The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) welcomed delegates from around the world to the first Fédération Internationale des Conseils en Propriéte Intellectuelle (FICPI) World Congress hosted in Africa, 14 – 17 April 2015.
Bastiaan Koster, FICPI President, stated on their website: What really sets the FICPI 2015 Congress apart is the host city. As the legislative capital of South Africa, or the “Mother City” as it is affectionately known, Cape Town is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
The congress was attended by 400 Intellectual Property (IP) professionals in the private sector. The theme ‘Adapt to Advance’ focused on the pivotal debate as to whether IP is driving economic growth or whether economic growth is a catalyst for the changes experienced in the IP sector.
“We are honoured to host such a prestigious event, as innovation has become a core focus for businesses globally – which results in intellectual property being a fundamental factor to fostering an environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish”, said Julie-May Ellingson, CTICC Chief Executive Officer.
FICPI’s mission is to add value to the intellectual property sector through regular meetings and triennial world congresses – such as this one. Exposing members to the opportunity to engage in meaningful knowledge exchange ensures that professionals are skilled and equipped to influence the development of the IP environment; maintain best practice standards, and re-evaluate current and propose new legislation impacting businesses.
IP has played a significant role in all sectors, in particular the medical and scientific profession. Cape Town and the CTICC have become renowned for being the destination of choice to host these events, which drive the knowledge economy and skills transfer in these key sectors.
“The CTICC’s continued success can be attributed to integrating innovation throughout our business model, and the appealing value proposition Cape Town has to attract influential international medical and scientific conferences. This not only gives the centre a competitive edge in the industry, but drives economic growth and positions the CTICC as an industry thought leader”, concluded Ellingson.
