This adds an extra dimension to the list, comparing the different roles of companies, politicians and IP offices, and we hope it will stimulate some debate.
If you want to take part in that discussion, please comment on the stories online or join us on LinkedIn or Twitter (#MIP50)
1
Larry Page
Larry Page may not have guessed he would become a pivotal figure for IP, but as four high-profile cases pan out against Google across patents, trade marks and copyright, that’s exactly what he and his company have become
2
Francis Gurry
When representatives of WIPO member states met in Beijing last month and signed a treaty, it was the first significant international IP agreement in 15 years.
3
David Kappos
With the 2012 US presidential election imminent, David Kappos may be nearing the end of his reign – but for now he is leading the US into a new era of patent law
4
Tian Lipu
IP rights in China have developed at a breakneck pace under Tian Lipu’s stewardship; what else does he have in store for the world’s second largest market?
5
Kerstin Jorna
Kerstin Jorna has to steer Europe’s unitary patent package through some particularly choppy political waters. If she can do it, proponents say patent applicants can expect to save thousands of dollars
6
Bernd Schlömer
The chairman of Germany’s Pirate Party believes in liquid democracy but not copyright. Now his biggest test is to build on the Party's early electoral success
7
Chief Judge Randall Rader
The chief judge of the US patent court says the economy depends on patents
8
Nicola Roxon
Nicola Roxon took on Big Tobacco with a law in Australia that prioritises public health over trade mark rights. IP owners will wait to see which countries – and which products – could be next
9
Judge Toshiaki Iimura
Already known as Japan’s IP maverick, Toshiaki Iimura is now in a position to fundamentally change the country’s IP landscape
10
Christian Louboutin
An unlikely candidate for the Top 50, Christian Louboutin has become embroiled in a trade mark fight that could change the way colour marks are protected and clarify aesthetic functionality
The rest of the Top 50 AMERICAS ASIA EUROPE AND AFRICA What do you think of the Top 10? Have your say by using the comment function at the top of the page, or join us on LinkedIn or Twitter (#MIP50)
