Our Esteemed Cross Industry Speaking Faculty Consist of Regulatory, IP, Legal and Private Practice Experts to Assist You with Practical Knowledge to Advance Your Trade Secret IP Protection
If you wish to get involved, contact [email protected] for further information
Adrian Spillmann
Director of Intellectual PropertyValnevaArnie Francis
Senior AssociateGowling WLGArnie Francis is a qualified UK and European patent attorney, well-versed advising clients across a diverse range of technologies including AI, automotive, machine learning, robotics, biometrics and semiconductor IP. He advises regularly on protection strategies and enforcement of rights, including trade secrets, with a particular focus on the patentability and alternative protection of computer-related inventions, through which he developed a deep understanding of the legal requirements in several key jurisdictions including the UK, Europe and the US.
He enjoys working with high-growth start-ups and SMEs to develop actionable strategies to protect their innovations and nurture their IP portfolios.
Bart Goddyn
General Counsel & Company SecretaryMnemo TherapeuticsChris Buntel
Co-Founder & CIPOTangiblyChris Buntel is a US intellectual property attorney with over 20 years experience connecting innovation and intellectual property law. He is a co-founder and the CIPO of Tangibly. Chris is passionate about trade secrets – the “next big thing” in intellectual property evolution. While other forms of intellectual property have been well supported for years, people are just now realizing the huge need for trade secret management tools and education. He has a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Stanford University, and J.D. in Law from University of Houston.
Christine Maury Panis
EVP, General Counsel and SecurityViaccess Orca (Orange Group)Christof Bull
Assistant General Patent CounselUCBDon McCombie
PartnerClifford ChanceDon McCombie is a partner in the London IP group at Clifford Chance. He advises on all aspects of IP law, in particular technical trade secrets and patent disputes. In recent years, Don has brought and defended trade secrets claims relating to technologies including cryptocurrency trading software, semiconductor designs, antibody libraries, fire-resistant coatings and liners for train gondola wagons, as well as business information and datasets. Don also regularly advises on the licensing and transfer of trade secrets and know-how and on practical strategies for protecting information and reducing the risk of trade secrets theft.
David Mazur
General Counsel R&DNestleDenis Schertenleib
PartnerSchertenleib AvocatsDomien Op de Beeck
PartnerBird & BirdDomien is a partner at Bird & Bird, working out of Brussels. He and his team deal with Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets matters on a daily basis. Domien's practice has always focused on tech-rich mandates, be it transactions, compliance projects or court appearances.Clients have said to appreciate his openness to technology and his drive to grasp also the most complex science, i.e. traits that go hand in hand with the sector approach for which Bird & Bird is known.Bird & Bird is a leading technology firm in Europe and beyond, housing one of the largest IP teams in the world (> 400 specialist lawyers) and offering 360° legal and strategic advice. Together, we help you protect your innovation and enforce your rights worldwide.Dr. Nina Belbl
Associate Legal OfficerWorld Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)Dr. Nina Belbl works in the Patent and Treaties Law Section at WIPO. As part of the Secretariat of the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents, she assists Member States in their efforts of progressive international development of patent law. Areas of her work include trade secrets, intersections between trade secrets and patents, emerging technologies, public health, and standard essential patents (SEPs).
Before joining WIPO in December 2020, she worked several years as a patent litigator in one of the leading patent litigation firms in Germany, where she was involved in national and multinational litigation. Nina studied law in Germany and France with a specialization in IP law and international law. She holds a Ph.D. in law from the University of Freiburg (Germany) on strategic transfers of SEPs.
Dr. Sam Williams
Head of IPSiemensDr. Stefan Horstmann
VP of PS Core - Patents and Scientific ServicesMerck KGaADr. Stefan Horstmann is VP of PS Core - Patents and Scientific Services at Merck KGaA.
Dr. Horstmann holds a PhD in Chemistry and is qualified as European and German Patent Attorney. Before becoming a VP of PS Core, he previously served as Head of the Patents B2B Department, and has also served as in-house patent attorney at Merck KGaA and Henkel KGaA and as an IT consultant at SerCon GmbH.
Dr. Horstmann is a member of the European Patent Institute (EPI), the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and the Association of Intellectual Property Experts (VPP). He represents Merck to matters of intellectual property law at the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) and the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI).
Fredrick de Mare
Head of Intellectual PropertyMedinCellJulie Sommer
Patent SpecialistValnevaDr. Julie Sommer is a Patent Specialist working in the IP Department of Valneva Austria GmbH. Her academic background includes a B.S. in Microbiology and a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, both from USA-based universities. Julie has worked in a variety of industrial settings in roles ranging from quality assurance to basic and applied research. She moved from research to IP at Valneva more than 10 years ago and is now responsible for patent prosecution, IP searches and, most recently, development and implementation of an in-house Trade Secret Policy.
Kora Knuchel
Vice President, IP & LegalBrukerLena Pauschenwein
Legal OfficerDG Grow | European CommissionLena PAUSCHENWEIN, Legal Officer, Directorate-General GROW - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium
Lena Pauschenwein is a jurist specialised in intellectual property law and works in the Intangible Economy Unit of the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) of the European Commission.
Lena holds law degrees from the University of Vienna (Magister iuris) and the University of Glasgow (LLM), both with a focus on intellectual property and technology law. Prior to joining the European Commission in 2021, she worked at the Austrian Supervisory Authority for Collective Management Organisations.
Lilian Mocelin
Senior Intellectual Property ManagerUmdasch Group AGMarc Lauzeral
CounselSchertenleib AvocatsMarie McMorrow
Partner and IP SolicitorHGFIn her IP litigation role, Marie handles disputes involving complex patent litigation, breaches of confidentiality, trade mark, anti-counterfeiting and protected designation of origin disputes, design (registered and unregistered) and copyright infringements.
Marie also has considerable experience supporting clients on the generation, acquisition and commercial exploitation of their IP assets, regularly advising on joint venture, co-existence, product development, collaboration and licensing deals. Marie also has considerable expertise in providing IP due diligence and IP support to clients on their corporate acquisition and disposal programmes.
Mark Chadwick
Head of IPMeatableOlivier Lemaire
General Counsel and Compliance OfficerZiphius VaccinesPascal van Troost
Global Intellectual Property LeaderPunch PowertrainPascal van Troost is an all round IP leader with a can do mindset. He is a qualified patent attorney and holds a master degree in Engineering and a master degree in IP Law & Management. He has working experience in private practice as well in the industry. Currently he is working at Punch Powertrain, a company which develops powertrains for vehicles including hybrid and electric powertrains. At Punch Powertrain he is the corporate responsible for all Intellectual Property matters at Punch. This includes activities with regards to IP strategy development, stimulating innovation, creation of IP awareness, IP protection, IP portfolio management, IP litigation, IP monetization, IP risk reduction, IP contracting, IP intelligence and information security.
Preben Kjær Kristensen
Senior Lead IPR SpecialistØrstedPreben Kjær Kristensen has an Engineering Degree from Denmark’s Technical University supplemented with an Executive MBA from Copenhagen Business School. He is currently working at Ørsted Wind Power A/S as Head of IP.
Ørsted Wind Power develops, builds, and operates onshore and offshore wind turbine parks in Europe (North and Baltic Sea), Taiwan and the United States as well as energy storage (Power-to-X solutions, Carbon Capture and Storage, etc.).
Mr. Kristensen has more than 20 years of IPR experience from among others Nokia in different positions and the Technical University of Denmark with tech transfer and business development.
Mr. Kristensen is Chairman of the Board for the Danish Industry’s Patent and Trademark Executives and acts as a Technical Judge at the Danish Maritime and Trade Court in patent litigation cases.Shane O`Neill
Assistant General CounselNorsk TitaniumStefan Braun
Senior Legal Counsel ITLeoniTim Londergan
CEO and FounderTangiblyTim is a serial entrepreneur who is passionate about technology, intellectual property and innovative business models. Prior to founding Tangibly, the world’s first enterprise SaaS for trade secret management, Tim was the CEO of WaveFront Venture Labs, a Singapore-based IP licensing business. Previously, he was a Portfolio Manager at Intellectual Ventures where he led investments in chemicals, IoT, and materials science. Tim began his career as a co-founder of Lumera, a nanotechnology company which pioneered a polymer-based optical switch (IPO, now part of Renesas). Dr. Londergan holds 50+ patents and applications and numerous peer-reviewed publications. He has a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Southern California.
Tilman Breitenstein
CEOScalable IP