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
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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.

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Diane Fiddle

General Counsel
QLOO

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.
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Scott McBride

Intellectual Property Attorney (Shareholder and Board Member)
McAndrews, Held & Malloy

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Sivananda Reddy

Head of IP
Zoll Cardiac Management Solutions

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Eda Stark

Global IP Transactions and Litigation Managing Counsel
Olympus Corporation

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Ryan Duebner

General Counsel
Quantinuum

9:50 am - 10:20 am Presentation reserved for LOT Network

Ken Seddon - CEO, LOT Network
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Ken Seddon

CEO
LOT Network

10:25 am - 10:55 am Think Tank reserved for Computer Packages
Kelly McManus - Director of Client Relations, Computer Packages Inc.
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Kelly McManus

Director of Client Relations
Computer Packages Inc.

11:00 am - 11:30 am Think Tank: Defence by Design: How to Create Proactive Anti-Counterfeiting Strategies
Eduardo Ortiz - VP, Global Head of Cybersecurity, Techtronic Industries, Inc.

As counterfeiting and brand abuse become increasingly sophisticated and reactive enforcement grows costly, brand protection leaders are shifting their focus upstream, embedding ‘defence by design’ into every stage of the product and sales lifecycle.

  • Explore proactive methods to anticipate and intercept threats before they impact your business, by improving market visibility and forging strong, real-time alliances with retailers and distribution partners.
  • Share best practices of monitoring product launches, sales channels and distribution deals, using retailer insights and field intelligence to forecast where infringement is likely to surface.
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Eduardo Ortiz

VP, Global Head of Cybersecurity
Techtronic Industries, Inc.

11:35 am - 12:05 pm Think Tank reserved for HGF

10:25 am - 10:55 am 1-to-1 Business Meetings

11:00 am - 11:30 am 1-to-1 Business Meetings

11:35 am - 12:05 pm 1-to-1 Business Meetings

12:10 pm - 12:40 pm Presentation: SEP Ping-Pong: How Anti-(Anti-)Suit Injunctions are Shaping International Licensing Conflicts

The global ‘ping pong’ of anti-suit and anti-anti-suit injunctions are reshaping cross-border licensing. As courts in the US, Europe & China battle for jurisdiction over SEP disputes, multinational IP leaders must navigate unprecedented legal complexity and higher costs.

  • Understand the emerging court trends and tactics to prepare for the next phase of SEP-licensing conflicts.
  • Hear how anti-anti-suit injunctions have become a challenge for IP leaders and how to effectively navigate for greatest effect and to keep costs at a minimum.
  • Recognise the opportunities that are presented from forum shopping, leading to faster proceedings and more favourable outcomes for your licensing conflicts.

12:40 pm - 1:10 pm Q&A Forum: Marketplace Masters: Leveraging Industry Power for More Permanent Success Against Counterfeiters

Vinny Minhas - Head of Brand Protection, Americas, MarqVision

(Your chance to speak directly to marketplace representatives)


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.
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Vinny Minhas

Head of Brand Protection, Americas
MarqVision

8:00 am - 9:00 am Lunch

2:10 pm - 2:40 pm Think Tank: Beyond Automation: The Future of Patent Translation and Research with Generative AI

2:10 pm - 2:40 pm 1-to-1 Business Meetings

2:45 pm - 2:50 pm Live Polls

2:50 pm - 3:20 pm Presentation: Next-Gen Licensing: Navigating Patent Pools and Complex Cross-Licensing to Establish Market Influence

Licensing and cross-licensing have evolved far beyond traditional bilateral deals to become sophisticated tools that unlock new markets, foster collaborative innovation and mitigate litigation risks within increasingly complex patent ecosystems. Mastery of next generation licensing strategies, including effectively managing patent pools, multi-party agreements and layered cross-licensing arrangements will help to position your team as highly competitive and commercially effective by the wider organisation.

  • Learn how to identify high-potential patent assets suitable for inclusion in patent pools or multi-party cross-licensing agreements to maximise revenue and market influence.
  • Discover how patent pools and cross-licensing strategies can spur collaborative innovation, accelerate standards adoption, resolve blocking positions, and open new cross-industry partnerships.
  • Hear real-world examples of where advanced licensing strategies delivered commercial wins, greater freedom to operate, litigation avoidance, or entry into new markets.

3:20 pm - 3:50 pm Fireside Chat: Influencing Policy: Forming Strategic Alliances with Competitors for Collective Bargaining Power

Robert Stewart - Global Brand Protection Manager & Aftermarket Service Support, General Motors
Teena Bohi - Senior Brand Protection Analyst, Toyota North America

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.
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Robert Stewart

Global Brand Protection Manager & Aftermarket Service Support
General Motors

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Teena Bohi

Senior Brand Protection Analyst
Toyota North America

4:10 pm - 4:40 pm Think Tank: Beyond Landscaping: Turning Competitive Intelligence into Strategic IP Advantage

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.

• Proven methods to track competitor prosecution trends and spot emerging risks.
• Best practices to read patent data for early signals of M&A activity and technology pivots.
• Practical ways to translate data into actionable insights for R&D and executive decision-making.

4:45 pm - 5:15 pm Think Tank: Lessons of Localization: Protecting your Brand from Automation
Scott McCarthy - Vice President, Global Brand Protection, DreamWorks Animation

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.


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Scott McCarthy

Vice President, Global Brand Protection
DreamWorks Animation

5:20 pm - 5:50 pm Think Tank: Cultivating Trust and IP Alignment Between Patent and R&D Teams for Strategic Advantage

The true value of intellectual property is unlocked when patent and R&D teams work not as separate silos but as integrated partners. Cultivating a high level of trust with technical, R&D teams is imperative to develop strategically valuable patent assets that are aligned with your overall patent and commercialisation strategy.

  • Explore practical strategies to build mutual trust, foster shared understanding, and align IP and technical objectives throughout the innovation lifecycle—from early ideation through product commercialisation.
  • Learn how to bridge cultural and communication gaps between patent professionals and researchers/ scientists/ engineers, transforming your patent function from a downstream checkpoint into proactive collaborators embedded in R&D workflows.
  • Discuss how integrating patent counsel early in AI-driven research phases can help identify protectable inventions, manage risks around AI-assisted inventorship, and ensure compliance with evolving IP policies for AI-developed technologies.

3:55 pm - 4:25 pm 1-to-1 Business Meetings

4:30 pm - 5:00 pm 1-to-1 Business Meetings

5:05 pm - 5:35 pm 1-to-1 Business Meetings

1.     Design Patents & Product Differentiation: Closing the Imitation Gap to Prevent Copycatting

2.     Feedback, Fit, and Follow-Through: Making Outside Counsel Work for You

3.     Influencer Marketing and Online Reputation: Securing Brands in the Era of Viral Trends

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Arian Hassanalizadeh

Head of Legal and Data Protection Officer
Origin

6:25 pm - 6:30 pm Chairperson’s Closing Remarks

Chris Benson - Partner & Head of Electronics, HGF
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Chris Benson

Partner & Head of Electronics
HGF

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Evening Drinks Reception