Reflecting on the 20th FICPI Open Forum

A special message from FICPI President, Julian Crump. 

I think the three days of presentations and discussions really lived up to all expectations.

There was so much packed into these three days:

• So many fascinating topics in the working sessions.

• So many insights from FICPI’s amazing community of incredible IP professionals. 

• And great opportunities to enjoy a little fun and socialise with each other.

The 2021 Open Forum once again highlighted for me the strength we gain collectively from being members of the trusted FICPI global network of independent IP professionals – and, especially, the value of this particular meeting.

 

Sponsorship
First, let me say a special thank you to FICPI’s first – inaugural – sponsor - Vakhnina and Partners of Moscow, Russia. We are delighted to welcome them as a sponsor for the remainder of this year and throughout 2022.  


Marquee event in the global IP calendar
The Open Forum – along with our World Congress every three years – is FICPI’s marquee event, with a reputation for delivering some of the best working sessions and best presenters in the global IP calendar.

It is also the premier occasion when the FICPI community comes together to renew old friendships and make new ones. Admittedly, this has been tricky online during the Pandemic, but this year in particular, through the Wonder networking platform, the social events and even just the chat sidebar during events, I felt the special FICPI sparks of comradery and enjoyment were alive and well, waiting to be stoked back into an inferno next year in Cannes. 

This was the 2nd year that the Forum has been a virtual event.

Of course, we hope to return to in-person meetings very soon, including September 2022 for our World Congress in Cannes.

 

Your Virtual Open Forum team 
The enhanced delivery and member experience of this year’s event was another example of how far we have travelled as an organisation in adopting digital communications during the pandemic.

It would be very remiss of me not to thank the many FICPI members who spent literally hundreds of hours organising the Forum, supported by the hardworking FICPI Secretariat. There are too many people to name each one, and there would be a danger that I would omit someone.

Let me at least give a shout out to our Secretary General, Roberto Pistolesi, who led the organising team; the Progamme Manager, my Vice President, Ivan Ahlert; and I also would to give special thanks to FICPI’s wonderful Administrator, Rebecca Sandland, without whom this virtual event simply could not have happened.

Many of the team are pictured, plus of course all the other FICPI members who put huge amounts of time and energy into liaising with speakers, organising social events, publicising the event and taking part in our networking events.   Upcoming FICPI events

More international in-person meetings are being planned, including the 2022 Congress to be held in Cannes next 26-30 September next year.

However, the innovations and new skills that FICPI and its members have embraced to stay connected during the global pandemic, have made us a stronger and more effective community – for the long-term benefit of us all.

Even though we will resume in-person events, I am confident that as we move forwards we will also continue to make use of online meetings for at least some of EXCO agenda, to focus the in-person meetings on more engaging issues, and to reduce our carbon footprint as we continue to advocate on behalf of the profession visiting IP offices.

As we reflect on this event, I want to thank you all for your contributions and participation in this, the landmark 20th FICPI Open Forum.

And I very much look forward to seeing you all in person next year, at the FICPI World Congress, Cannes.

Thank you and goodbye for now.

Julian Crump, President, FICPI

Update (11 March 2022): Vakhnina & Partners and FICPI have agreed to put the sponsorship on hold for the time being due to the circumstances in the Ukraine