Page 9 - 2017 INTA Annual Report

Today, INTA has 7,246 members, representing more than 31,000 trademark professionals from 191 countries.
In addition to our headquarters in New York, New York, the Association has offices in Brussels, Belgium; Santiago, Chile; Shanghai, China; Singapore, Southeast Asia; and Washington, D.C., as well as representatives in Geneva, Switzerland, and New Delhi, India,
and a representative for Africa and the Middle East.
With a significant portion of INTA’s membership grounded in Europe and North America and already supported by well-established offices, much of our focus in 2017 was on Africa, Asia- Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East. The Association’s notable membership growth in these four regions made them natural areas for an increased presence. In addition, their overall business climates, including robust economic growth, rising consumer classes, and emerging hubs of innovation, have presented myriad new opportunities for brand owners based in these regions and in other parts of the world.
Adding New Representatives
As part of this global growth, in May, INTA officially opened the Latin America and the Caribbean Representative Office in Santiago, Chile—the sixth permanent INTA office worldwide.* The Association selected Santiago after extensive due diligence. A significant number of high-level international organizations have workplaces in the city, making the INTA Representative Office well positioned to serve members throughout the region.
Overall, INTA was drawn to Latin America because of the region’s growth potential. Comprising approximately 7 percent of the world´s gross domestic product (GDP) and with a prospective 600 million consumers (2016), Latin America has become an increasingly important contributor to the global economy and one of the most interesting developing regions for brands seeking
expansion. Trademark-intensive industries are contributing significantly to the local economies, generating jobs and contributing to GDP.
The Latin America and the Caribbean Representative Office is supporting the trajectory of Latin America’s economic growth through the promotion of brands within regional communities and the advancement of strong and efficient national trademark laws that support local industry and increased foreign investment. Following the official opening of the new office, through year-end, INTA organized or participated in 15 events across Latin America, greatly enhancing the Association’s visibility and reach.
Also in May, INTA contracted with a Representative for Africa and the Middle East. Since then, we have increased our presence in these two key regions via high-level delegations, workshops, and direct engagement with local members.
In Africa, significant economic growth and increased investment in infrastructure have resulted in a greater need to acknowledge the role and importance of IP on the continent.These factors represent a great opportunity for brand owners outside the region that are looking to expand their businesses into African markets. The unique challenges presented by widely varying regional and local legal frameworks and still-developing infrastructures make it essential that both foreign and local brand owners be knowledgeable and well informed before finalizing their IP and market strategies. INTA’s
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