Alison Brimelow
Encyclopedia
Alison Jane Brimelow CBE
(born 1949 ) is a British
civil servant and former Chief Executive and Comptroller General
of the UK Patent Office, now known as the Intellectual Property Office. She was the fifth President of the European Patent Office
, a position she held from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010.
, Cuba
, she is one of the two daughters of Sir Thomas Brimelow, a British diplomat
, who was Permanent Under-Secretary in the British Foreign Office in 1973-75 and Member of the European Parliament
in 1977-78, and Jean Cull. She holds a degree from the University of East Anglia
.
In 1997 she returned to DTI Headquarters to work on European and International Competition Policy. She was appointed Chief Executive and Comptroller General of the Patent Office in March 1999. She held the post of Chief Executive and Comptroller General of the Patent Office from March 1999 to end of December 2003.
In 2003 she was elected President of the European Patent Office jointly with Professor Alain Pompidou
of France. She resigned from the UK Civil Service on 31 December 2003. From 2003 to 2006, she was Deputy Chairman of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation
.
From November 2004 to December 2006, she was Chair of the Steering Board of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory
, a UK Government organisation. In February 2005 she was elected Associate Fellow of Templeton College, Saïd Business School
, Oxford.
Her term of office as president of the European Patent Office (EPO) began on 1 July 2007. In May 2009, she informed the EPO staff that she would not seek an extension of her contract which ended on 30 June 2010. There were initially four candidates to succeed her, Susanne Ås Sivborg
, Benoît Battistelli
, Roland Grossenbacher
, and Jesper Kongstad
. In March 2010, it was then made known that she would be succeeded by Benoît Battistelli on 1 July 2010.
In September 2010, Alison Brimelow took on the role of chairman of the Board of Trustees of Hartlebury Castle
Preservation Trust. In June 2011 she became Chairman of the Intellectual Property Institute
.
in 2005, "for services to Intellectual Property Law
." In 2011, she was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Grosses Bundesverdienstkreuz).
She is a member of the Athenaeum Club
.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
(born 1949 ) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
civil servant and former Chief Executive and Comptroller General
Comptroller General
Comptroller General or Comptroller-General or Controller General may refer to:* the Comptroller General of the United States, director of the Government Accountability Office* Comptroller General of Convicts...
of the UK Patent Office, now known as the Intellectual Property Office. She was the fifth President of the European Patent Office
European Patent Office
The European Patent Office is one of the two organs of the European Patent Organisation , the other being the Administrative Council. The EPO acts as executive body for the Organisation while the Administrative Council acts as its supervisory body as well as, to a limited extent, its legislative...
, a position she held from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010.
Early life and education
Born in HavanaHavana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, she is one of the two daughters of Sir Thomas Brimelow, a British diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, who was Permanent Under-Secretary in the British Foreign Office in 1973-75 and Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
in 1977-78, and Jean Cull. She holds a degree from the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
.
Career
She joined the British Diplomatic Service in 1973. In 1976, she joined the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). She worked in a variety of Headquarters policy jobs, including private office. She joined the Patent Office in 1991, where she became Head of the Trade Marks Registry.In 1997 she returned to DTI Headquarters to work on European and International Competition Policy. She was appointed Chief Executive and Comptroller General of the Patent Office in March 1999. She held the post of Chief Executive and Comptroller General of the Patent Office from March 1999 to end of December 2003.
In 2003 she was elected President of the European Patent Office jointly with Professor Alain Pompidou
Alain Pompidou
Alain Pompidou is a French scientist and politician. A former professor of histology, embryology and cytogenetics, he was the fourth president of the European Patent Office from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2007...
of France. She resigned from the UK Civil Service on 31 December 2003. From 2003 to 2006, she was Deputy Chairman of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation
European Patent Organisation
The European Patent Organisation is a public international organisation created in 1977 by its contracting states to grant patents in Europe under the European Patent Convention of 1973...
.
From November 2004 to December 2006, she was Chair of the Steering Board of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory
National Weights and Measures Laboratory
The National Measurement Office is an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills . The Agency was formerly known as the National Weights and Measures Laboratory until April 2008....
, a UK Government organisation. In February 2005 she was elected Associate Fellow of Templeton College, Saïd Business School
Saïd Business School
Saïd Business School is the business school of the University of Oxford in England, located on the north side of Frideswide Square on the former site of Oxford Rewley Road railway station. It is the University's centre of learning for graduate and undergraduate students in business, management...
, Oxford.
Her term of office as president of the European Patent Office (EPO) began on 1 July 2007. In May 2009, she informed the EPO staff that she would not seek an extension of her contract which ended on 30 June 2010. There were initially four candidates to succeed her, Susanne Ås Sivborg
Susanne Ås Sivborg
Susanne Birgitta Ås Sivborg is the current Director General of the Swedish Patent and Registration Office. She was candidate for the position of President of the European Patent Office, which was to be filled on 1 July 2010, but has not been elected to the position.-Further reading:* on the...
, Benoît Battistelli
Benoît Battistelli
Benoît Battistelli is a French civil servant and current president of the European Patent Office . Before taking up this post, he was head of the French National Intellectual Property Institute .- Career :...
, Roland Grossenbacher
Roland Grossenbacher
Dr. Roland Edouard Grossenbacher is a Swiss attorney at law, who served as chairman of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation from March 5, 2000 to March 4, 2009. He was appointed at this post for a first three-year term on 5 March 2000. He was then reelected in 2002 for a...
, and Jesper Kongstad
Jesper Kongstad
Jesper Kongstad is the current Director General of the Danish Patent and Trademark Office and Chairman of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation. In 2009, he was candidate for the position of President of the European Patent Office, which was to be filled on 1 July 2010. In...
. In March 2010, it was then made known that she would be succeeded by Benoît Battistelli on 1 July 2010.
In September 2010, Alison Brimelow took on the role of chairman of the Board of Trustees of Hartlebury Castle
Hartlebury Castle
Hartlebury Castle, a Grade I listed building, in Worcestershire, central England, was built in the mid-13th century as a fortified manor house on land given to the Bishop of Worcester by King Burgred of Mercia. It lies near Stourport town in north Worcestershire. The manor of Hartlebury...
Preservation Trust. In June 2011 she became Chairman of the Intellectual Property Institute
Intellectual Property Institute
The Intellectual Property Institute , or IP Institute, is a British non-profit making organisation with the mission of promoting "awareness and understanding of intellectual property law". The Institute has a thirty year history of intellectual property and economics research...
.
Honours
She was appointed Commander of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 2005, "for services to Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
." In 2011, she was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Grosses Bundesverdienstkreuz).
She is a member of the Athenaeum Club
Athenaeum Club, London
The Athenaeum Club, usually just referred to as the Athenaeum, is a notable London club with its Clubhouse located at 107 Pall Mall, London, England, at the corner of Waterloo Place....
.
Further reading
- Anjana Ahuja, An obstacle to the patently obvious, The Times, October 27, 2003.
External links
- Alison Brimelow's CV at the European Patent Office, as archived in June 2009 by the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...