of tools have a common objective in catalysing IP management in companies. Thus, there is synergy in HKPC and IPOS coming together to jointly create an IP audit standard to help assess the IP management readiness of companies.
- The main objective of this collaboration is to make IP management an integral part of business decision-making and practice. By working with other partners in the region, HKPC and IPOS hope to work towards developing a benchmark and set of standards for IP management that can be adopted and applied even beyond Hong Kong and Singapore.
- Coming back to today’s event, I note that this is the third time that EAPIC has been organised in Singapore by the EPO and IPOS. This year also marks the third time that the EPO has conducted a Search & Examination Practice Course here, for which I want to thank the EPO. I am told that this course has been well received and is playing an important role in enhancing the capabilities of IP professionals in Singapore and the region. I look forward to greater collaboration between the EPO and IPOS in the years to come.
- In conclusion, I want to extend my warmest thanks to our partner – the European Patent Office, Professor Pompidou and Mrs Pompidou – for its kind support and assistance in developing the IP sector in Singapore and the region, and, in particular, in promoting platforms such as EAPIC, where fruitful IP partnerships can be forged. I wish all of you a productive conference ahead.
- Thank you.
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