Interview with 2016 INTA President Ronald van Tuijl

1.    When did you begin volunteering for INTA and what roles have you held over the years?

I began volunteering for INTA almost 13 years ago after I attended my first Annual Meeting in Amsterdam in 2003. I have served on a number of committees over the years, including on the In-House Practitioner’s Committee, the In-House Trademark Counsel’s Workshop Project Team, the Government Officials Education & Training Committee, the Emerging Issues Committee, and the Programs Subcommittee for INTA’s Advanced Anticounterfeiting Strategies Conference which was hosted in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2012.

I have also spoken at several INTA meetings and seminars including the INTA / OHIM Industry Training Seminar on the Food and Beverage Industry in 2006. I first served on the Board of Directors in 2011.

2.    How has your experience with INTA supported you in your career and professional growth?

As an INTA volunteer, I have gained exposure to a whole range of IP issues across multiple industries. Having access to that breadth of knowledge ultimately makes you a better IP lawyer. Further, my INTA experience on committees and later on the Board of Directors, has provided opportunities for me with to work with so many different members and INTA staff, through which I have learned so much about a range of topics that I do not get to in my everyday job.

Then there’s the Annual Meeting. The more you attend the Annual Meetings, the more people you meet and the easier it becomes to schedule your meetings effectively and truly benefit from the experience. It’s almost a snowball effect. I have enjoyed meeting and working with all members of the INTA community and I look forward to staying involved and engaged with the Association.

3.    How has your year as the INTA President gone? What are you most proud of and what advice do you have for future presidents?

Now that the year is coming to an end, I look back and can only say that I am honored and grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as INTA’s President this year. It has been a seriously productive year for the Association and also for myself if I may say so. I am proud of our passionate and dedicated membership, who give their time and energy to INTA, and our innovative and engaging staff.

We have had great success with our international initiatives this year including opening our Asia-Pacific Representative Office in Singapore and our approved plans to open a Latin America Representative Office in Santiago, Chile, in the first quarter of 2017. We held our September board meeting in mainland China – a first for INTA – and, throughout the year, we led delegations to engage with IP stakeholders around the world and to strengthen trademark laws globally. In May, we had record attendance at our Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, and last month, we held our largest-ever Leadership Meeting, also in Florida. We had lots of ‘firsts’ this year including participating in the first Latin America forum on enforcing IP with 12 regional IP offices participating, and we hosted our first conference in Africa. My employer has been very supportive and I’ve been able to attend many of the INTA events and participate in many of the delegations.

As for advice to the next INTA President: Overextend yourself. It’s a once-in-lifetime opportunity and, before you know it, your year will be coming to an end.

4.    INTA has recently opened its Asia Pacific Representative Office in Singapore and has also announced Latin America Representative Office to open in Santiago, Chile, neat year. Please explain the purpose of these offices.

A key component of INTA’s 2014–2017 Strategic Plan is International Expansion. The establishment of these offices brings INTA closer to fulfilling this objective. Additionally, this year, we celebrated the 10^th anniversary of our Europe Representative Office in Brussels.

Similar to INTA’s existing representative offices, the new offices will work with local members, government, and other organizations in the region, to support trademarks and related-IP. Additionally, the new offices will support INTA members that seek to enter or expand their business operations in these markets. The offices will be focused on education, engagement, advocacy and communication. Further, the new offices will enable INTA to increase our public policy engagement and influence in these regions.

5.    Your IP work experience includes high-tech, consumer goods and tobacco. How do you adapt to the differences between industries and keep yourself updated with the latest development in different industry?

Indeed, I have worked as in-house counsel in various industries, also in telecommunications. As with any change, an inquisitive, flexible, proactive and positive attitude help you adapt to changes. My INTA volunteer experience has provided me with a global network of colleagues across industries who. Access to them, attending as many INTA programs and events as I can helps me keep me up-to-date on the latest industry developments and trends. And I also read the INTA Bulletin of course!

6.    As the largest trademark association in the world which has members from more than 190 countries, how does INTA balance the relationship of the members from different countries and regions?

INTA is first-and-foremost a community. I think the Association has done an amazing job of maintaining a strong sense of community as it has grown and expanded globally.  Our Board of Directors has members from across all continents and the same is true for our committee leadership.

Member Satisfaction is key component of the 2014–2017 Strategic Plan. This, coupled with the strong focus on International Expansion, has both enabled INTA to engage members globally, and for members—on every continent—to be engaged in Association activities.

7.    INTA’s membership in China is growing. How is INTA adapting to this change in its membership? Please also share some of INTA’s recent activities in China.

As mentioned above, this autumn, the Board of Directors convened in Beijing for the Association’s first-ever Board Meeting in mainland China. This underscores the tremendous importance that INTA places on China.

INTA is not only looking for more opportunities to engage with its growing Chinese membership but also working to build its relationships with key government agencies in China. The September Board Meeting, for example, was followed by a government relations program that included meetings with the  Trademark Office of The State Administration (SAIC), the China Trademark Office, the Supreme People’s Court (SPC, China’s Supreme Court), and the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board. As part of the delegation, the Board also met with the SPC’s IP Tribunal, China’s highest court.

Following the September Board Meeting, INTA signed a cooperation agreement with the Beijing Intellectual Property Protection Association (BIPPA) and the Zhongguancun Federation of Social Organizations (ZGCFSO). Through this agreement, INTA aims to build more cooperation with tech firms operating in China’s Zhongguancun area around brands and brand building. We returned to China in October for the CTA’s China Trademark Festival. INTA organized a panel session, titled “Trademark Valuation and Financing.”

INTA also supports Chinese brands against bad-faith registrations and counterfeits. INTA recently surveyed its Chinese members to understand the impacts of bad-faith registration for Chinese brands outside China. 84% of respondents to the survey had previously encountered bad-faith registration cases outside China. The survey showed that bad-faith registration for Chinese brands outside China brought serious consequences to Chinese brand owners. INTA is committed to helping Chinese brands address this issue.

We look forward to returning to China in February 2017 for our annual China delegation. This will happen after our Anticounterfeiting Conference, which will take place in Hong Kong on February 6–7, 2017.

8.    What do you think are the biggest challenges that the global trademark community will face in 2017?

INTA’s priorities in 2017 will remain largely unchanged. We will remain focused on counterfeiting, Internet governance and the ever increasing threat of a branding ban, also known as plain packaging, and other types of branding restrictions. As a community, we will also focus on supporting innovation and global economic growth.

INTA will continue its efforts to represent and engage its members in all corners of world. The Association looks forward to finalizing its 2018–2021 Strategic Plan, which will be approved by the Board in early 2017. This new Strategic Plan contains a strong focus on brands, consumer trust, and innovation, and will guide the Association’s activities for the four years.

Finally, INTA looks forward to welcoming everyone to Barcelona, Spain, in May 2017, for its third Annual Meeting in Europe!

Ronald van Tuijl is Intellectual Property Trade Marks Director at JT International in Geneva, Switzerland, and the 2016 INTA President.

Resource | INTA

From | IPR Daily

Editor | Judy