Life at IPOS

Travel, it broadens the mind – one of the many tropes put out there without a passing thought. But, what if one only travelled to work? Will we still subscribe to the notion of a broader mind when confined to repetitive days of hotel room and meeting room only?

Part of my work involves negotiation rounds, which has seen me bounce between Singapore and Latin America and around the Asia Pacific region. True, we hardly leave the meeting room, but I suppose one is still aware that a Shaolin temple lies in the horizon.

But, in that moment, one ceases to think of the outside, instead it is the political climate and legal regime of the countries of your 15 counterparts which you are trying to parse. In some form it can be seen as a crash course on other countries. Not just legal regime, or political situation, but culture as well. When, surrounded by delegates from all across, you find that you can no longer rely on social shortcuts familiar to only your countrymen. Perhaps that stray “lah” confuses your lunch partner, but then it also leads to a laugh and then perhaps a tale of a country specific medical syndrome (look up Paris Syndrome).

In this melting-pot, one is forced to listen, and to engage. Passively meandering through the rounds just will not work. These meetings are like the great world expositions, but indoors. So, does travel for work broaden the mind?

As an aside, I watched my first Australian Football Match as a consequence of the enthusiasm for this rather remote sport by my Australian counterpart, while at a dinner in Bangkok.

As a patent examiner at IPOS International, I enjoy a supportive and ‘always-learning’ working environment, where we share a common goal and are always ready to assist and learn from one another. In an organisation with over 100 IP experts, I am delighted that both formal and informal support structures are in place to help us grow!

As a patent examiner, I often examine applications from emerging technical fields and must stay relevant by studying related technologies. These can be as diverse as 4G/5G communications, artificial intelligence and machine learning, data security/encryption and blockchain-based FinTech. Although it can be challenging, I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to examine the latest technologies and gain valuable experience in the process.

Having benefited from knowledge-sharing, I am now ‘paying it forward’ by developing technical and search handbooks to enable my peers to quickly grasp background knowledge and search tips for applications in my technological areas of expertise.

I thoroughly enjoy my work as a patent examiner. If you also value a supportive and ‘always-learning’ culture, I welcome you to join our family!

“If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.”

When I first applied to IPOS Internal Audit Department 3 years ago, I would not have imagined doing what I am doing now. In my first two years in IPOS, I learnt about IPOS - the work, the culture and the people through my lens as an internal auditor. I would look at processes and think, are the corporate governance and risk management controls adequate?

In 2018, I was presented with an interesting opportunity – to move to the first line of defence and be the proactive shaper of processes in the Finance Department. When I first joined the Finance Department, I implemented the process enhancements I had recommended to Finance Department in my previous capacity as an internal auditor. Some auditors may joke that this is "karma". Instead, I see this as "coming full circle", an interesting opportunity to be on both ends of the audit, and to broaden my horizons.

Be the change you want to see. I just started my second year in Finance, and have not looked back since. I look forward to continue innovating in my career path ahead.

"As you craft your life story, deepen your roots here and participate in our community life, you will contribute your bit to the Singapore story too."- Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

When I landed in Singapore 13 years ago to pursue my Ph.D. degree, I did not immediately get immersed into the multi-racial culture of Singapore as most of my lab mates and colleagues then were Chinese nationals.

All these changed when I joined IPOS as a Patent Examiner 5 years ago. I never imagined that I would be part of the Patent Search & Examination Unit made up of science and engineering experts of varied backgrounds. A colleague from Thailand would share with us her tailoring tips; our Consultant Examiner from the UK told us stories about her ponies; local friends taught us the Hokkien dialect and brought us to the Old Airport Road Hawker Centre to enjoy local delights; and my contribution in Chinese calligraphy at our Lunar New Year celebrations are just some of the enjoyable intercultural experiences that I have had in this big IPOS Family.

As I transit to a different portfolio as an IP Strategist, I help enterprises identify the value and understand the importance of their intangible assets. I am eager to further enrich my knowledge and enlarge my field of vision in this role. When the organisation supports us in developing our professional skillsets in terms of mediums and resources, there is nothing stopping me from doing so. I look forward to fly higher in my career ahead.