3RD AnnuaL
IP Dealmakers
Europe
May 11-13, 2026
RoYAL garden hotel LONDON
Get Updates
If you’d like to know as soon as more information is available, please join the Dealmakers email list below.
About The Event
Driving IP Transactions
Where IP Deals Get Done, and Strategic Advantage is Sharpened.
Returning to London for its next edition, IP Dealmakers Europe brings together a powerful community of IP leaders, innovators, investors, and decision-makers from across Europe and beyond.
This 2 1/2 day forum is designed for senior executives and strategic stakeholders who are actively shaping IP strategies, pursuing high-value collaborations, and driving deals that matter.
This is not another networking exercise. Here, you can expect:
- Insight from market leaders: Practical, deal-relevant perspectives from senior IP executives at the forefront of innovation and commercialization.
- Strategic networking: Curated one-to-one meetings and a tightly vetted audience ensure every connection advances live opportunities.
- High-level deal focus: Expert speakers share strategies on IP investment, portfolio management, and cross-border trends.
Maximize your Dealmakers experience: IP Dealmakers Europe runs alongside the 3rd Annual LF Dealmakers Europe. Book a combined ticket to access both forums and enjoy enhanced networking, cross-sector insight, and seamless dealmaking opportunities.
92percent
Overall networking was rated very good to excellent
90percent
Program quality was rated very good to excellent
88percent
1:1 Meetings were rated very good to excellent
STATS FROM DEALMAKERS EUROPE 2025
Dealmakers by the numbers
260
Makers
8+
Hours of dedicated networking
40
EXPERT
SPEAKERS
120+
one to one
meetings
sponsorship opportunities
Become a sponsor
2025 agenda
The 2026 program is in development. Get updates and inquire about sponsoring in 2026 below.
Get Updates
If you’d like to know as soon as more information is available, please join the Dealmakers email list below.
Please note: This event will be co-located with the 3rd Annual LF Dealmakers Europe. If you would like to attend sessions at both events, register with an all access ticket.
DAY ONE: MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2025
DAY TWO: TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2025
- The biggest deals, awards and settlements
- Opportunities and challenges
- Predictions for 2025 and beyond
Speakers:
- Shai Silverman, SVP, Contingent Risk, CAC Specialty (moderator)
- Mathen Ganesan, EVP, Invention Investment Fund, Intellectual Ventures
- Stavros Kyris, Chief Strategy, Operating and Financial Officer, Nokia
- Anup Misra, Managing Director, IP, Curiam Capital
- Emily O’Neill, Head of Patents, BAT
- Speaking the Board’s language
- Linking IP to products, opportunity and returns
- Proving the value
Speakers:
- Cassandra Derham, Head of Technical IP, Amadeus
- Annick Vandorpe, IP Value Creation and Strategy, Amadeus
- Building a UPC “playbook” for patent owners
- When to use the UPC as a tool to drive licensing results
- Mitigating the invalidity risk presented by the Central Division and by parallel EPO opposition proceedings
- Coordinating the role of the UPC in a multinational litigation strategy
Speakers:
- Michael T. Renaud, Chair, IP Division, Mintz (moderator)
- Jako Eleveld, VP, Head of IP Licensing, Philips
- Emily O’Neill, Head of Patents, BAT
- Bernhard Thum, Founding Partner, Thum & Partner
- Tobias Wuttke, Partner, Bardehle Pagenberg
Attendees can either book one-to-one meetings or continue the conversation in the networking area, where a selection of desserts will complement both structured roundtables and casual networking opportunities.
- Shifting battlegrounds: Has the UK lost its shine?
- Global tensions: The WTO’s probe into China rate setting
- Key methodologies for valuing licenses
Speakers:
- Alexandra Brodie, Partner, Gowling WLG (moderator)
- Clemens Heusch, Global Head of Litigation, Nokia
- Robert Pocknell, Director, Fair Standards Alliance
- Kevin Scott, Licensing Program Leader UMTS/LTE/Wireless Power, Philips
- Hotspots for convergence and where AI falls into this
- What licensors and licensees must do to capitalise on the shift
- Who’s driving the next wave of pooling and how they are shaping the landscape
Speakers:
- Leonid Kravets, VP & Head of M&A, InterDigital (moderator)
- Harold Barrault, VP, Licensing, Orange
- Ilkka Rahnasto, President, Avanci Solutions
- Claudia Ritter, VP, Digital IP and IP Operations, BASF
- Ensuring IP expertise is embedded in every deal
- Shifting from reactive to proactive
- Common pitfalls and costly mistakes
Speakers:
- Charles Clark, Founder, IP Arkitek (moderator)
- Julio Fonseca, Senior IP Counsel, ASML
- Daniel Northway, Head of IP, Ceres Power
- Helen Waugh, Interim Lead for Defence and Security, Ploughshare
9:00 AM – 5:30 PM:
ONE-TO-ONE MEETINGS
Participants have the option to schedule 30-minute meetings utilising our desktop or mobile app. Registered attendees will receive an invitation to login to the app the week prior to the event.
DAY THREE: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2025
Speaker:
Tudor Brown, Co-Founder, ARM Holdings & Independent Director, Ceres Power & Marvell Semiconductor
- Surviving Trump 2.0 and the China challenge
- EU SEP regulation: Withdrawn but not abandoned?
- Maximising IP’s impact with minimal resources
Speakers:
- Frank Tietze, Professor & Head, Innovation and IP Management Laboratory, University of Cambridge (moderator)
- Sean Alexander, Head of IP, Umicore Group
- Douglas Gordon, Head of IP, Leonardo
- Rachel Kelly, Head of IP – Hydrogen Technologies and Corporate Research, Johnson Matthey
Step inside the minds of top negotiators as they unveil the strategies, tactics and hidden levers that rarely make it into textbooks. This session will reveal what truly drives success at the negotiation table. Whether you’re a seasoned dealmaker or looking to sharpen your edge, expect exclusive takeaways that could redefine your next big deal.
Speakers:
- Charles Eldering, CEO, CAsE Analysis (moderator)
- Kurt Brasch, Director of Patent Transactions, Uber
- Johanna Dwyer, CEO, QipWorks
- Fred Fabricant, Founding Partner, Fabricant LLP
- Risk vs reward
- GenAI and inventorship
- AI-powered monetisation: What’s reshaping value creation?
Speakers:
- James Liao, Head of Business Development, Patlytics (moderator)
- Farnaz Massoumian, IP Strategy and Commercialisation Lead, Vodafone Group
- Miguel Soriano, Patent Filing and Prosecution Director, JT International
- Jatinder Summan, Vice President, Associate General Counsel, Head of Digital, Privacy and Cybersecurity, GSK
- Protecting and mitigating risk
- Turning secrets into profits
- Investable assets?
Speakers:
- John Hull, Teaching Fellow, Queen Mary University (moderator)
- Mark Chadwick, Head of IP, Meatable
- Yann Dietrich, Head of IP and R&D, Eviden
- Stephanie Southwick, Senior Investment Counselor, Law Finance Group
9:00 AM – 3:30 PM:
ONE-TO-ONE MEETINGS
Participants have the option to schedule 30-minute meetings utilising our desktop or mobile app. Registered attendees will receive an invitation to login to the app the week prior to the event.
2025 SPEAKERs
The 2026 program is in development. Get updates and Enquire about speaking in 2026 below.
Get Updates
If you’d like to know as soon as more information is available, please join the Dealmakers email list below.
2025 KEYNOTE SPEAKER
TUDOR BROWN
Co-Founder, ARM Holdings &
Independent Director,
Ceres Power & Marvell Semiconductor
Tudor Brown
CO-FOUNDER, ARM & INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR, CERES POWER & MARVELL SEMICONDUCTOR
Tudor Brown, MBE, was one of the founding members of ARM Holdings plc based in Cambridge, UK, where he spent over 20 years until his retirement in 2012. He began as a principal engineer and later assumed other roles, including Chief Technical Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and President. He is currently an independent director on the boards of Marvell Semiconductor (US), and Ceres Power (UK), and has previously sat on the boards of: Lenovo, SMIC, Xperi, Garrison, P2i, and various advisory boards.
His many roles in ARM and subsequent board roles have given him a deep understanding of the technologies involved and also the business models, partner engagements and legal and financial disciplines critical to the success of technology companies.
Mr. Brown received an MA degree in Electrical Sciences from Cambridge University. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
2025 FEATURED SPEAKERs
Sean Alexander
Head of IP
Umicore Group
Sean Alexander
HEAD OF IP, UMICORE GROUP
Sean Alexander is Head of Intellectual Property at Umicore, a leading materials science company. Sean is a qualified European Patent Attorney, as well as a U.S. and Canadian Patent Agent. He has worked in the IP field for many years including with Procter & Gamble, DSM, Eli Lilly, and Gowlings WLG. Sean has been recognized as a leading IP strategist by IAM magazine and has a particular focus on aligning IP with business objectives.
Harold Barrault
VP, Patent Licensing
Orange
Harold Barrault
VP, PATENT LICENSING, ORANGE
Harold Barrault was appointed VP Licensing at Orange Group in 2017, in the Intellectual Property & Licensing department, part of Orange Research. This fully integrated business unit manages patents, licensing, partnerships, and all associated legal matters. His team specializes in patent licensing, patent portfolio strategy, and business intelligence.
With a background in business and information technology, Harold brings over 25 years of international experience, including expatriation in Silicon Valley, Madagascar, and Poland.
Prior to his current role, he led innovation initiatives for Orange affiliates in Spain, England, and Romania. His career includes diverse roles in information technology companies of all sizes, from start-ups to large enterprises. He has held positions ranging from technical expert to product marketing, large project management, transformation programs, business development, managing director, and entrepreneur.
Kurt Brasch
Director, Patent Transactions
Uber
Kurt Brasch
DIRECTOR, PATENT TRANSACTIONS, UBER
Kurt Brasch is the director of patent transactions at Uber. Mr. Brasch focuses on reducing patent risk for Uber by leading inbound licensing negotiations, closing all patent transactions and managing cooperative community engagement. He was hired by Uber in 2016 to inorganically grow the patent portfolio to ready the company for the 2019 initial public offering (IPO). He is also the Co-Founder and President of Allied Transportation Association, an organization focused on reducing IP risk in the burgeoning automotive and broader transportation industries.
He is known for his innovative IP programs, having launched and managed Uber’s UP3 Patent Purchase Program in April 2017, and in September 2018 Mr Brasch was ranked 35th in IAM’s Top 40 Global Market Makers. Before joining Uber in October 2016, Kurt led strategic initiatives and patent divestitures for Google’s patent transactions team in addition to heading up multiple patent licence negotiations. He was named as one of the Top 10 IP Personalities of 2015 by IAM for his work creating and driving Google’s Patent Purchase Promotion and the Patent Starter Program. Before Google, Mr Brasch had a 22-year career at Motorola in patent management/licensing and product management. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Arizona State University and an MBA from Northern Illinois University.
Alexandra Brodie
Partner
Gowling WLG
Alexandra Brodie
PARTNER, GOWLING WLG
Alexandra Brodie is one of the UK’s leading IP litigators. She is based in London and is described as ‘a great strategist and tactician who knows how to position for success at every level of trial’ by Chambers, as having “good strategic sense, good with clients, very commercial but absolutely on top of all the legal detail too” by Legal 500, and, by a competitor in the JUVE report as ‘an aggressive litigator’. She has also been one of MIP’s Global Top 250 Women in IP for many years running.
Alexandra has litigated all IP rights during her career and has enjoyed particular success in the SEP/FRAND arena having secured the first immediately enforceable injunction on a SEP from the UK Courts, securing the first early listing of a FRAND trial, and securing multiple technical trial wins at all levels of the UK Courts across a breadth of standardised technologies. She and her team are well versed in a wide-range of standards and the various IP Policies governing those standards. Alexandra and our multi-jurisdictional team in the UK, Europe, China and further afield also have a deep immersion in this area at a policy and anti-trust level working closely with our anti-trust, EU, trade and completion team to bring to our clients strategic, multi-jurisdictional, multi-forum solutions.
She is also co-Chair of our global firm’s Tech Sector which focusses on ensuring that our people and clients engage positively with new technologies to drive businesses forward. Recent projects have seen the sector engaging with thought leaders across the world to produce content and opportunities for our clients in fields as diverse as autonomous cars, e-tail, connected health, crypto, NFTs, brands and patents in the metaverse, digitisation of businesses, data mining and sharing and of course projects involving and created by generative AI.
Charles Clark
Founder
IP Arkitek
Kurt Brasch
FOUNDER, IP ARKITEK
Charles founded IP-Arkitek in 2021 to provide a unique service for businesses interested in commercialising their intangible assets. Services include a virtual in-house IP team and intangible asset assessments for investors. Prior to that, he has 15 years’ leadership experience working for blue chip corporates and corporate venture funds delivering IP strategic advice to maximise value of intellectual property. Charles joined the IP profession in 1999 having spent 8 years as a research physicist working in the defence sector immediately after his graduation from London University.
Mark Chadwick
Head of IP
Meatable
Mark Chadwick
HEAD OF IP, MEATABLE
Mark Chadwick is Head of Intellectual Property at Meatable. Mr Chadwick is a European Patent Attorney with more than 25 years’ experience advising on IP matters in the Life Sciences sector, working both in-house and in private practice. From 2018-2022, Mr Chadwick was Head of Intellectual Property at Biotalys in Belgium and prior to that worked in various senior IP roles at Merus, DSM and Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics. Mr Chadwick has considerable experience of patent matters relating to industrial biotechnology and the food industry and has a particular interest in IP issues relating to Access and Benefit Sharing.
Cassandra Derham
Head of Technical IP
Amadeus
Cassandra Derham
HEAD OF TECHNICAL IP, AMADEUS
Cassandra Derham started her IP career twenty five years ago and qualified as a European Patent Attorney (EPA) and Chartered Patent Attorney (CPA) in private practice in London, building on a Masters in Physics with Medical Physics from the University of Bristol. After nearly a decade in and around Gray’s Inn, Mrs Derham moved from private practice to industry, which has taken her from the South East of England (in high-tech) to the South East of France, where she works for Amadeus, a travel IT company. Mrs Derham is the head of Technical Intangibles, which is the team responsible for determining Amadeus’s IP strategy and for creating the IP portfolio including classic registered rights such as patents and designs alongside more mysterious unregistered rights such as Open Source, trade secrets, know-how and defensive publications. When not protecting the IP rights around computer-implemented inventions, Mrs Derham enjoys the offerings of the French Riviera including hiking, cycling, skiing, building sandcastles with her children and martial arts.
Yann Dietrich
Head of IP and R&D
Eviden
Yann Dietrich
HEAD OF IP AND R&D, EVIDEN
In his role, Yann and his team are managing all intellectual property, AI and also tech regulations at Atos. His main priority is to secure all intellectual property developed at Atos and leverage them to ensure the freedom to innovate of Eviden, its customers and partners. He is also deeply involved in AI governance and compliance and also support various initiatives around new technology regulations.
He is also a lecturer in several French universities and very involved in IP and AI initiatives at international level.
Johanna Dwyer
CEO
QipWorks
Johanna Dwyer
CEO, QIPWORKS
Johanna Dwyer is CEO and founder of QipWorks. QipWorks is a strategic intellectual property consulting firm empowering businesses to secure, manage, and leverage their intellectual assets for sustained growth.
Ms. Dwyer spent 12 years at Blackberry leading a team responsible for developing industry standards for mobile communications. She developed processes for identifying, managing, and monetizing investments in IP enabling licensing and commercialization opportunities. As General Manager of Federated Wireless, Ms. Dwyer positioned the company into wireless spectrum sharing. Ms. Dwyer founded the Innovation Lab for Saudi Aramco, where she developed IP strategy and technology commercialization processes, advised Aramco’s VC funds, and negotiated collaborative engagements.
Ms. Dwyer is an engineer with an MBA from MIT. She is a Senior Member of the IEEE, is on the Board of Editors for the Research-Technology Management journal, is a Certified Licensing Professional and is an inventor on over 400 worldwide patents and applications.
Charles Eldering
Founder
CAsE Analysis
Tobias Wuttke
PARTNER, BERDEHLE PAGENBERG
Dr. Tobias Wuttke is a German qualified attorney-at-law with a particular focus on UPC and cross border litigation. Influential rankings confirm his reputation as one of Germany’s leading patent litigators. Since the start of the UPC, Tobias is one of the most frequented UPC litigators. He is active in over 30 UPC proceedings before the Central Division and many Local Divisions of the UPC. His UPC experience involves high profile SEP, high tech, pharma and life science cases. Tobias also has an extensive track record before German courts whereby his expertise stems from hundreds of patent infringement and validity proceedings. Tobias regularly gives presentations on topical issues regarding patent law at universities, offices, and associations, and – as an author – he actively promotes the distribution and development of patent law.
Jako Eleveld
VP, Head of IP Licensing
Philips
Jako Eleveld
VP, HEAD OF IP LICENSING, PHILIPS
Fred Fabricant
Managing Partner
Fabricant LLP
Fred Fabricant
MANAGING PARTNER, FABRICANT LLP
Alfred R. Fabricant (Fred) is an experienced first chair trial lawyer who focuses his practice on patent, copyright, trademark and unfair competition matters.
Fred has litigated patent infringement cases in district courts throughout the United States for both patent owners and defendants including cases in the most active courts in Delaware, Texas, California, Illinois and Florida. His cases have involved a large variety of technologies including automotive, semiconductor, audio processing, LED lighting and displays, smartphone handsets, medical devices, electronic ratings systems, copy protection and anti-piracy technology, NFC and radio frequency identification systems, robotic systems, memory and storage devices, software, internet-related method and system patents, universal remote control devices, and optical systems and methods. According to “The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners” published by the IAM1000: “clients say they cannot imagine working with anyone better, hailing (Fabricant’s) outstanding skills of presentation and persuasion in the courtroom.”
Fred has represented clients in patent matters before the International Trade Commission. He has also appeared in more than 100 inter partes review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeals Board. Fred has argued numerous appeals before the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Federal, Second and Fourth Circuits where he has represented both appellants and appellees in a variety of matters.
Since 2008. Fred has handled a large number of cases that have been financed, in whole or in part, by litigation funders. He has also represented litigation funds as outside diligence counsel and is frequently recommended by litigation funders to claimants for both lead counsel representation in litigation as well as for IPR work before the PTAB.
In addition to his litigation experience, Fred routinely acts as a legal counselor and advisor in the negotiation and drafting of patent, trademark and copyright license agreements, joint venture and funding agreements, and other business contracts. Fred also specializes in IP due diligence, freedom to operate analyses and strategies for the management and monetization of IP portfolios, a topic on which he has lectured extensively over the past decade. He advises clients on portfolio acquisitions and development, licensing and enforcement strategies, and litigation financing options.
Julio Fonseca
Senior Legal Counsel, IP
ASML
Julio Fonseca
SENIOR LEGAL COUNSEL, IP, ASML
Julio is a senior IP counsel at ASML’s Corporate Intellectual Property department (“CIP”). CIP’s mission is to maximize the value of ASML’s IP, so the company maintains its technological freedom to operate and leading market share. At CIP, Julio deals with contract negotiations, licensing and counseling regarding IP matters arising out of ASML’s dealings with other ASML entities and external parties (suppliers, partners, customers, research institutes, universities and government bodies). Before joining ASML, Julio was an intellectual property associate at big law, where he assisted clients on contract negotiations, cross-border licensing, technology transfer transactions, IP enforcement and M&A deals. Julio holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and a LLM in intellectual property law from the George Washington University (D.C., USA).
Mathen Ganesan
EVP, Invention Investment Fund
Intellectual Ventures
Mathen Ganesan
EVP, INVENTION INVESTMENT FUND, INTELLECTUAL VENTURES
Douglas Gordon
Head of IP
Leonardo
Douglas Gordon
HEAD OF IP, LEONARDO
Douglas Gordon is a member of Leonardo UK Ltd’s central technology & strategy function and is responsible for supporting all the UK Divisions (Electronics, Helicopters, and Cyber & Security) and central applied research function in enhancing their ownership, management, exploitation, and governance of Intellectual Property, as well as providing specialist IP advice. Prior to working at Leonardo, Mr Gordon spent over 15 years working in various roles at companies including CPA Global, Thomson Reuters, and Clarivate, helping those organisations understand the IP needs of their customers and supporting their customers’ understanding of IP and the challenges and solutions for its management. From an academic background, Mr Gordon holds a Masters in chemistry from the University of Oxford and a Masters in the management of Intellectual Property from Queen Mary, University of London.
Clemens Heusch
Global Head of Litigation
Nokia
Clemens Heusch
GLOBAL HEAD OF LITIGATION, NOKIA
Dr Clemens-August Heusch LL.M. is VP and Head of Global Litigation and Disputes at Nokia, responsible for litigation, arbitration and mediation globally with a strong focus on multi-national IP litigation and arbitration. Since 2008 Nokia has been involved in more than 200 patent cases worldwide.
Before joining Nokia in 2008, Clemens was an attorney-at-law at the international law firm Bird & Bird LLP. He studied law at the Universities of Freiburg and Bonn, Germany; received an LL.M. degree from the University of Maastricht, Netherlands, and a doctorate from the University of Cologne, Germany. During his traineeship, he worked inter alia in the competition law team of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Cologne and Brussels, Belgium.
Clemens is a registered lawyer at the Cologne Bar and is a certified IP lawyer. Fluent in German, English and French, he regularly presents and writes on a range of legal topics. He is based in Germany.
John Hull
Teaching Fellow
Queen Mary University
John Hull
TEACHING FELLOW, QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY
John Hull is Visiting Professor at King’s College London where he co-teaches a course on the Commercialisation of Intellectual Property. He is Teaching Fellow at Queen Mary, University of London where he teaches a course on the Commercialisation of IP and a course on Trade Secrets. He teaches the section on trade secrets at the annual IP Transactions course at University College London. He was previously a partner specialising in contentious and transactional IP with Dentons and later with Eversheds. He is now a Consultant Lawyer with Impact IP LLP where he has helped to design a trade secrets identification and protection programme for small and medium sized businesses. He is the author of a standard text on Commercial Secrecy and of over 80 papers in professional and academic publications, many related to commercial confidentiality and trade secrets. He is currently writing a book on the Foundations of Trade Secrets.
Rachel Kelly
Head of IP – Hydrogen Technologies and Corporate Research
Johnson Matthey
Rachel Kelly
HEAD OF IP – HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGIES AND CORPORATE RESEARCH, JOHNSON MATTHEY
Rachel leads the in-house IP team responsible for Johnson Matthey Plc’s Hydrogen Technologies business and its Corporate Research function, and sits on JM’s IP Leadership Team. After training and qualifying as a UK and European patent attorney with a leading UK firm, Rachel joined JM in 2012. Since then, she has held roles providing full-service IP support to a range of JM business units at different stages of their maturity cycle, developing and implementing tailored IP strategies. In addition to core IP work, she has advised on M&A transactions, high impact technology licensing deals and complex JDAs, working as a valued business partner to senior stakeholders. She has developed a strong interest in IP Operations since her involvement in implementing a new IP management system in 2017, and more recently has led a successful project to transform JM’s use of its IP data to drive strategic insight and improved portfolio management decisions.
Leonid Kravets
VP & Head of M&A
InterDigital
Leonid Kravets
VP & HEAD OF M&A, INTERDIGITAL
Lenny focuses on M&A and Corporate Strategy at InterDigital, a worldwide leader in developing standards essential wireless and video technologies. He has led acquisitions of companies and asset carve-outs in multiple countries that have ranged in size from hundreds of millions of dollars to small acqui-hires and IP purchases.
Stavros Kyris
Chief, Strategy, Operating and Financial Officer
Nokia
Stavros Kyris
CHIEF, STRATEGY, OPERATING AND FINANCIAL OFFICER, NOKIA
Stavros Kyris is a results-focused chief strategy, financial and operating officer. In his role with Nokia Technologies, he is responsible for developing winning business and IP strategies, coordinating global operations as well as delivering compelling financial results from licensing. He has broad experience in strategy development and execution, IP, M&A and commercial deal-making, transformations, as well as significant P&L responsibility for global high-tech companies. Stavros has executed successful IP deals, cross-border M&A, JVs, and equity investments across technology domains. He has held roles in corporate business development, establishing and capturing impactful, profitable opportunities in the wireless, fixed, consumer devices, applications, and services domains. Stavros has also served as the chief of staff to the group CEO at Nokia and as a senior strategy consultant at Andersen Consulting (subsequently Accenture Strategy). He holds an MPhil in management from the University of Manchester, and a BSc in industrial engineering from the University of Piraeus. He has completed executive programs on IP transactions at UCL, M&A at London Business School, venture capital at Berkeley, strategic CFO at Stanford. He is a frequent panellist at IP events, where he enjoys discussing IP strategy and deal-making.
James Liao
Head of Business Development
Patlytics
James Liao
HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, PATLYTICS
FARNAZ
MASSOUMIAN
IP Strategy and Commercialisation Lead
Vodafone Group
Farnaz Massoumian
IP STRATEGY AND COMMERCIALISATION, VODAFONE GROUP
Farnaz is a patent attorney and IP strategy and commercialisation lead at Vodafone Group, and a lecturer in IP management at the IP Business Academy. Farnaz’s background is in Engineering Science and she worked in academia prior to joining the patent profession. She enjoys connecting the dots between ideas and business through the narrative of IP strategy and communicate this narrative to ensure that intellectual property assets are protected. She has published a number of articles on IP communication.
ANUP MISRA
Managing Director, IP
Curiam Capital
Anup Misra
MANAGING DIRECTOR, IP, CURIAM CAPITAL
Anup Misra serves as Managing Director for IP at Curiam Capital and is responsible for the underwriting of financing opportunities related to intellectual property litigation. He also works on business development and the monitoring of ongoing litigation for Curiam’s investments. This year he was individually ranked by Chambers and Partners in their Intellectual Property, Litigation Funding department.
Anup has over a decade of experience representing clients in complex intellectual property and general commercial litigation. Prior to joining Curiam, Anup was a senior associate at Winston & Strawn LLP, where he defended large technology companies in high-stakes patent litigation and provided guidance and counseling related to the management and acquisition of patent portfolios. He was also previously an associate in the intellectual property and litigation groups at Mayer Brown LLP and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP.
Anup graduated from Pennsylvania State University with degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics and cum laude from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where he was an editor on the Law Review.
Daniel Northway
Head of IP
Ceres Power
Daniel Northway
HEAD OF IP, CERES POWER
Emily O’Neill
Head of Patents
BAT
Emily O'Neill
HEAD OF PATENTS, BAT
Dr O’Neill is the General Counsel UK and a Director of Deminor UK, a leading European headquartered litigation fund. Dr O’Neill is also Head of Practice for Deminor’s intellectual property investments. Deminor has 25 years experience in supporting commercial litigation and funds from its balance sheet.
Dr O’Neill is an experienced and strategic litigator having held positions managing global disputes both leading an in-house team at Spectris plc and in private practice at Bird & Bird, London. Dr O’Neill’s IP litigation experience spans jurisdictions including the United Kingdom, the United States, China, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. Dr O’Neill has been named as one of the world’s leading IP strategists in the IAM Strategy 300, as a Corporate IP Star by MIP, in the LawDragon 100 Global Leaders and in Who’s Who Legal for Litigation Finance.
Robert Pocknell
Director
Fair Standards Alliance
Robert Pocknell
DIRECTOR, FAIR STANDARDS ALLIANCE
Ilkka Rahnasto
President
Avanci Solutions
Ilkka Rahnasto
PRESIDENT, AVANCI BROADCAST & AVANCI SOLUTIONS
llkka Rahnasto is President at Avanci Broadcast and Avanci Solutions. Avanci Broadcast is a one-stop licensing platform for the ATSC 3.0 TV standard, whilst Avanci Solutions provides tailored solutions for industries and technologies without existing open platforms.
Before joining the company in 2018, Ilkka spent more than 20 years at Nokia, first leading the Intellectual Property function at the time when Nokia was the world’s largest mobile phone company, later transforming the Nokia IP organization into a successful business.
Ilkka has a PhD in law from the University of Helsinki, Finland and an LLM from George Washington University, US. Among the IAM Patent Strategy 300 for several years, in 2017 he ranked #1 in IAM’s annual Top 40 Market Makers. A Finnish citizen, Ilkka is based in Dallas, Texas.
Michael T. Renaud
Chair, IP Division
Mintz
Michael Renaud
CHAIR, IP DIVISION, MINTZ
Michael Renaud is known as one of the world’s leading intellectual property strategists. As Chair of Mintz’s IP Division and a member of the firm’s executive committee, Michael leads an international team of IP prosecutors, litigators, transaction and technology specialists. A pioneer in IP strategy, Michael has unique experience and expertise in formulating and executing multi-national enforcement and monetization strategies. Through traditional litigation and licensing approaches, and by creating markets for, and brokering the sale and acquisition of, IP portfolios, Michael has helped his clients realize returns of over $1 billion.
Michael is driven to realize his clients’ business objectives employing his decades of experience in all aspects of IP, including: evaluating and valuing diverse patent portfolios, including portfolios with substantial SEPs, identifying untapped assets and value drivers, conducting IP due diligence, counselling investment firms on implementing strategies for leveraging patent value, negotiating deals and generating revenue through strategic partnerships, and prosecuting enforcement actions before the International Trade Commission, in the federal district and appellate courts and international patent courts. Michael’s renowned success both in and out of the courtroom, stems from his combination of seasoned legal judgment, strong business acumen, and tactical knowledge of global IP market conditions.
He is annually recognized in Chambers, IAM’s Patent 1000 and Strategy 300, and by Managing IP, including as a finalist for Massachusetts Litigator of the Yearand Patent Star – Contentious. He has also been ranked by Patexia as the #6 Most Active ITC Attorney Representing Complainants and among the Most Active ITC Attorneys overall, as well as ranked 5th by Patexia among the Best Performing ITC Attorneys Representing Complainants and ranked among Best Performing ITC Attorneys overall. He was recently named by Business Today as one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Section 337 Intellectual Property Lawyers in USA.”
Claudia Ritter
VP, Digital IP and IP Operations
BASF
Claudia Ritter
VP, DIGITAL IP AND IP OPERATIONS, BASF
Kevin Scott
Licensing Program Leader UMTS/LTE/Wireless Power
Philips
Kevin Scott
LICENSING PROGRAM LEADER UMTS/LTE/WIRELESS POWER, PHILIPS
Dr Kevin Scott works for Philips Intellectual Property & Standards, where he leads a global team of licensing professionals in licensing Philips patents to third parties in technical areas including telecommunications (UMTS/LTE/5G) and television. Dr Scott has over 20 years’ experience in licensing Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) to companies large and small, and has extensive experience in multinational litigation of SEPs.
Before joining the IP profession in 1997, Dr Scott worked at Philips Research Laboratories in the creation of computer simulation programs.
Dr Scott’s technical background is in electrical engineering (with a PhD from University College London) and physics (with a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University). He is a UK Chartered Patent Attorney and a European Patent Attorney, a Council member of the UK’s IP Federation, and is included as a top practitioner in IAM’s Strategy 300, 2024.
Shai Silverman
SVP, Contingent Risk
CAC Specialty
Shai Silverman
SVP, CONTINGENT RISK, CAC SPECIALTY
Shai is a Senior Vice President on the Contingent Risk Insurance Practice at CAC Specialty, where he helps clients procure insurance solutions for a wide array of litigation-related risks.
Prior to joining CAC Specialty, Shai practiced as an appellate litigator at several large law firms in the northeast, including Sullivan & Cromwell and Mayer Brown. Shai also clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans. He received his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was Senior Editor of the Yale Law & Policy Review, after receiving his B.A. from Columbia University and an M.A. in Talmud and Jewish Law from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York.
Miguel Soriano
Patent Filing and Prosecution Director
JT International
Miguel Soriano
PATENT FILING AND PROSECUTION DIRECTOR, JT INTERNATIONAL
Miguel Soriano is Patent Licensing and Litigation Manager at Japan Tobacco International (JTI) based in Geneva, Switzerland. JTI is one of the largest international tobacco and vaping product manufacturers, with market presence in 130 countries with some of the world’s best-known brands. JTI is also an EPO top-50 applicant since 2021. Miguel is a European patent attorney and UPC representative with an industrial engineering degree in mechanics. In the IP profession since 2011, he has gained since working experiences in private practice, and in in-house roles in the automotive and FMCG sectors. In his current role, he contributes to developing international patent strategies, with a keen an eye on the UPC, and is particularly active around US patent litigation, where he recently settled very favourably a claim.
Stephanie Southwick
Senior Investment Counselor
Law Finance Group
Stephanie Southwick
SENIOR INVESTMENT COUNSELOR, LAW FINANCE GROUP
Stephanie Southwick is a former Silicon Valley litigator turned litigation funder. She currently serves as Law Finance Group’s Senior Investment Counselor, originating and evaluating investments for both companies and law firms. She helps plaintiffs obtain non-recourse financing for pre-judgment cases and judgments on appeal, and law firms leverage their portfolios of commercial and intellectual property litigation as collateral for financing. Stephanie has nearly 16 years of experience litigating business and trade secret cases, and was her firm’s managing partner. As a litigator, Stephanie performed outside diligence for funders on trade secret cases, and used funding on behalf of her clients. Prior to joining LFG, Stephanie served as an Investment Manager for a large, publicly traded litigation finance firm.
Jatinder Summan
VP, Associate General Counsel, Head of Digital, Privacy and Cybersecurity
GSK
Jatinder Summan
VP, ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL, HEAD OF DIGITAl, PRIVACY AND CYBERSECURITY, GSK
Jatinder Summan is a seasoned tech lawyer with 15+ years of experience in digital, technology, privacy, and cybersecurity. As VP, Associate General Counsel, and Head of Digital, Privacy, and Cybersecurity at GSK, Jatinder serves as General Counsel to the Chief Digital and Technology Officer, leads the enterprise Data Ethics and Privacy framework, and advises the Chief Information Security Officer. A core member of GSK’s AI Governance Council, Jatinder helps shape the enterprise risk framework for responsible AI use. Her career spans global law firms and Richemont International, where she led advice on digital transformation and data strategy initiatives. With deep expertise in emerging technologies—AI, blockchain, crypto, and quantum—Jatinder develops innovative risk mitigation strategies that help businesses navigate regulatory complexity and unlock data-driven opportunities. Passionate about building high-performing teams, she delivers pragmatic, forward-thinking legal counsel that empowers organizations to stay agile in a fast-evolving digital world.
Bernhard Thum
Founding Partner
Thum & Partner
Bernhard Thum
FOUNDING PARTNER, THUM & PARTNER
Bernhard Thum is the founding and managing partner of Thum & Partners. He was a partner at one of Germany’s leading IP law firms for over 15 years. He has extensive experience representing clients in all types of proceedings before the Unified Patent Court (UPC), and is currently involved in around 20 pending cases. He has also represented clients before the German Patent and Trademark Office, the German Federal Patent Court, and the German local and higher regional courts, as well as the Federal Court of Justice. He has furthermore contributed his opinion as an IP expert in several national and international court proceedings outside Germany, and supports and advises clients in multinational patent infringement proceedings in and outside Europe.
He gained several years’ experience as an in-house patent and licensing manager at Siemens AG, where he headed the “Patents and Standards” department from 2001 to 2003.
He studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Stuttgart completing a Master’s degree in the subject. As an engineer, he worked in the R&D department of Siemens AG’s medical division, where he was the inventor of several patent applications.
He also holds a Master’s degree in European Intellectual Property Law and participated in the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School’s mediation training programme. As a tutor, he promotes young talent within the patent attorney training programme.
Bernhard Thum is listed in several renowned rankings for IP professionals. Who’s Who Legal recommends him as a Global Leader, IAM is a leading independent professional. JUVE Patent has also mentioned him as one of the German patent attorneys with a technical speciality (https://www.juve-patent.com/firm-rankings/rankings-germany-2024/patent-attorneys-with-technical-specialty-germany-2024/) and recently included him in the list of recommended UPC litigators (https://www.juve-patent.com/firm-rankings/rankings-upc-2025/upc-litigators-upc-2025/). Handelsblatt, in cooperation with Best Lawyers, regularly lists him as one of Germany’s “Best Lawyers”.
Frank Tietze
Professor & Head, Innovation and IP Management Laboratory
University of Cambridge
Bernhard Thum
FOUNDING PARTNER, THUM & PARTNER
Frank Tietze is a Professor of Innovation Engineering, leading the Innovation and Intellectual Property Management (IIPM) Laboratory at the Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge. His research extensively addresses intellectual property (IP) strategies, including the development of visual IP strategy tools that have been widely adopted. Professor Tietze’s work intersects with green technologies, sustainability, circular economy, and digital transformation, reflecting a broad interdisciplinary focus. His publications appear in leading academic journals, and he has been recognized for years in the IAM 300 Strategy list, which highlights the world’s leading IP strategists. Professor Tietze also has considerable experience working with various companies, advising them on IP management, and has provided expert consultation to governmental agencies such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the European Patent Office (EPO). His leadership at the IIPM Laboratory continues to shape the understanding and practices of innovation and intellectual property management in global contexts.
Annick Vandorpe
IP Value & Creation Strategy
Amadeus
Annick Vandorpe
IP VALUE & CREATION STRATEGY AMADEUS
Annick Vandorpe left Belgium in 2001 for the south of France, which she had discovered in 1997 while doing a Masters in Astrophysics at Observatoire de Nice. After a first career as a journalist contributing to the Belgian press and the Financial Times, in 2015, she joined the Intellectual Property group in Amadeus, where she heads the IP Value Creation & Strategy team. The objective is to support the business in strategic decision-making with bespoke IP solutions. For this, the team has created a methodology to represent the IP portfolio and calculate the value of IP assets.
Helen Waugh
Interim Lead for Defence and Security
Ploughshare
Helen Waugh
INTERIM LEAD FOR DEFENCE AND SECURITY, PLOUGHSHARE
Helen Waugh began her career in research, where she discovered a passion for solving complex problems and collaborating with industry to drive progress, even when initial projects remained in the lab. With a strong belief that innovation lies at the heart of engineering, she transitioned from research into private practice before moving into the university sector as an IP specialist in Technology Transfer.
Helen has worked with universities and enterprise agencies across the UK and Ireland, and spent several years in the energy sector, most recently serving as Head of IP for an energy storage company. Throughout her career, she has supported a wide range of industry projects and helped organisations navigate their innovation journeys. With extensive experience in innovation and intellectual property, Helen continues to explore the persistent challenges in the field and observes that successful projects often follow similar pathways.
Tobias Wuttke
Partner
Bardehle Pagenberg
Tobias Wuttke
PARTNER, BERDEHLE PAGENBERG
Dr. Tobias Wuttke is a German qualified attorney-at-law with a particular focus on UPC and cross border litigation. Influential rankings confirm his reputation as one of Germany’s leading patent litigators. Since the start of the UPC, Tobias is one of the most frequented UPC litigators. He is active in over 30 UPC proceedings before the Central Division and many Local Divisions of the UPC. His UPC experience involves high profile SEP, high tech, pharma and life science cases. Tobias also has an extensive track record before German courts whereby his expertise stems from hundreds of patent infringement and validity proceedings. Tobias regularly gives presentations on topical issues regarding patent law at universities, offices, and associations, and – as an author – he actively promotes the distribution and development of patent law.
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2025 SPONSORS
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Fabricant LLP is a dynamic IP litigation boutique with unparalleled success enforcing or defending patent infringement claims involving the most important and cutting-edge technologies. We are experts representing plaintiffs and defendants in all high-tech industries including, audio processing, smartphone, semiconductor, automotive, payments, computer hardware and software, LED displays and lights, GPS location services among many others. Fabricant LLP is regularly ranked among the most active U.S. law firms representing patent owners in the courts and before the PTAB where it has achieved win rates for defeating validity challenges far above the national average.
SILVER SPONSORS
BARDEHLE PAGENBERG is a leading IP law firms in Europe which has pooled the strengths and competences of patent attorneys and attorneys-at-law for more than 45 years. Our clients appreciate the mixed approach (legal and technical expertise) based on the intense cooperation between attorneys-at-law – handling infringement cases before all relevant courts through all instances, and patent attorneys representing the client in proceedings before the Patent Offices, including the UPC and the Federal Patent Court.
CAC Specialty’s Contingent & Litigation Risk Solutions Group is an integrated team of seasoned corporate litigators and senior investment bankers. Whether you are a litigation finance group, law firm, or corporate litigant, CAC’s industry-leading team can help you protect against downside litigation risk, lock in a core value to a legal asset, secure non-recourse financing to bring forward litigation proceeds, and decrease your cost of capital. CAC Specialty brings an innovative, proactive approach to insurance broking and structured solutions to solve your risk challenges – from the simple to the previously unsolvable.
Curiam Capital is a private investment firm that provides financing for high-value litigation. Curiam specializes in finding flexible and creative solutions that allow parties to hire the lawyers of their choice to pursue strong legal claims. The investment process with Curiam is thorough but straightforward and efficient. Curiam’s team has decades of experience working on some of the largest and most complex litigations in United States history.
Mintz creates breakthrough legal strategies that help our clients solve problems and forge ahead. Leveraging our incredible depth of experience in the sectors driving innovation and growth — including life sciences, technology, energy & sustainability, and private equity — we help clients protect and monetize their intellectual property. Our robust teams of IP and transactional attorneys partner with companies to unlock the value of their innovations — from building competitive portfolios to successfully navigating pivotal IP deals.
Thum & Partner is a German IP boutique with offices in Munich and Constance, focusing strongly on contentious work. Since the UPC commenced its activities, the firm has been involved in around 20 UPC cases, acting as main representatives or co-counsels in various capacities. The team is involved in infringement and invalidation proceedings on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants. Managing partner Bernhard Thum has gained substantial experience of pleading before the UPC.
BRONZE SPONSORS
Adeia is a leading R&D and intellectual property (IP) licensing company that accelerates the adoption of innovative technologies in the media and semiconductor industries. Adeia’s fundamental innovations underpin technology solutions that are shaping and elevating the future of digital entertainment and electronics.
Lumenci is a full-service IP consulting firm dedicated to extracting maximum value from IP assets and providing technical, valuation, and strategic advice to patent owners and law firms to drive successful results.
With a global footprint spanning Austin, New York, San Francisco Bay Area, and New Delhi, India, Lumenci gathers over 100 technical and valuation/damages experts under one roof. Lumenci’s work has saved clients over $3 billion in verdicts, settlements, and cost savings.
We specialize in creative financing solutions under complex situations. With a focus on credit investments backed by IP and other esoteric assets which are difficult to value.
We are partnered with Arena Investors, LP, a global institutional asset manager based out of New York, with offices in the US, EU and Asia.
RPX is the leading patent risk management platform, offering defensive buying, acquisition syndication, patent intelligence, and advisory services. Since its founding in 2008, RPX has introduced efficiency to the patent market by providing a rational alternative to litigation. As of March 31, 2024, RPX has invested over $4B to acquire rights to more than 200,000 US and international patent assets on behalf of more than 450 clients.
Sisvel is driven by a belief in the importance of collaboration, ingenuity and efficiency to bridge the needs of patent owners and users of their technologies. In a complex, constantly evolving marketplace, our guiding principle is to create a level playing field with flexible, accessible, commercialisation solutions.
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VENUE & Accommodations
Royal GARDEN HOTEL
The 3rd IP Dealmakers Europe will be hosted at the Royal Garden Hotel, a five-star landmark set directly on Kensington Gardens in one of London’s most prestigious neighbourhoods. With its sweeping views, refined interiors, and unbeatable access to Kensington’s cultural hubs, the Royal Garden Hotel provides the perfect backdrop for high-level discussions, strategic connections, and dealmaking.
To enhance the attendee experience, Dealmakers has secured a limited block of discounted rooms at an exclusive rate of £319 (Inclusive of VAT) per night. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are expected to sell out quickly. Reservation details will be shared with confirmed registrants.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
GENERAL FAQs
The 3rd Annual IP Dealmakers Europe will be held on May 11 – 13, 2026 at The Royal Garden Hotel. It will be co-located with the 3rd Annual LF Dealmakers Europe. You may find additional information regarding the venue and accomodations on our venue page.
You may register for the event using our online registration system. Please note that all registrations need to be approved.
All registered attendees will have access to the following:
- Admission to main conference
- Networking functions including breaks, lunches, and receptions
- Online event platform and mobile app to schedule 1:1 meetings and direct messaging
- Recorded sessions after the event to view on-demand
The IP Dealmakers Forum brings together a select group of leaders in the business community to address critical issues impacting the IP industry and broader innovation landscape. In order to ensure the event has balanced representation from market leaders and to maintain an optimal networking dynamic, we have instituted an approval process for all registrations.
We actively seek thought leaders and senior executives with experience and decision-making power within their respective organizations. We review individual registrations based on organizational profile, level of seniority as represented by job title, biographical information, and referral source.
We consider the type of organization, aiming to achieve a balanced representation of corporate IP owners, licensing company executives, law firm executives, investors, advisors, and other key stakeholders.
Additionally, we look to include perspectives from those that have not previously attended the event, as well as historically underrepresented groups.
Once you have completed your online registration, you will receive an email notification regarding the status of your application within 48 business hours.
Due to capacity limits at our event venue, along with our aim to achieve optimal dynamics for discussion and networking, we must be selective with registration approvals. If your registration was declined, we may have reached venue capacity, or it’s possible that you did not meet the criteria for attendance. We encourage you to reapply the following year.
Alternatively, you may be offered a place on the waiting list if we’ve reached our maximum capacity for your organization type (e.g., law firm, advisor, licensing company, etc.) Additionally, we limit the number of attendees per non-sponsoring organization to two individuals, so you may be offered a place on the waiting list if your organization has already registered two individuals.
Once you submit your registration, a hold will be placed on your card provided during registration. If your registration is approved, your payment will be processed using the credit card information you provide below.
If your registration is declined or you are waitlisted, your credit card will not be charged.
We welcome sponsorship inquiries and discussions regarding how to get involved in the event. Please contact us directly at info(at)dealmakersforums.com to request our prospectus which includes detailed information regarding sponsorship packages and opportunities to get involved in the event. We look forward to hearing from you.
We welcome speaking proposals from industry thought leaders and senior executives. Feel free to submit your proposal via this form. Please include as much detail as possible regarding your interest and relevant experience. Please note that we do not accept sales pitches or allow them at our events.
Leveraging our experience examining complex markets, we engage in a rigorous market-based research process to develop our program content, including identification of session topics, discussion points, and speakers. We rely on the expertise and valuable insights of our community, including industry advisors, sponsors, and partners in this process.
Registered participants will be invited to the 1:1 meetings platform via email approximately 1-2 weeks prior to the event start date, at which time all participants may begin scheduling their meetings.
Our 1-to-1 meetings feature is available to all registered attendees. You may request meetings with anyone attending the event, however, meetings are only confirmed and assigned a meeting location once the invited party accepts the request.
Cancellations received before 30 days prior to the event start date will receive a full refund minus processing fees. Cancellations received after this time will receive a credit with Dealmakers Forums that can be used toward a future event. No-shows will not be issued a refund or a credit.
To cancel your registration, contact us at registration(at)dealmakersforums.com with your request.
Substitutions are allowed at any time prior to the start of the event, but the substituting individual must be approved for attendance. If the individual is not approved, the registration will be considered a cancellation subject to the cancellation policy above.
Contact us at registration(at)dealmakersforums.com with your substitution request.
You may reach out to us at info(at)dealmakersforums.com or +1.914.365.7732. We look forward to hearing from you!
Sean Alexander