The IP Federation has elected a new President, Matthew Hitching, effective from 8th July 2022.
Matthew has 30 years of experience as a UK Chartered Patent Attorney and European patent attorney. Following private practice in central London, he joined Canon in 2007 and has represented Canon at the IP Federation since 2018.
Since joining Canon, Matthew has been involved in oppositions, appeals, and patent litigation in major European countries, as well as US patent litigation. His IP work also includes aspects of brand management, competition law, anti-counterfeit activities, standardisation activities and contractual IP issues.
Matthew will be assisted by Immediate Past President of the IP Federation, Sonia Cooper. Sonia is an assistant general counsel in Microsoft's intellectual property group and leads IP policy globally for the open innovation team. She has over 20 years of experience in private practice and industry. Sonia is a UK Chartered Patent Attorney and European patent attorney and has represented Microsoft on the Council of the IP Federation since 2017 and chairs the IP Federation Data & Copyright Committee.
Both Sonia and Matthew will work closely with the newly-elected Vice-President of the IP Federation, Danny Keenan. Danny is a European patent attorney with almost 20 years of experience managing patents, designs, trade secrets and technology-related agreements. He works for Unilever, heading the global nutrition patent team. Danny has represented Unilever on the IP Federation since 2016 and chairs the IP Federation Copyright & Design Committee.
The IP Federation represents the views of UK industry in both IPR policy and practice matters within the EU, the UK and internationally.