EPO appoints three new vice presidents
The European Patent Office (EPO) yesterday announced the appointment of three new vice presidents.
UK-based Stephen Rowan, Christoph Ernst from Germany and Austria-based Nellie Simon were all appointed as vice presidents at an Administrative Council (AC) meeting.
Rowan, Ernst and Simon will take up their new positions on January 1, 2019 for a five-year tenure.
The news comes after António Campinos took up the reins as president of the EPO in July.
Rowan was appointed vice president directorate of the EPO’s general patent-granting processing, where he will succeed Alberto Casado Cerviño. Rowan is currently director of patents, trademarks, designs and tribunals at the UK Intellectual Property Office.
He has also served as head of the UK delegation at World Intellectual Property Organization conferences, and as head of the UK delegation at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
In his new position, he will be responsible for the patent-granting process from start to finish.
Robert Watson, partner at UK-based Mewburn Ellis, said that Rowan will bring a lot of experience to the role.
“He also has a history of user outreach and involvement that will hopefully continue in his new role,” said Watson.
“Although a great deal of his background is in the trademark field, he has held a broad range of roles, including working in the UK Prime Minister’s strategy unit.”
Meanwhile, Ernst will take up the post of vice president directorate of the EPO’s general legal and international affairs, succeeding fellow German Raimund Lutz.
Ernst is currently head of directorate at the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection and has served as chairman of the EPO’s AC since October 2017.
He will be in charge of European and international co-operation, patent law and multilateral affairs, legal services, patent information and the European Patent Academy.
Simon will be taking over from Željko Topić as vice president directorate of the EPO’s general corporate services, where she was will be responsible for support services including human resources, information management and finances.
Currently, Simon is head of cabinet and acting director of the academy at the EUIPO. She was also the director of the EUIPO’s digital transformation department from 2012 to 2018.
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