Swansea intellectual property expert to lead UN project

A Welsh project on IP protection has been so successful that the United Nations has invited Andrew Beale, the man behind the project to help them advise small businesses across the world.

Andrew Beale, a legal expert at Swansea University’s School of Law will be seconded to the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva.

Whilst working for the UN Mr Beale has been tasked with producing a handbook entitled, Intellectual Asset Strategies for Open Innovation. It is hoped that the handbook will help small business to identify and assess the value of its IP and then to advise on the best way of protecting it.

Mr Beale, Director of the IP Wales initiative, which is part funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and European Union. The initiative has advised more than 750 Welsh businesses, leading to more than 200 patents, 60 trade marks and 25 IP licensing agreements.

Mr Beale said, "Many companies fail to appreciate the value of their intellectual property. This can lead to real commercial and financial difficulties, especially for smaller businesses. Taking steps to manage and protect IP can give companies much greater commercial freedom and a legally enforceable monopoly in their marketplace."