Paugh succeeds Chris Israel, who took up the role in July 2005, after Congress created the position in order “to strengthen US government coordination, revitalize the Council and provide renewed focus and leadership”.
Israel has joined PCT Government Relations, a bipartisan public policy advisory firm focused on IP issues and technology, as managing partner.
Paugh previously served as senior adviser to secretary of commerce Carlos Gutierrez.
As US coordinator for international intellectual property enforcement, Paugh will be responsible for coordinating policies and programs to enforce IP rights overseas through both the Administration’s STOP! Initiative, the Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy, and the National Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Coordination Council.
In the coming months, Paugh’s agenda includes trips to China, Russia, India, and Brazil, some of the key countries in the war against global counterfeiting and piracy.