2016 Africa Conference: Building Africa with Brands

Registration and Information Desk Open

Networking Coffee

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Ronald van Tuijl, JT International S.A. (2016 INTA President) (Switzerland)

Conference Co-Chairs:
Barry Gerber, Philip Morris International Management SA (Switzerland)
Brenda M. Wood Kahari, B.W. Kahari (Zimbabwe)

Keynote – Building Africa with Brands: A Success Story

Robbie Brozin, Co-Founder of Nando’s, will share the evolution of the NANDO’S brand and how brands reflect who and what we are. Learn about business challenges and successes and hear how Nando’s gives back via the “Goodbye Malaria” project.

Session I – Brand Creation and Strategies in Developing Economies

A panel of business and legal experts will discuss best practices with respect to brand creation, including: how the teams start; when legal gets involved; what works (and doesn’t work) well in legal and business collaborations.

Hear honest insights as to how legal teams can best support the marketing teams by providing guidance without restricting creativity and how best to find that fine line where both sides are happy. Get practical tips on trademark clearance in Africa, including differences and similarities with clearance strategies in other countries.

Moderator/Speaker:
Simon Brown, Adams & Adams (South Africa)

Speakers:
Alastair Hewitt, The South African Breweries Pty Ltd (South Africa)
Gideon Khobane, SuperSport International (Pty) Ltd (South Africa)
Pieter van den Bulck, SABMiller plc (United Kingdom)

Networking Break

Session II – The Importance of IP in Economic Growth

For years, economists have tried to provide an explanation as to why some economies grow fast while others do not. Knowledge and innovation have played an important role in the recent economic growth of several developing nations. This session will offer a practical guide to using intangible assets, such as knowledge, information, creativity, and inventiveness—which are rapidly replacing traditional and tangible assets, such as land, labor, and capital, as the driving forces of the economic health and social well-being of any nation.

Moderator/Speaker:
Lara Kayode, O. KAYODE & CO (Nigeria)

Speakers:
Monique Gieskes, Vlisco Netherlands B.V. (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Chizor Malize, Brandzone Consulting LLC (Nigeria)

Networking Lunch

Session III – Industry Panel—Doing Business in Africa

This panel will look at the challenges and opportunities for industry in Africa from the brand owner’s point of view, whether local, regional, or global. A variety of company representatives will discuss what a strong brand in Africa can mean for a company and the role brands play in the future of Africa.

Moderator/Speaker:
William Mansfield, ABRO Industries, Inc. (United States)

Speakers:
Nick Redfearn, Rouse & Co. International LLP (Indonesia)
Pieter van den Bulck, SABMiller plc (United Kingdom)

Session IV – Our Mobile-to-Mobile World

Learn about the unique challenges and opportunities when mobile is the primary form of marketing your products and services to consumers and how mobile payment services have transformed a continent. Learn from experts how to effectively add a mobile communication plan and what benefits and watch-outs should be considered when building an effective mobile marketing plan for your brand and how the way people do business has been transformed by mobile technology.

Moderator:
Lindy Lowne-Hughes, KISCH IP (South Africa)

Speakers:
Gaurav Miglani, Worldwide Intellec (India)
Prof. Tana Pistorius, University of South Africa (South Africa)

Networking Break

Session V – Leveraging Your Brand as a Corporate Performance Asset

Hear from brand valuation experts to determine how to leverage brand equity to help company growth. Find out how brand valuation is determined, leveraging a brand as a corporate performance asset and much more.

Moderator/Speaker:
Stephen L. Goldberg, Spoor & Fisher (South Africa)

Speakers:
Doug de Villiers, Interbrand Africa (South Africa)
Charles Rupare, Interbrand Africa (South Africa)

Session VI – Economic Growth: Foreign Investment in Africa

This panel will debate how the economic, political, and regional alliance between foreign countries (particularly China and India) and Africa impacts economic growth, including expansion of IP protection and enforcement opportunities. What are the key learnings each region can bring to the other? Why does IP play a key role in this alliance?

Moderator:
Simon Brown, Adams & Adams (South Africa)

Speakers:
Behram R. Sabawala, Tata Africa Holdings (SA)(Pty) Ltd (South Africa)
Nicky Weimar, Nedbank Group Limited (South Africa)

Wrap-Up from Conference Co-Chairs

Networking Reception

Registration and Information Desk Open

Networking Coffee

Welcome Back by Conference Co-Chairs

Barry Gerber, Philip Morris International Management SA (Switzerland)
Brenda M. Wood Kahari, B.W. Kahari (Zimbabwe)

Keynote Panel

Hear from senior leaders from ARIPO, OAPI, SA CIPC and WIPO with respect to fundamentals of each of these registration options, political and legal developments, and useful tips as you develop and implement your protection strategy in the region.

Interviewer:
David Stone, Simmons & Simmons LLP (United Kingdom)

Panelists:
Paulin Edou Edou, Director General, Organisation Africaine de la Propriete Intellectuelle (OAPI) (Cameroon)
Fernando Antonio Dos Santos, Director General, African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) (Zimbabwe)
Debbie Roenning, Director, Legal Division, Madrid Registry, Brands and Designs Sector, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (Switzerland)
Rory Voller, Acting Commissioner, South Africa Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (SA CIPC)(South Africa)

Session VII – Developing and Implementing the Right IP Strategy for Your Company

Developing and implementing the right IP protection strategy in Africa may be challenging. Hear from experts some do’s and don’ts for developing the right strategy for your company, including enforcement challenges, budget considerations, leveraging the right tools for the right task, and much more!

Moderator/Speaker:
Brenda M. Wood Kahari, B.W. Kahari (Zimbabwe)

Speakers:
Barry Gerber, Philip Morris International Management SA (Switzerland)
Stephen L. Goldberg, Spoor & Fisher (South Africa)
Ian Isdale, Retired, Tiger Brands Ltd (South Africa)

Networking Break

Session VIII – Design Rights: What Every Practitioner Needs to Know

Any protection strategy should consider design rights. This panel will discuss what brand owners need to understand about this underrated area of IP law and how best to leverage these rights to full advantage. Leading experts in design law will provide guidance on how to educate legal and business teams on what they should be considering and give some real-world examples of where design rights “won the day” for a brand owner to build its business.

Moderator/Speaker:
David Stone, Simmons & Simmons LLP (United Kingdom)

Speakers:
Monique Gieskes, Vlisco Netherlands B.V. (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Darren Trent Olivier, Adams & Adams (South Africa)

Session IX – An IP Practitioner’s Guide to Regulatory Watch-Outs and Challenges

A panel of experts will provide an overview of regulatory issues that brand lawyers need to understand for a variety of common consumer goods, such as baby formula, alcohol, and agricultural products. The panel will review some regulatory restrictions that need to be considered when developing and implementing brand use and protection strategies. Labeling requirements and advertising claim issues will be discussed. Real-world examples will be shared to help attendees navigate the regulatory landscape.

Moderator:
Uche Nwokocha, Aluko & Oyebode (Nigeria)

Speakers:
Oyebamiji Ayinde, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC (Nigeria)
Lindesay Low, Scotch Whisky Association (United Kingdom)
Andrew Papadopoulos, KISCH IP (South Africa)

Networking Lunch

Session X – Traditional Knowledge (Indigenous Rights), Legacy Rights, and Geographical Indications (GIs)

Panelists will explain the rights that they believe should be afforded to traditional knowledge, legacy rights, and GIs and how they may intersect with trademark and other IP rights. Panelists will debate various protection schemes and the pros and cons of each.

Moderator:
Lindy Lowne-Hughes, KISCH IP (South Africa)

Speakers:
Prof. Owen H. Dean, Retired Lecturer, University of Stellenbosch (South Africa)
Lindesay Low, Scotch Whisky Association (United Kingdom)
Emmanuel Sackey, African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) (Zimbabwe)

Session XI – Enforcement Best Practices

The panel will provide tips and watch-outs as to how to create and implement an effective enforcement program that is both timely and cost-effective. Panelists will discuss various avenues available to the brand owner and the pros and cons of each.

Moderator/Speaker:
Lisa Ritchie, Philip Morris International Management SA (Switzerland)

Speakers:
Vanessa Ferguson, KISCH IP (South Africa)
Nick Redfearn, Rouse & Co. International LLP (Indonesia)

Session XII – Counterfeits: Dos and Don’ts for a Successful Anticounterfeiting Program

This panel will explore the unique challenges faced by brand owners in their enforcement efforts, as well as various mechanisms for enforcement and the efficacy of each. Some of the issues to be discussed: prevalence of counterfeits and balancing the desire to combat counterfeits and the building of relationships through various supply and retail channels; online counterfeiting issues; and successes and misses in enforcement efforts.

Moderator:
Lara Kayode, O. KAYODE & CO (Nigeria)

Speakers:
Isam Badwailan, Unilever Company (Saudi Arabia)
Ross D. Bulla, The Treadstone Group, Inc. (United States)
Nick Hart, SDL Ltd (South Africa)

Closing Remarks and Thank You