UKIPO names new CEO

Adam Williams has been appointed chief executive and comptroller-general of the UKIPO, the office announced today, December 13.

Williams had served as the interim CEO since the departure of Tim Moss in September this year.

He was previously the UKIPO’s director of business and international policy, a role he had held since 2017.

“I am thrilled to have been appointed as the UKIPO CEO at this exciting time in our organisation’s history.

“We will continue striving to ensure that the UK’s IP environment remains one of the best-regarded in the world, helping unleash the opportunities of the future as we deliver on our ambitions,” Williams said.

Before he joined the UKIPO in 2009, Williams worked as an adviser to the government on military strategy.

The UKIPO said there had been a highly competitive recruitment process with candidates from inside and outside government.

Harry Rich, chair of the UKIPO steering board, said Williams had leadership experience and deep knowledge of the office.

A process to recruit a new director of business and international policy will happen in due course, the UKIPO said.

Williams’ predecessor, Moss, was broadly seen to have successfully led the UKIPO through a turbulent period after the UK left the EU.

But there could be further uncertainty ahead with the UK government’s plans to scrap, tweak or retain some EU laws that remained on the UK statute book after Brexit.

The UK is also involved in several free trade negotiations, which are likely to have significant IP implications.

A deadline for a draft deal with India was missed in October, with the UK’s IP proposals attracting criticism from non-governmental organisations and health access campaigners.