Press Releases

Innovative Keynote Speakers and Diverse Education Sessions Headline Virtual Trademark Meeting

Published: September 29, 2020

New York, New York―September 29, 2020―The International Trademark Association (INTA) has lined up two dynamic keynote speakers and a diverse slate of upwards of 100 other presenters from 20 countries for its upcoming 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting, historically the world’s largest trademark event.

Daren Tang, incoming Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and Duncan Wardle, Former Vice President of Innovation & Creativity at The Walt Disney Company will each examine how innovation can bring about transformation and meaningful change.

Being held virtually for the first time, the Annual Meeting will take place November 16–20. During the prior week, November 11–13, committee meetings and Leadership Meeting sessions for INTA volunteers are scheduled. More than 2,500 brand owners and intellectual property (IP) professionals from nearly 100 countries have already registered.

“We’re honored to host our keynote speakers, who are both highly respected individuals renowned for championing new ideas. Our community is always looking for ways to innovate and grow, perhaps now more than ever given the need to adapt and stay a step ahead in the fast-moving business environment and changing consumer landscape,” said 2020 INTA President Ayala Deutsch.

Mr. Tang takes over at WIPO on October 1, after heading the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, where he implemented a wide variety of innovative stakeholder programs and solutions. Mr. Wardle’s approach to design thinking helps people capture unlikely connections that lead to fresh thinking and disruptive innovation.

Additionally, the Meeting will feature capsule keynote addresses by senior leaders in industry and government who will share their thoughts on timely topics. Some of the business presentations are “Creating an Awesome Culture” and “Diversity and Inclusion.”

Discussing key issues affecting brands in their regions, the government officials are Christian Archambeau, Executive Director of the European Union Intellectual Property Office, Spain; Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office; Maria José Lamus, Deputy Superintendent for Industrial Property of Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio, Colombia; Rena Lee, Chief Executive of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore; and Tim Moss, Chief Executive and Comptroller General of the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office.

The Meeting’s educational program is built around 12 thematic tracks to help guide registrants to sessions that meet their specific interests. Tracks include “Managing Your Brands in Times of Crisis,” “Innovation and the Future of Intellectual Property,” and “Diversity and Inclusion.” One track, “Developing Issues in China,” will be conducted in Mandarin.

Among the array of workshops and town halls will be a workshop on advancing women’s leadership, and a town hall looking at the “IP Practice of the Future—A View from Intellectual Property Offices (IPOs), In-House, and Law Firm Leaders.”

The timely education programming will be complemented by a multitude of business development and social networking opportunities. They include 171 Table Topics with 2,052 seats and with corporate members moderating 45 of these small group discussions; 150 Speed Networking session with 1,800 seats; 15 Corporate Meet-up sessions with 180 seats; 31 social networking sessions with 10,425 seats; and 3 Hospitality areas with 2,288 seats.

At the core of the networking opportunities is INTAconnect, a powerful 24/7 platform that serves as a registrant directory, appointment system, and matchmaking tool. It uses artificial intelligence to help registrants make connections with other registrants around the world, based on their unique profile, interests, and goals.

“This year’s industry gathering no doubt will be a very different experience than past meetings because it will be completely virtual,” Ms. Deutsch said. “But it has given our team the exciting opportunity to be creative—to innovate and expand our offerings to give the INTA community a very rich experience.”

Registration for the 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting is open until October 30. Special pricing is available for organizations sending larger teams. Learn more.

About the International Trademark Association (INTA)
The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a global association of brand owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and related intellectual property (IP) to foster consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation. Members include nearly 6,500 organizations, representing more than 34,350 individuals (trademark owners, professionals, and academics) from 185 countries, who benefit from the Association’s global trademark resources, policy development, education and training, and international network. Founded in 1878, INTA is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Brussels, Santiago, Shanghai, Singapore, and Washington, D.C., and representatives in Geneva and New Delhi. For more information, visit inta.org.