Brandit, an intellectual property consultancy, is to merge with Swedish brand protection company Ports Group, it can be revealed.
The new combination will expand its focus on cyber-related IP issues and domain names.
Ports Group, which has offices in Gothenburg, Stockholm and Malmö, is known for its expertise in domain name portfolio management. Brandit has offices across Europe and beyond – it recently launched in Norway and Turkey – and is a full-service IP consultancy firm.
The combined firm will have 11 offices in Europe and Turkey.
Magdalena Bonde, Ports Group chief executive (CEO), will lead the new company. Jesper Knudsen, Brandit’s current CEO, will become global managing partner.
Knudsen told Managing IP that the merger was not expected to result in redundancies but was a growth rather than a cost-cutting exercise.
“The goal is to create a leading European IP powerhouse,” he said.
The companies will retain their own branding for the time being but have hired an external consultant to advise on any potential name change.
Knudsen told Managing IP that Brandit had been approached several times in recent months but that, until now, it had rejected those opportunities.
“We have to be honest about what areas we are strong in and where we still need work. If you look at the services we both offer, in each area where we are weak, they are strong, and vice versa.”
Last year, Managing IP revealed that Brandit was to be the first European IP firm to launch a metaverse office.
