Women in Patents: Future-Proofing your Organisation

Diversity and equality have shot to the top of the agenda for many large corporations, including the IP world, with more attention than ever before being paid to the lack of gender balance.

The latest instalment of IAM’s IPBC Connect – Women in Patents Asia initiative was held on 25th March 2021. Our Senior Partner, Archana Shanker, was among the lead participants of the open discussion forum, “Women in Patents: future-proofing your organisation”. 

Highlighting the plight of the women in the workforce, Archana said, “Women are sometimes reluctant to take up higher positions because they have faced disappointments in the past. Instead, we must first be self-driven and tell ourselves ‘we can do it”. 

Among the other participants were:

• Olivia Koentjoro, Director of IP Analytics Center of Excellence, Applied Materials; Jane Perrier, Co-Founder & Managing Principal, ipervescence,

• Alexandra (Pu) Yang, IP Litigation Partner, Fangda Partners;

• Becky White, GM, Intellectual Property, Xero;

• Yuka Tsubouchi, Counsellor, World Intellectual Property Organization; and

• Smita Raktawan, Patent Consultant,Tata Consultancy Services.

The forum examined ways to increase gender diversity in the patent industry, and ensure that gains in representation can be sustained.

Read more:

• Women in Business award – Euromoney; Expert Guides; WIPF
• Patents matters that have been featured case studies in the FT Innovative Lawyers Asia-Pacific
• IAM Rankings