Day 1 (Jan 26th 2026)
8:00 am - 8:30 am
Registration & Coffee
8:30 am - 8:35 am
IQPC Opening Remarks
8:35 am - 8:45 am
Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Chris Benson -
Partner & Head of Electronics,
HGF
8:45 am - 8:50 am
Live Polls
8:50 am - 9:05 am
Trendspotting Update: Protecting Originality: Regulatory Updates for AI-Assisted Code, Content & Creative Works
Diane Fiddle -
General Counsel,
QLOO
With clearer authorship guidelines in the EU, the US faces questions about who can be defined as an author and what counts as a truly creative work. Get up to speed with the latest global and US regulatory landscape on protecting originality in the era of AI-assisted creation of code, content and other creative works.
9:05 am - 9:50 am
Panel Discussion: AI in Action: Transforming Patent Operations into Innovation Engines
Scott McBride -
Intellectual Property Attorney (Shareholder and Board Member),
McAndrews, Held & Malloy
Sharon Hwang - Member of Executive Committee, McAndrews
Sivananda Reddy - Head of IP, Zoll Cardiac Management Solutions
Eda Stark - Global IP Transactions and Litigation Managing Counsel, Olympus Corporation
Ryan Duebner - General Counsel, Quantinuum
Larry Bromberg - Global Head of IP & Firmwide Marketing Legal, Morgan Stanley
As AI transforms the entire innovation process, it’s no longer enough to talk about AI as a future possibility. This cross-industry, cross-functional panel moves past the theory and hype, highlighting actionable, real-world applications of AI in daily patent operations to elevate your patent function from a support role to a proactive, data-driven engine for business innovation, all while staying ahead of regulatory change.
- Learn how leading patent professionals are using AI tools for streamlined processes and cost-savings, from identifying inventions and drafting smarter applications to managing prosecution and powering efficient, high-impact enforcement.
- Gain fresh insight into how evolving legal, technical, and ethical frameworks support responsible AI integration, turning the patent department into a true driver of business innovation, all while staying ahead of regulatory shifts.
- Explore past, present and potential future cases of IP vs AI and where AI is named as an inventor or contributor to inventions and patentable research.
Scott McBride
Intellectual Property Attorney (Shareholder and Board Member)McAndrews, Held & Malloy
9:50 am - 10:20 am
Stronger Together: Collective Strategies for Safeguarding Innovation from Patent Assertion Entities
Ken Seddon -
CEO,
LOT Network
Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs, aka patent trolls) are responsible for buying 70% of the patents in the open broker market and for filing 86% of all patent litigation against operating companies. The real irony is that most of the patents used by PAEs originated with those same operating companies. Since operating companies are the ones providing most of the assets to PAEs, a private ordered solution is the most efficient to address this issue.
Outside counsel costs are rising, but how far should we go with automation, AI, and data integrations to rein them in? In this interactive debate, we’ll tackle the trade-offs between cost savings and risk management, exploring how technology can streamline portfolio reviews, clean data automatically, and reduce the hours billed for administrative work — all without compromising quality. You’ll leave with practical, real-world ideas and a clearer sense of where you draw the line between efficiency and oversight.
AI tools are transforming how patent applications are drafted. While more content should mean stronger protection. But here’s the catch: when it comes to patent descriptions, more can be dangerous. A recent European Patent Office decision (G 1/24) made this crystal clear. The Board used the description, packed with extra examples, to interpret the claims. The result? The claims were deemed to be broader than intended, and the patent collapsed. What was meant to give flexibility turned into a fatal weakness. For US companies filing globally, this is a serious warning: if AI-generated text (or old drafting habits) sneaks in language that changes the meaning of your claims, you may be setting yourself up for challenges, oppositions, and even invalidation of your patent down the line.
12:10 pm - 12:55 pm
Panel Discussion: Marketplace Masters: Leveraging Industry Power for More Permanent Success Against Counterfeiters
Vinny Minhas -
Head of Brand Protection, Americas,
MarqVision
Angela Wilson - Senior Counsel, Global Intellectual Property, The Hershey Company
Jay Kennedy - Head of Illicit Trade Prevention Policy and Engagement U.S., Philip Morris International, Inc
Kari Kammel - Director, ACAPP MSU
Online marketplaces have also become key battlegrounds in the fight against counterfeits and IP infringement. The demand for effective collaboration between marketplace operators and brand protection leaders has never been greater. Despite shared interests, current collaboration is hampered by several persistent challenges. Amplifying the need for greater alignment and collaboration for faster and more effective infringement takedowns.
• Hear directly from marketplace leaders about how they prioritise brand protection, manage takedowns and collaborate with rights holders.
• Learn actionable approaches for connecting with marketplace IP teams, submitting high-quality reports and the benefits of becoming trusted partners.
Jay Kennedy
Head of Illicit Trade Prevention Policy and Engagement U.S.Philip Morris International, Inc
12:55 pm - 1:55 pm
Lunch
2:30 pm - 2:35 pm
Live Polls
2:35 pm - 3:20 pm
Panel Discussion: Influencing Policy: Forming Strategic Alliances with Competitors for Collective Bargaining Power
Chris Benson -
Partner & Head of Electronics,
HGF
Robert Stewart - Global Brand Protection Manager & Aftermarket Service Support, General Motors
Teena Bohi - Senior Brand Protection Analyst, Toyota North America
Michelangelo Obeso - Sr. Analyst, Brand Protection, Hyundai Mobis Parts (North America)
Dee Pagdilao - Intellectual Property Rights Specialist - Brand Protection - Counterfeit Control, American Honda Motor Company
Challenges posed by counterfeiting through marketplaces, sophisticated infringement and dramatic shifts in policy in today’s IP landscape demands a whole new approach – collaboration rather than competition.
Forming strategic partnerships with your competitors can significantly leverage collective strengths to influence government & marketplace policy, streamline enforcement and safeguard innovation.
• Gain strategies for sharing threat intelligence and best practices with industry peers and authorities to rapidly improve detection and influence policymaking.
• Discover how collaborative campaigns create greater impact and can offer you a seat at the table with large global marketplaces.
• Explore techniques for establishing transparent communication and mutual goals with competitors whilst maintaining your competitive edge and safeguarding brand secrets.
Dee Pagdilao
Intellectual Property Rights Specialist - Brand Protection - Counterfeit ControlAmerican Honda Motor Company
3:20 pm - 3:35 pm
Presentation from Patlytics
Traditional patent landscaping provides a snapshot, but today’s leading IP teams need foresight. Explore how you can leverage competitive filing data to anticipate rivals’ next moves, identify whitespace opportunities, and shape R&D strategy that aligns with business objectives.
As automation technologies and AI-driven localization tools become standard in global content production, brand guardians face new risks to creative integrity and IP value.
• Discuss the pitfalls and opportunities of embracing automation across your brand, including how to effectively embrace automation for localized brand rollouts.
• Share best practices for implementing safe and effective automation across your brand protection function.
5:25 pm - 5:55 pm
Champagne Roundtables:
Arian Hassanalizadeh -
Head of Legal and Data Protection Officer,
Origin
Ryan McCleary - Shareholder, Young Basile
Andrew Basile - President, Young Basile
1. Velocity and Value: Re-Engineering IP Workflows to Reclaim In-House Time
2. Influencer Marketing and Online Reputation: Securing Brands in the Era of Viral Trends
3. Design Patents & Product Differentiation: Closing the Imitation Gap to Prevent Copycatting
