Asia Files World's 55.7 Percent IPs
As technology becomes more intertwined with daily life, intellectual property (IP) conflicts have surged globally. The Asian continent has kept pace with this trend. Asia continues to lead in international patent filings through WIPO, representing 55.7 percent of the total in 2024, a significant increase from 40.3 percent in 2012. It’s been only weeks since a Japanese supplier of semiconductor test equipment recently secured a $20 million settlement of a JAMS dispute with a Singapore rival – months after a California court found the arbitrator overstepped his authority by issuing discovery subpoenas against non-parties. In truth, protecting IP has always been a crucial aspect of a product company’s growth.
Additionally, given the prevailing cut-throat competition across markets, scandals, financial crises, and the globalization of anything & everything, it could create stumbling blocks in your organization’s journey, not to mention the dynamic and swiftly evolving compliance landscape. Compliance is increasingly becoming a facet of continuing success stories. Ethical guidance and long-term risk management are paramount, whether a startup or an established organization.
Hence, the role of a Chief Legal Officer has become increasingly important and complex while undergoing a lot of transformation over the past few years, especially in Asia. In truth, organizations worldwide now need CLOs to manage the IP & compliance department similarly to operational units and, in turn, directly contribute to organizational growth. In this issue, we shed light on a few CLOs who lead by example. We dedicate this special issue to the CLOs in Asia. Do let us know your thoughts.