MIP podcasts

Etienne Sanz de Acedo discusses the association’s three-year plan, what he is looking forward to in San Diego, and why London came calling for 2026. 

In this episode, Managing IP editor Max Walters is joined by Etienne Sanz de Acedo, CEO of INTA.

The INTA chief discusses the association’s newly released strategic plan, unveiled during today’s ceremony at the Annual Meeting in San Diego. 

We discuss how organisations like INTA should represent trademark professionals as well as other IP practitioners, whether there is still work needed to build a positive perception of IP, and how to attract the next generation of professionals. 

In light of recent attacks on diversity and inclusion, we also tackle the importance of promoting inclusive workplaces, particularly in the legal profession. 

Lastly, we preview this year’s annual meeting and look ahead to London 2026 – in what will be the association’s first visit to the UK capital. 

Design rights are a powerful – but often overlooked – component of a well-rounded intellectual property portfolio. In an exclusive Managing IP podcast, Tomas Wässingbo, group designs director at the international full-service intellectual property firm Zacco, and Christina Wainikka, intellectual property policy expert at the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, explain why companies should be paying closer attention to this form of protection. The need is heightened in light of the new EU Design Regulation and Directive, with several provisions having entered into force on May 1 2025.

The key themes discussed

The podcast explores the following areas, among others:

• The main differences between design, patent, and trademark rights;
• Debunking the myth that design rights are only applicable to certain industries;
• The primary attributes of design rights, including strong protection, swift registration, and clear ownership;
• Wide-ranging case law, from Vespa mopeds to rye bread; and
• How to use design rights to help to future-proof your intellectual property portfolio.

Design rights: emerging from the shadows?

Despite their strength and versatility, design rights remain underused. As Wässingbo notes, “Maybe one can say that design is often in the shadow of patents, utility patents, and trademarks.” 

Indeed, according to a January 2025 EUIPO report cited in the podcast, only 1% of SMEs and 10% of large companies in the EU own design rights, even though design right owners have 29.3% higher revenue per employee. A lack of awareness, fragmented responsibility across departments, and misconceptions about design protection have contributed to their underutilisation. “There is a lack of understanding of the benefits of design protection and also sometimes there is an obstacle in how [to] organise IP issues in different companies,” Wainikka says.

But change is afoot. The new EU legislative initiatives introduce several features that could heighten awareness. “[One] thing that is happening in Europe with the new design regime is that we will get this registered design symbol D with the ring around it, like the order for registered trademarks,” Wässingbo says. “That is something that everyone will see and hopefully that will lead to more understanding [that] there is a possibility to protect something with design rights like there is the possibility to protect the trademark.”

The outlook for design rights

Design rights appear poised to assume a bigger role, especially when considering factors such as gaming and mobile apps falling within their scope. Businesses with intellectual property portfolios should stay alert to the opportunities presented. As Wässingbo puts it: “We should all design the future.”

Hugues Derème, director general of the Benelux IP Office, unveils his vision for the region, how to improve IP awareness, and use of AI. 

In this episode, we are joined by Hugues Derème, director general of the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property.

Editor Max Walters catches up with Derème to discuss the office’s new strategic plan and his goals to raise IP awareness.  

In March, the office, which handles trademarks and designs in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, unveiled its new five-year plan for improving IP services.

Derème discusses the office’s goals, including high-quality IP services, digital transformation, and how to create greater understanding of IP in early-stage business planning.

He also discusses how he came to take on the DG role, which he assumed in July last year, and the transition from private practice to IP office work.

We will be back with a new episode in May. Thank you for listening.

We look ahead to next month’s EMEA Awards, discussing the recently published shortlists, our research methodology and what makes the Awards special. 

In this episode, we look ahead to Awards season at Managing IP.

Editor Max Walters is joined by research editor Kingsley Egbuonu to discuss next month’s EMEA Awards in London.

Kingsley and Max look back on the research methodology for the Awards, reflect on how the Awards have progressed over the last 20 years, and bring you some important details regarding the nomination and selection process. 

This year’s EMEA Awards, which will recognise talented practitioners and deserving law firms across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, will take place on April 10.

The event will be held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

We will be back with a new episode of the IP Lounge in April. Thank you for listening.

We discuss how law firms are using AI, whether remote working has resulted in cost-savings, and what corporate counsel want from their advisers when it comes to DEI. 

In this episode, the team delves into some of the biggest talking points from the last few weeks.

Editor Max Walters is joined by Rani Mehta, senior reporter for the Americas, and Sukanya Sarkar, our special projects editor in Asia.

We look back at some of our recent coverage. 

On the agenda in today’s episode includes a look at whether law firms are noticing savings from switching to remote working, a look ahead to the latest artificial intelligence and tech trends, including how law firms are using AI, and a review of our newest What Corporates Want report, which this time focussed on what in-house counsel expect from law firms regarding DEI.

We will be back with a new episode in March. Thank you for listening.

One of Managing IP’s most influential people in IP for 2024, Hurtado Rivas discusses mental health in the profession, the changing role of a trademark lawyer, and what keeps a Nestlé IP counsel busy.

In this episode, we are joined by Myrtha Hurtado Rivas, an in-house counsel at Nestlé, who was featured in Managing IP’s 50 Most Influential People in IP, which was published at the end of 2024.

Editor Max Walters catches up with Hurtado Rivas to discuss her work both at Nestlé and externally.

Hurtado Rivas speaks passionately about the Leaderching project she founded in 2020.

Leaderching is a network of professionals that supports organisational and professional development. In the past 12 months, the network’s podcast has featured notable guests from the IP community and has actively encouraged conversations around mental health and wellbeing. 

We also discuss her work for INTA after she was appointed to the IP association’s board at the start of 2024 and her role as an ambassador for Brand Action – a fundraising initiative within the trademark profession.

Lastly, we cover Hurtado Rivas’s views on the role of an IP lawyer and why government intervention risks negatively affecting IP owners’ investments.

We will be back with a new episode in February. Thank you for listening.

Is artificial intelligence revolutionising the intellectual property space?

In this podcast episode, sponsored by CAS, we focus on the benefits, opportunities, and challenges of using emerging technologies in IP searching.

Kathy Van der Herten, director of product management at CAS, and Don Swartwout, senior technical manager at CAS, joined Managing IP's senior reporter Rani Mehta to discuss:

• How has AI and other emerging tech played a role in the evolution of the IP searching space? 
• What are the challenges of using AI for IP searches? 
• What’s next for the use of AI in IP searches?

About CAS

CAS connects the world’s scientific knowledge to accelerate breakthroughs that improve lives. It empowers global innovators to efficiently navigate today’s complex data landscape and make confident decisions in each phase of the innovation journey.

As a specialist in scientific knowledge management, the team builds the largest authoritative collection of human-curated scientific data in the world and provides essential information solutions, services, and expertise. Scientists, patent professionals, and business leaders across industries rely on CAS to help them uncover opportunities, mitigate risks, and unlock shared knowledge so they can get from inspiration to innovation faster. CAS is a division of the American Chemical Society.

We discuss Managing IP’s 50 most influential people in IP list and look back on the biggest talking points in the last month.

In this episode, the team delves into some of the biggest talking points from the last few weeks including the release of Managing IP’s 50 most influential people in IP.

Editor Max Walters is joined by Rani Mehta, senior reporter for the Americas, and Sukanya Sarkar, our special projects editor in Asia.

We begin the episode by looking over some of the names included in our 50 most influential people in IP list and how their inclusion links to some of the year’s biggest trends.

We also look back at the last few weeks. Coverage included an interview with private equity firms about what they look for in an IP business, how firms are preparing junior staff to conduct oral arguments, and why some lawyers are leaving social media platform X for Bluesky.

We will be back with a new episode in January. However you are spending it, we wish you a happy holiday season and a pleasant new year. Thank you for listening. 

In this episode, sponsored by Ropes & Gray, we delve into licensing negotiation groups.

Steven Pepe, Matthew Shapiro and Frances Zhang of Ropes & Gray joined Managing IP's senior reporter Rani Mehta to discuss:

• What are licensing negotiation groups? 
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of licensing negotiation groups? 
• Does a licensing negotiation group provide a good counterbalance to other tools available to patent owners, including patent pools?

We discuss Kathi Vidal’s departure from the USPTO, how IP business Qantm is using its private equity investment, and the latest AI trends spotted by law firms.

In this episode, the team delves into some of the biggest talking points from the last few weeks.

Editor Max Walters is joined by Rani Mehta, senior reporter for the Americas, and Sukanya Sarkar, our special projects editor in Asia.

Top talking points included an interview with leaders at intellectual property business Qantm who revealed how they are using their private equity investment. We also discussed the wash-up from this month’s US election and the news that USPTO director Kathi Vidal is to leave her role early.

We also looked into the latest artificial intelligence (AI) trends, including the news that some law firms have noticed an uptick in correspondence from other firms that appear to be AI-generated.

Elsewhere, we look ahead to the coming weeks including the publication of our annual ‘Top 50 most influential people in IP’ list.

We will be back with a new episode, including a review of our ‘Top 50’ list, in December. Thank you for listening.