News story

IP attaché in Brazil appointed to support UK businesses

Today, the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced Sheila Alves as the new IP attache for Brazil at UK Trade and Investment’s Brazil Business…

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Today, the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced Sheila Alves as the new IP attache for Brazil at UK Trade and Investment’s Brazil Business Day event at Lancaster House.

Sheila Alves will be based in the British Embassy in Brasilia, working with representatives from UKTI and the Foreign and Commonwealth office. The position is central to the government’s plans to enhance trade relations and to support IP and innovation-led businesses abroad.

Minister for Intellectual Property Baroness Wilcox said:

“The UK has enjoyed a strong trading relationship with Brazil for over two centuries and investment in both directions has increased in recent years. Bilateral trade between our countries reached almost £9 billion in 2011. I very much welcome the appointment of Sheila Alves, to cover this crucial market where IP matters are so important for UK businesses looking to operate there.

“Sheila has worked in both the public and private sectors. Her previous roles include managing IP and technology transfer projects and providing support to foreign investors on IP. The valuable practical experience Sheila brings makes her ideally placed to build on the UK’s links with the Brazilian government and to provide British businesses with the support they have been asking for on intellectual property matters.”

Sheila Alves said:

“Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world with one of the most rapidly developing economies so the potential market for British goods and services is enormous.

My experience at Apex-Brasil, the Brazilian trade and investment promotion agency has provided me the opportunity to understand the difficulties faced by foreign investors trying to navigate the IP framework here. This is why I am really looking forward to making a positive impact for UK businesses which are already operating in, or looking to access the Brazilian market.”

Brazil has a large middle income population with an appetite for quality goods and services. In recent years, UK companies have prospered in Brazil in the oil and gas, banking, automotive and information and communications technology sectors amongst others.

Sheila Alves will start work on 13 August 2012.

Notes to editors

  1. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and is responsible for the national framework of Intellectual Property rights, comprising patents, designs, trade marks and copyright.

  2. The IPO’s role is to help manage an IP system that encourages innovation and creativity, balances the needs of consumers and users, promotes strong and competitive markets and is the foundation of the knowledge-based economy.

  3. The IPO operates in a national and an international environment and its work is governed by national and international law, including various international treaties relating to Intellectual Property (IP) to which the United Kingdom is a party.

  4. Sheila Alves is the third IP attache to be appointed by the IPO. Tom Duke, appointed in December 2011 is based in China, and Anshika Jha appointed in May 2012 is based in India.

  5. For media queries, please contact Veena Mapara on 0207 215 5614.
    For emergency media calls out-of-hours please contact the duty press officer at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on +44 (0) 207 215 3505.

  6. The Government’s economic policy objective is to achieve ‘strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries.’ It set four ambitions in the ‘Plan for Growth’ (PDF 1.7MB), published at Budget 2011:

  • To create the most competitive tax system in the G20

  • To make the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business

  • To encourage investment and exports as a route to a more balanced economy

  • To create a more educated workforce that is the most flexible in Europe.

Work is underway across Government to achieve these ambitions, including progress on more than 250 measures as part of the Growth Review. Developing an Industrial Strategy gives new impetus to this work by providing businesses, investors and the public with more clarity about the long-term direction in which the Government wants the economy to travel.

  1. BIS’s online newsroom contains the latest press notices and speeches, as well as video and images for download. It also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom for more information.

Notes to Editors

Contact Information

Name BIS Press Office Job Title

Division Department for Business, Innovation & Skills Phone

Fax

Mobile

Email bispress.releases@bis.gsi.gov.uk

Name Veena Mapara Job Title

Division Department for Business, Innovation & Skills Phone 020 7215 5614 Fax

Mobile

Email veena.mapara@bis.gsi.gov.uk

Published 11 August 2012