EPO makes UKIPO director a vice-president

EPO makes UKIPO director a vice-president

Stephen Rowan 168

The European Patent Office has appointed Stephen Rowan as vice-president for its patent granting process

Stephen Rowan

The European Patent Office appointed a UK Intellectual Property Office director as the vice president for its patent granting process today.

Stephen Rowan, currently director of patents, trade marks, designs and tribunals at the UKIPO, will succeed Alberto Casado Cervino of Spain on January 1 2019.

Rowan was chosen by the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation, the organisation’s legislative body, and will serve in the role for five years.

“This is great news for Steve and for the UKIPO,” a UKIPO spokesperson tells Managing IP. “We wish him all the best in this challenging role.”

The EPO's directorate-general patent granting process is responsible for the entire patent granting process, including search, examination, publication, opposition and related formalities.

Rowan joined the UKIPO in 1991 and has since held several operational and tribunal roles there.

He has also worked on a wide range of IP policy issues as deputy director of the International and Copyright and IP Enforcement Directorates and was head of the UK delegation to the Beijing and Marrakesh Diplomatic Conferences.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

News of an alliance between two Malaysian law firms and the launch of a self-help video aimed at supporting IP professionals through menopause were also among the top talking points
Speakers at the EUIPO’s IP Mediation Conference discussed how lawyers can act in tandem with clients during mediation, and the importance of showing a united front
A report that revealed top legal LinkedIn influencers are generating hundreds of thousands in advertising value is the push lawyers need to up their social media presence
Speakers at the EUIPO’s Mediation Conference say mediation can offer a ‘cathartic’ and effective alternative to litigation that IP owners should consider
Partner Scott Sudderth says he is looking forward to building strong client relationships and expanding the firm’s patent practice
Find out which firms secured the most nominations for Managing IP’s Asia-Pacific Awards 2025, ahead of the winners being revealed on November 6
Raluca Vasilescu joins our ‘Five minutes with’ series to discuss patent mining and watercolour painting
Jan Phillip Rektorschek, founding partner at Pentarc in Germany, explains why the firm broke away from Taylor Wessing and discusses its plans for staying competitive
Royal Mail Group wins copyright and database right infringement case, in a dispute that can be linked to the history of postcodes in the UK
Managing partner Mark O’Donnell explains why people are at the centre of the Australian outfit’s investment focus and how being independent benefits the firm
Gift this article