IP Management Clinic

Mr Jonathan Agmon has been practicing IP law for the past 30 years. Jonathan is a computer programmer turned lawyer. He studied law in the UK (LL.B.(Hons) and in the United States (LLM (Intellectual Property)) and is a practising attorney in the United States (New York), Israel and Singapore. He has represented numerous start-ups, medium and large corporate entities in protection, enforcement, litigation, and transactions relating to IP in various technological fields.

Jonathan maintains a diverse trademark filing portfolio for clients before several IP offices, including the USPTO and IPOS. He also specialises in mediation and arbitration, served as a mediator and arbitrator and is on numerous domain name dispute resolution panels. Jonathan continues to program on a regular basis and has of late been engaged in several blockchain and NFT projects.

Mr Winston Chan is Chief Executive Officer at FT Consulting – a Singapore-headquartered, Asia-centric IP and business consulting firm founded in 1991. Listed in “IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists” since 2018, he has 2 decades of experience in franchising, technology transfer, strategic planning, branding, innovation, and IP management projects across countries. Previously, he was an asset manager with CapitaLand Retail and has also held a management position at IPOS’ Enterprise Development Department.

Winston currently serves as a board member of IPOS International. He also lectures part-time at the Singapore Management University (SMU) and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) in strategic internationalisation, as well as IP and Innovation Management. He was first in Singapore’s IP sector to receive the SkillsFuture Fellowships award in 2019 from the President of the Republic of Singapore, and was the top student from SMU’s MSc in Innovation (2017) course.

Mr Omer Hiziroglu is a principal with Azur Strategy, an IP and innovation management consultancy firm based in France. He has twenty years of experience on technology-based transactions. His venture capital and corporate background provides him with an across-the-board experience advising clients across the innovation value chain.

His practice is primarily focused on working with technology intensive SMEs, providing portfolio management, transactional and strategic services on an international level. He is a frequent speaker on international conferences, corporate trainings as well as mentor for structuring technology transfer policies for universities.

He has a BA in Economics and International Relations from Tufts University – USA, an LL.M from University of Lausanne - Switzerland and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Suffolk University - USA. Omer is a Member of Istanbul, New York, and Massachusetts bars.

Ms Natalie Raffoul is a world-renowned IP lawyer and a partner of BRION RAFFOUL LLP, a law firm specialising in IP law that she co-founded in 2008. Natalie has been consistently ranked among the world’s leading patent practitioners in the IAM Patent 1000 publication annually since 2014, and shortlisted as one of the most Highly Recommended patent prosecutors in Canada.

Since 2020, she has been recognised in the IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists as a Global Leader, leading the way in the development and implementation of strategies that maximise the value of IP portfolios. In 2019, Natalie was appointed to Ontario, Canada’s first Expert Panel on IP. In 2021 and 2022, she led and taught several Train-the-Trainer courses for the WIPO.

Mr Dixon Soh has practised law as a private practitioner, in-house legal counsel and as a lawyer/IP Strategist in the public sector. Over the years, Dixon has advised numerous entities including MNCs and SMEs across many different industries, such as gaming (studio to platform, platform to users), e-sports, platform works such as e-commerce, digital exchanges, mobile applications, agri-tech, food-tech, med-tech, artificial intelligence and investments in relations to those businesses. As such, he is very familiar with the challenges (particularly IP issues) experienced by businesses throughout Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

He is also a proud graduate of the University of Tasmania and holds qualifications to practise law in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

• IAM Strategy 300: 2020, 2021 & 2022 (Recommended Individual)

• IAM Global Leader 2024

• Asialaw Notable IP Practitioner

• Certified IP Mediator

• Registered Management Consultant

Mr Andre Toh is a partner with more than 20 years of experience in Ernst & Young, Strategy and Transactions, in Singapore. He is the Asia Pacific Leader for Valuation, Modelling & Economics advisory. In his daily work, he assists clients in valuations, business sustainability and decision modelling. The purpose is to address his client’s capital agenda from raising to investing, optimising, and preserving capital. He has appeared as an expert in the Courts of Singapore as well as arbitration proceedings. Andre is a Chartered Valuer and Appraiser with the Institute of Valuers and Appraisers of Singapore (IVAS), a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) and a Fellow of CPA Australia.

Renee Xavier is the founder and director of Alpha & Omega Law Corporation, a Singapore law firm specialising in Intellectual Asset law since 2003, with offices in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Admitted to practice in Singapore, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, Renee is accredited with 30 years of experience in intellectual property, civil, commercial, real estate, property, banking and corporate law.

Renee has been recognised as one of the world’s leading IP strategists when she was presented the prestigious IAM Strategy 300 award by Globe Business Media Group for 3 years (2017-2019).

Today, Renee continues to champion the strategic management and deployment of IP and is passionate about helping clients commercialise and capitalise on their IP assets to generate revenue and achieve sustainable growth.

She also enjoys passing on her wealth of knowledge via teaching engagements with IPOS International/IP Academy Singapore at IPOS International, National University of Singapore,  Nanyang Technological University, and Singapore  University of Social Studies.

Mr Franck Fougere is the founder and managing director of Ananda IP, a top tier IP law firm in Thailand (Legal 500 rankings 2020-2023). Recognised as one of Thailand’s leading IP specialists, Franck’s practice areas include IP prosecution, IP management strategy, IP litigations and enforcement, anti-counterfeit strategy and IP contracts. In addition to servicing several high-profile, multinational corporations from Europe, China, Japan, the United States, India, UAE, and Southeast Asia, Franck is also a frequent speaker on cutting-edge IP issues at professional symposiums and conferences. A recognised expert, Franck is a regular lecturer in patent, trademark, and design law for the WIPO and an advisor on IP issues to various governmental institutions in Europe.

Franck is a former President of the Franco-Thaï Chamber of Commerce and serves since 2015 as Foreign Trade Advisor for the French government. He is also a former Chairman of EABC Working Group on Intellectual Property.

Paul is a global leader in the management, strategy and commercialisation of intangible assets. He is also renowned for his significant experience in technology commercialisation – helping businesses to realise the full potential of their intangible assets and articulate that value to clients, investors and acquirers.

Specialisations:

• Intangible asset identification and strategy

• Intangible asset value articulation

• Risk management and due diligence

• Intellectual property and technology commercialisation

• Acquisition or sale of businesses or business units. 

Professional:

• BE (Civil Engineering) - University of Auckland 

Karen Abraham is the Head of the Intellectual Property Department at Messrs Shearn Delamore & Co., with over 30 years of experience in IP litigation, including appearances before Malaysia’s Apex Courts.

She has played a key role in shaping Malaysia’s IP jurisprudence and regularly advises on IP rights, regulatory compliance, domain name disputes, licensing, franchising, and media laws. She also specialises in IT, e-commerce, telecommunications, and cyber law.

Karen works closely with the Malaysian Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA) on IP enforcement, crafting anti-piracy and brand protection strategies for global and local companies.

She was the first woman in Malaysia to serve on the Board of INTA and has held leadership roles in AIPPI, AIPA, IBA, and other IP organizations. Karen is also a panelist at the AIAC and a key member of the Malaysian Bar Council’s IP and Disciplinary Committees.

Kwan Chung Min is a highly experienced Singapore patent attorney specializing in intellectual property strategies tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). With a deep understanding of diverse industries, including electrical engineering, LED driver design and manufacturing, furniture manufacturing, and precision engineering, he helps businesses leverage IP to achieve their commercial goals.

Over the years, Chung Min has worked closely with both local and international SMEs to align their IP filings with business strategies, ensuring maximum value from their innovations. Recognized for his client-focused approach, he provides practical advice on protecting inventions, navigating patent landscapes, IP due diligence, and enhancing competitive advantages.

In addition to his practice, Chung Min is an Associate Faculty member at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and serves as an examiner for the Singapore Patent Agent Qualifying Examination, contributing to the professional development of aspiring IP practitioners.

Tony is a Senior Patent Attorney in the Intellectual Property Department of Yusarn Audrey LLC. 

Tony is a registered patent attorney in both Singapore and China. He is also a litigation attorney recommended by the All-China Patent Attorneys Association (ACPAA) to represent clients in patent civil and administrative lawsuits before Chinese courts.

Tony holds a Ph.D. in Technology Intelligence and IP Strategy, a Master’s in Intellectual Property Management, and a First-Class Honors Bachelor’s in Life Sciences from the National University of Singapore (NUS). He also earned a Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law (GCIP) with Merit from NUS Law School and the Singapore IP Academy and received the ASPA Book Prize for achieving the highest score in Patent Specification Drafting during the Singapore Patent Agents Qualifying Examination (2016).

With over a decade of experience in intellectual property practice, Tony specializes in drafting and prosecuting patent applications, managing patent portfolios, and advising on exploitation strategies. He has also assisted clients with patent infringement and validity analysis, freedom-to-operate clearances, and due diligence evaluations.

Tony has extensive expertise in IP information analysis, leading significant projects on patent landscape analysis for industry associations, government agencies, and large corporations. His work spans cutting-edge areas like artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, green energy, and healthcare.

Tony has a strong interest in IP research and has co-authored international journal publications on biomedical sciences and patent management, contributed to an academic book on patent portfolio deployment, and shared his insights on patent strategy at international academic conferences in Singapore, Japan, Canada, and the US.

Gilbert is the Regional IP Counsel at Yokogawa Electric International, Singapore. He is responsible for IP-related activities in Asia (excluding Japan) since 2021. His expertise includes patent portfolio management, patent preparation and prosecution, and M&A support. Before transitioning to the IP field, he held various roles in R&D and supported new business development. Gilbert is an established inventor with 40 granted US patents, which had been filed in various jurisdictions. With diverse experience, he has assisted inventors in idea creation, patent filing, and IP monetization, as well as other IP management work over the past 18 years.

Gilbert holds a Ph.D. in Information System and Electronics Engineering from Osaka University, a Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law from NUS Law School and the Singapore IP Academy, and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London External program. His current interests lie in software patents, idea creation, patent filing, and IP monetization, as well as other IP management work over the past 18 years.

Gilbert holds a Ph.D. in Information System and Electronics Engineering from Osaka University, a Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law from NUS Law School and the Singapore IP Academy, and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London External program. His current interests lie in software patents.