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Our governance

The main steering board, audit committee and other governance groups of the IPO.

Our governance.

The Intellectual Property Office Framework Document Intellectual Property Office Framework Document (PDF, 121KB) specifies the governance arrangements that apply to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). This details the responsibilities of the Chief Executive, the main steering board, audit committee and other governance groups of the IPO. It also sets out the framework of policy, planning, accountability and delegations within which the Intellectual Property Office operates.

IPO Steering Board

Our steering board advises ministers on the strategies, performance and targets set out in our corporate plan. It also provides commercial guidance on our operation and development.

Board meetings

Summaries from each meeting are available:

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

April 2008 to July 2013

Board minutes from are available in the National Archives and to a request a copy of minutes from a previous meeting, please email secretariat@ipo.gov.uk.

Board members

Members of the board are:

  • Bob Gilbert CBE, Chair, Independent board member, Non-Executive Chairman of Paintbox Group and Chairman of High Value Manufacturing Catapult
  • Gareth Davies, Director General of Business and Science, BEIS
  • Sean Dennehey - Acting Chief Executive and Comptroller General, Intellectual Property Office
  • Gary Austin, Independent board member, Deputy Chair of East Midlands NHS Ambulance Trust
  • Iain Maclean, Independent board member, Co-founder and partner of The Maclean Partnership
  • Tim Suter, Independent board member, Managing Director of Perspective Associates
  • Nora Nanayakkara, Independent board member, Director of Business Development, Demys
  • Dr Andrew Mackintosh, Chair of Sphere Fluidics Limited
  • Mandy Haberman, Creative Director of Haberman Products

IPO Audit and Risk Committee

The audit committee is a sub-committee of our board. The committee looks at our corporate governance, accounts, internal audits and external audits, and assesses how well we are meeting the requirements that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills places on executive agencies.

Committee meetings

The committee meets 4 times a year. To a request a copy of minutes from a previous meeting, email secretariat@ipo.gov.uk.

Committee members

Members of the committee are:

  • Gary Austin, chair
  • Nora Nanayakkara
  • Paul Layland

The obligatory attendees are:

  • Sean Dennehey, Intellectual Property Office Acting Chief Executive Comptroller-General and Patents Director
  • Neil Hartley, Intellectual Property Office Finance Director

Attendees by invitation are:

  • Intellectual Property Office Executive Directors
  • Jon Whitfield, CEO, Government Internal Audit Agency, GIAA
  • other GIAA internal auditors
  • Helen Rossiter, National Audit Office
  • Intellectual Property Office external auditors

Patent Practice Working Group

The Patent Practice Working Group (PPWG) provides the Intellectual Property Office with users’ views on patent practice issues. PPWG meetings are attended by representatives from the patents organisations below.

If you would like further details about the PPWG please contact enquiries@ipo.gov.uk.

Membership

Sean Dennehey, Chair

Professional representatives and organisations represented

  • Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA): Stuart Forrest and Harry Harden
  • IP Federation: Ruth Barcock and David Litherland
  • British Association of The International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys: Liz Dawson and Simon Rees
  • ideas21: Richard Gallafent

The purpose of the Copyright Advisory Panel is to provide a forum for IPO and a broad range of representatives of the creative industries to discuss issues of common interest in copyright policy making, with an emphasis on horizon-scanning for factors that should be taken into account at an early stage of policy development.

Terms of reference

  • Tim Suter – Non Executive Director, IPO (Chair)
  • Geoff Taylor – CEO, British Phonographic Industry
  • Susie Winter - Director of Policy and Communications, The Publishers Association
  • Crispin Hunt – CEO, Featured Artists Coalition
  • Magnus Brooke – ‎Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, ITV
  • Maureen Duffy – Writer, Poet, President of Honour of British Copyright Council and Author’s Licensing and Collecting Society
  • Bill Bush – Executive Director, Premier League
  • Gilane Tawadros – CEO, Designers and Artists Copyright Society
  • Julian Ashworth – Global Director of Industry Policy, British Telecom
  • Amanda Nevill – CEO, British Film Institute
  • Hamish Crooks - Global Licensing Director, Magnum Photos
  • Stephen Edwards – Partner, ReedSmith
  • Ros Lynch – Director, Copyright and Enforcement Directorate (CED), IPO

Meeting Minutes

2017

2016

2015

2014

Contact details

Contact details: copyright.advisorypanel@ipo.gov.uk

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