Sisvel Connect 2025

Mr Arque-Castells leads research on legal and innovation policies at the EPO's Observatory, where he is responsible for the Financing Innovation and Patents and Standards programmes. His work bridges research and practice in intangible asset valuation, technology markets, technology standards and innovation policy. His research in these areas has been featured in peer-reviewed journals and policy reports.

Mr Arque-Castells has a rich academic background, having served as an Assistant Professor in the Innovation Management and Strategy department at the University of Groningen, a Research Associate at Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law, and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. He holds an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and a PhD in Economics from the University of Barcelona.

Giovanni Ballocca is a Senior Patent Engineer at Sisvel Technology. He has been involved in R&D activities in video compression and distribution and multimedia technologies and is the recipient of several standard essential patents in the field of video coding. He has been an active contributor to the works of several standardisation bodies, such as ISO MPEG, DVB, SMPTE and HDForum Italia.

Garrard Beeney is a member of Sullivan & Cromwell’s Intellectual Property and Technology Group. He started the firm's IP practice and was a partner in it from 1987 to 2024, serving as the head and then co-head for more than 20 years. Mr Beeney is regularly recognised as a leading lawyer for his counsel to clients on intellectual property and licensing transactions and litigation matters around the world. IAM Patent 1000 lauds him as “the person to connect with when you want to push the boundaries”, commenting that he is “one of the best in the business” and “a fine litigator with sound judgment and strong pragmatic instincts”. Peers report: “When there is something you can’t do, you send it to him.” Legal 500 reports that Mr Beeney has unparalleled experience advising on the formation of patent licensing pools.

Dr Nina Belbl implements WIPO's SEP strategy as legal officer in the Patent and Technology Law Division. In this role, she coordinates SEP policy development and provides expertise on standard essential patents. Further, Dr Belbl contributes to WIPO's broader IP mission through legislative and policy advice to member states on patent law and by developing trade secret policy, including significantly contributing to the development of the WIPO Guide to Trade Secrets and Innovation.

Dr Belbl’s SEP expertise is grounded in both practical and academic experience. Her doctoral thesis at the University of Freiburg (Germany) examined strategic transfer of SEPs, providing theoretical foundation for her current policy work. Before joining WIPO in 2020, Dr Belbl practised patent litigation at a leading German patent litigation firm, focusing on the telecommunications and automotive sectors. Her work included multinational SEP litigation and connected car disputes.

Brian Blasius is President and Chief Executive Officer of Panoptis and Unwired Planet. He is a business development and strategy executive with significant cross-functional experience in the technology, consumer electronics and internet related sectors.

In a career that has spanned over 30 years, Mr Blasius has held senior positions in a number of prominent IP businesses. He served as Director of Licensing and Business Development at Motorola Mobility from 2007 to 2013 before becoming Senior Licensing Manager (Business Development and Strategy) at Google. In 2016, he joined Marconi as Vice-President, Business Development and then transitioned to PanOptis and Unwired Planet to become Director of Licensing at both. He assumed his current roles in 2019.

Mr Blasius has a BS in finance from Northern Illinois University and an MBA from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management.

Lyse Brillouet was appointed Director of Research at Orange in January 2025, while continuing her roles as Chief Intellectual Property Officer and Senior Vice-President of Licensing, which she has had since 2018.

Ms Brillouet has held multiple positions within the Orange Group, all focused on business and innovation, and has led a number of critical, large-scale, disruptive projects. As a former research domain director, she draws on a strong managerial background and applies this to transformation projects, both human and business-oriented, with a constant focus on creating tangible value for the company. She also co-founded Orange’s Health Division.

Ms Brillouet has regularly taught at prestigious French business and engineering schools.

Lorenzo Casaccia leads a global team across 20 countries that covers technology standards in the areas of cellular system, spectrum, video and multimedia, RISC-V, AI & computing, automotive, and regional standards organisations.

With over two decades at Qualcomm, and a long history in 5G standards leadership, he has a broad understanding of the technology standardisation ecosystem, working as part of the CTO office, in conjunction with product planning and development, research, IP licensing, and legal teams.

He holds degrees in electrical engineering from Turin Polytechnic, telecommunications from the Eurecom Institute, and philosophy from Rome University. He is also the author or co-author of over 40 approved patents.

A former avid backpacker, Mr Casaccia has travelled extensively in numerous countries in Asia. He is married with two small children and lives in Barcelona, Spain.

Robin Cefai has been the Chief IP Licensing Officer at the Volkswagen Group since October 2023. In this role, he focuses on licensing in and out strategies and negotiations in coordination with the IP teams of the group brands. Mr Cefai has worked in Europe, the USA and Asia covering patent prosecution, litigation and licensing. Before joining Volkswagen, he spent six years as IP director at Eaton, supporting the electrification and digitalisation of the company. Mr Cefai has been a French patent attorney since 2005, a European patent attorney since 2006 and qualified as US Patent Agent in 2007. He has held a European Patent Litigator certificate since 2016. He obtained an engineer degree in electronics in 1999.

Dan Choi is the Associate General Counsel and Chief Patent Counsel at Microsoft. He leads the team of patent professionals responsible for Microsoft’s patent strategy, portfolio development, and patent policy. Prior to his current role and over the course of a decade, he led teams covering business units across a range of Microsoft products and has worked on complex patent transactions as well as innovative uses for IP.

Before joining Microsoft in 2013, Mr Choi was in private practice, helping companies from multinationals to startups with all aspects of patent preparation, prosecution and portfolio management.

Mr Choi holds a BSE in Electrical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering from Duke University and a JD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

With more than 40 years’ experience, Roberto Dini is one of the global IP market’s best-known figures. He has extensive expertise in filing and prosecuting patents; drafting contracts for the acquisition or licensing of patents; negotiating with multinational companies; and assisting patent owners in enforcing their patent rights, especially in the consumer electronics field. Mr Dini was head of the patent and trademark office at Indesit, before founding Sisvel in 1982. Under his leadership, the firm became a world leader in managing IP and maximising the value of patent rights – in particular, through the creation and management of patent pools and other forms of aggregation.

In 1987, he founded Metroconsult, an IP consultancy firm with offices in Turin, Milan and Genoa. Mr Dini is a member of the Italian Industrial Property Consultant Association, a registered patent attorney before the EPO and a trademark and design attorney before the EUIPO.

Jako Eleveld has been on the executive team of Philips Intellectual Property & Standards since 2009. He leads a successful global licensing group covering IP creation, standardisation, new programme development, licensing programmes and software licensing.

Mr Eleveld has more than 20 years’ experience in IP business. In previous positions, he was responsible for the IP portfolio and transactional matters of Philips Semiconductors (now NXP), Philips Innovation and Emerging Businesses, and Philips Consumer Lifestyle. His experience covers the whole spectrum of intellectual property, including portfolio management, standardisation, acquisition, licensing, litigation, M&A and other transactions. He is also a board member of various IP companies, including MPEG LA, Access Advance, One-Blue and Open Invention Network.

Mr Eleveld holds an MSc in applied physics from the University of Twente and is a European and Dutch patent attorney. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, IAM listed him in the Top 40 Global IP Market Makers.

Francesca Ferrari is a Professor of Civil Procedure Law in the Department of Economics at the University of Insubria. She has a significant academic background, having been a visiting scholar at both Harvard Law School and Maastricht University. She is qualified to teach civil procedure law and comparative law. She has published over 100 articles in academic journals on civil procedural law, intellectual property (including industrial property and copyright) and topics at the intersection of civil procedural law and civil law, particularly with regard to new technologies, litigation and the protection of intellectual property rights. She has also written four books.

Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation appointed her as the country’s expert on intellectual property and consumer protection at the Italian Permanent Representation at the EU. She has been a partner and of counsel at leading law firms and has worked before the Antitrust Authority too. She is also a member of scientific associations and editorial committees of several prestigious journals.

Jim Finnegan advises Fortune 100 companies, technology firms and private equity clients on patent strategy and IP monetisation.

Prior to joining Red Chalk in 2023, he spent 17 years as Vice President of Intellectual Property Strategy at Comcast Corporation, leading IP initiatives across Comcast Cable, NBC Universal, and Sky. Earlier in his career, Mr Finnegan served as Vice President of Intellectual Property at Qimonda AG in Munich, overseeing licensing and litigation during its spinout from Infineon Technologies. He also held senior roles at AT&T and Lucent Technologies, where he led international licensing, portfolio management and standards essential patent licensing, managing a global portfolio of over 25,000 patents.

Mr Finnegan holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering and an MBA from Lehigh University. He has spoken on IP strategy and standards licensing at events including the LES IP100 Executive Forum and the US National Academies’ Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy.

Magali Fitzgibbon is the Legal and Governance Director at ETSI (European Telecommunication Standards Institute), collaborating with the keyholders of the association. She holds a master’s degree in law, specialised in intellectual property and new technologies. During her 18 years' experience in research and innovation in the digital and ICT sectors, she has had the opportunity to work in a variety of positions involving legal support and expertise, partnerships, project management, policy and general secretarial duties.

Mattia Fogliacco is President of Sisvel International SA, the parent company of the Sisvel Group. He has led the group since 2017 and before that was part of its executive management team as chief new business officer. Under his leadership, Sisvel has become a point of reference for licensing SEPs in consumer electronics for Wi-Fi, mobile communication and digital video broadcasting technologies.

Before joining Sisvel, Mr Fogliacco was managing director of Innovation SA, a company focused on licensing and IP transactions. He also served as senior international manager at IP Bewertungs AG, a service provider of Deutsche Bank, managing three IP and innovation investment funds.

Mr Fogliacco holds an MSc from Bocconi University and a CEMS master’s in international management. He is an inventor with several patent applications under his name and has published multiple articles on innovation and licensing.

Based in Dallas, Steven Geiszler leads a team responsible for patent licensing, prosecution, litigation, and transactions. He practised patent litigation for 15 years at international law firms and received recognition in Chambers USA and Best Lawyers in America.

Mr Geiszler has been interviewed/quoted by Bloomberg TV, IAM, IPWatchdog, Corporate Counsel and Managing IP. He has appeared as counsel of record in more than 160 patent lawsuits and managed more than 75 cases for Huawei, including FRAND patent licensing disputes and trade secret matters. He now focuses on patent licensing and has negotiated numerous eight and nine figure deals.

A native of Snyder, Oklahoma, Mr Geiszler is a graduate of Baylor University and the University of Virginia School of Law. He is a member of the Sedona Conference Working Group 9 on Patent Damages & Remedies and speaks frequently at conferences across the globe.

Adam Gill is a co-founder of GLS Capital, a commercial litigation finance firm with more than $750 million under management. He leads GLS’s patent-related investments and sits on its investment and valuation committees. GLS Capital’s counterparties in patent matters have achieved more than $1.5 billion in verdicts and settlements in recent years. Mr Gill and GLS Capital are ranked Band 1 by Chambers & Partners for IP litigation finance, and Mr Gill has been listed as one of the world’s top patent strategists by IAM every year since 2016.

GLS Capital has deep experience in semiconductors, hyperscale data centers, and wireless SEPs. It is currently involved in multiple WiFi6 and cellular SEP campaigns, including monetising Taiwanese computer maker ASUSTek’s 250+ family portfolio of 4G and 5G SEPs via its subsidiary Celerity IP.

Prior to working in litigation finance, Mr Gill was a partner in the patent litigation group of Kirkland & Ellis.

As President of Nokia Technologies - Nokia’s patent, technology, and brand licensing business, Mr Hammaren leads a team responsible for protecting, managing and monetising the company's industry-leading patent portfolio, driving innovation through investment in 5G, 6G, and multimedia R&D and standardisation, and advising the other Nokia business groups on their IP strategy.

Prior to his current role, Mr Hammarén held several senior positions in Nokia Technologies’ licensing business, including: Chief Licensing Officer Wireless Technologies; Vice President, Head of IoT Licensing Program; and Head of Patent Licensing Greater China. During this time, he was heavily involved in the renewal of many of Nokia’s major smartphone licence agreements.

Mr Hammarén also has extensive experience in IP strategy, business development and transactions. He has a master's degree in law from Helsinki University and a master’s degree in science from Aalto University.

Andrei Iancu is a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell and one of the leading voices in intellectual property law and innovation policy. He is a former Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office, a position to which he was confirmed unanimously by the Senate.

Mr Iancu has decades of experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in IP matters across the technical and scientific spectra, including medical devices, genetic testing, therapeutics, the Internet, telephony, TV broadcasting, video game systems and computer peripherals. He represents clients in litigation and trials before the district courts, the US International Trade Commission and the USPTO, the Federal Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court, and also counsels clients on licensing and other IP issues globally.

Sir Robin Jacob is the Sir Hugh Laddie Chair of Intellectual Property Law at University College London and acts as an arbitrator, mediator, expert determiner and expert witness in both IP and commercial cases.

He practised at the IP bar from 1967, was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1981 and appointed to the Bench in 1993. In October 2003, Sir Robin was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal. He formally retired from the Court of Appeal in May 2011, but continued to hear cases there from time to time until April 2016.

Sir Robin has been President of the Intellectual Property Judges’ Association (the association of European IP, particularly patent, judges) since 2015. He was Chairman of the Advisory Panel on the Selection and Training of Judges for the Unitary Patent Court until the UK withdrew from the project.

Dr Jin Sam Kwak received his BS, MS, and PhD degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, in 1998, 2000 and 2004, respectively. From 2004 to 2005, he was a postdoctoral research associate at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, and in 2006, he served as a postdoctoral research fellow with the Wireless Networks and Communications Group (WNCG) at the University of Texas at Austin. From 2007 to 2012, he was a chief research engineer at LG Electronics, where he conducted research on IMT-Advanced and led standards activities for wireless communications in IEEE 802 (notably, IEEE 802.11/15/16/19), Wi-Fi Alliance (as an alternative board member) and WiMAX Forum.

In 2012, Dr Kwak founded WILUS Institute of Standards and Technology and has been its CEO since then. His main research interests include next generation ICT standards for 5G/6G, Wi-Fi and advanced multimedia codecs.

As the Head of Intellectual Property and Global Litigation at Lenovo, Ms Ludlam leads teams supporting all aspects of the company's intellectual property, licensing and litigation efforts. These teams provide legal support and strategy for patent portfolio development, licensing, global litigation from complaint to conclusion, trademark protection, support for business development deals, M&A diligence, open source compliance, brand protection and standards bodies participation.

Ms Ludlam is a highly respected litigator, having created and executed Lenovo's groundbreaking global SEP litigation strategy leading to landmark decisions around the globe and placing Lenovo as a leader in global SEP litigation strategy.

Working strategically and cooperatively with business leaders to identify areas of risk and to mitigate exposure across product offerings, Ms Ludlam creates and drives intellectual property and litigation strategy for the company in a way that aligns with its core values and supports its business.

Dan McCurdy is the CEO of RPX Corporation, the leading provider of patent risk mitigation services worldwide.

Prior to joining RPX in 2018, Mr McCurdy served as CEO of Provenance Asset Group, Allied Security Trust, PatentFreedom, ThinkFire, and was President of the Intellectual Property Division of Lucent Technologies. He has served as a Vice President of IBM and Ciena Corporation, Director of Business Development for IBM Research, and Manager of Technology and Intellectual Property Policy for IBM worldwide.

In 2011 he was named CEO of the Year by Intellectual Property Magazine, in 2014 was named among the 40 most influential “movers and shakers” in IP transactions by IAM and in 2021 was inducted into the IP Hall of Fame. He has been included in the IAM Strategy 300 every year since the annual list began publication.

Mr McCurdy graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

Toshimoto Mitomo joined Sony Group Corporation (former Sony Corporation) in 1985 and currently is its Chief Strategy Officer, Representative Corporate Executive Officer in charge of Legal, Compliance, Privacy, Intellectual Property, Business Strategy, Sustainability, External Relations, Business Incubation Platform, Creative Platform and Mobility Business.

In these roles, Mr Mitomo is responsible for mid-to-long term business development for the future growth of Sony and Sony’s global IP strategies and technology standardisation activities. In addition, Mr Mitomo heads Sony Innovation Fund - Sony’s corporate venture capital arm - as Senior Investment Executive.

David Muus is the Head of Licensing Programmes at Sisvel, leading an expert team that looks after the firm’s multiple patent pools. He was closely involved in developing the 5G and cellular IoT programmes Sisvel has most recently launched.

Prior to his current role, Mr Muus was interim head of Sisvel’s legal team, having previously been responsible for the firm’s 3G and 4G licensing and litigation activities. This saw him chalk up a succession of agreements through 2022, including with Oppo, Vivo, ZTE, Xiaomi and Samsung.

Before joining Sisvel in 2015, Mr Muus worked at the Dutch telecom operator KPN as IP counsel.

Shayne O’Reilly leads a team at Meta with global responsibility for IP licensing and transactions, open source, artificial intelligence, mergers & acquisitions, and high-risk initiatives. He previously served as Associate General Counsel for IP Litigation at the company, managing domestic and international IP litigation matters.

Prior to joining Meta, Mr O’Reilly worked for Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton LLP where his practice focused on patent litigation, client counselling, technology transactions, due diligence investigations and post grant review work.

Mr O’Reilly serves on the Executive Advisory Board of North Carolina A&T State University and the board of The Ron Clark Academy and Silicon Valley Urban Debate League. He has received the Rising Star In-House Counsel of the Year award from the African American Managing Partner & General Counsel Network, and the Silicon Valley Business Journal 40 under 40 award. He holds a BS in electrical engineering from North Carolina A&T State University, and his J.D. from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.

Dr Matteo Sabattini currently serves as Sisvel’s Executive Adviser, Government Affairs. His work focuses on helping policymakers understand how Sisvel’s efficient, market-driven licensing solutions benefit consumers and power innovation, as well as the firm’s views on patent-related policy initiatives.

Previously, Dr Sabattini was President and Chief Licensing Officer of Convida, and prior to this held key roles at Ericsson, InterDigital, and other leading organisations in the IP industry. He has also served in academic and research positions in wireless and mobile communications at both the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).

Dr Sabattini is a member of the board of the Licensing Executive Society International. He holds an MBA from the George Washington University (GWU), a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and a Laurea Magistrale magna cum laude also in electrical engineering from the University of Bologna.

Jacob Schindler is Senior Content and Communications Manager at Sisvel. He previously spent eight years as a journalist for IAM, leading the publication's coverage of the IP licensing market in Asia. He is based in Hong Kong.

Karel van Lelyveld was born in 1945 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. He studied law at Leyden University before beginning his professional career in 1968 as a management trainee in Hamburg, Germany. In 1971, he joined the Thyssen-Bornemisza Group in Rotterdam, before moving to Philips, where he worked in the Legal Department until 1997.

Over the course of his career at Philips, Mr van Lelyveld rose to the position of General Counsel for Philips Consumer Electronics, with responsibility for Standards & Licensing. From 1997 to 2002, Mr van Lelyveld served as Chairman of the MPEG-2 Administrative Committee, where he played a key role in the international standardisation and licensing of digital video technology. In 2003, Mr van Lelyveld became an outside consultant to the Sisvel Group. He later became CEO of the company, a position he held from 2014 to 2016.

Charles Varvaro is the Managing Director for IP and worldwide head of IBM’s Patent Portfolio. He is worldwide leader for IBM’s IP technology alliances and patent licensing, accountable for patent litigation and leading the litigation strategy against infringers of the IBM patent portfolio. He and his team focus on creating IP income opportunities in services for IBM’s most strategic clients.

Mr Varvaro’s tenure at IBM has been defined by an unyielding commitment to his clients and delivering results while holding to the highest ethical standards. He is known for building deep, strategic relationships with Fortune 500 companies, his unstoppable energy, and ability to knock down roadblocks to success with integrity and humour.

Christine Walmsley-Scott is a commercially focused IP professional with almost 20 years of international experience. She has advised leading law firms and served in-house at a global manufacturer, where she aligned IP strategies with core commercial objectives.

With degrees in biochemistry and law, Christine combines scientific insight with legal and business acumen.

She specialises in IP portfolio management, enforcement and high-value licensing, consistently delivering IP strategies that protect assets, unlock value and support growth. Her track record includes negotiating complex agreements, resolving disputes and ensuring global licence compliance.

Dr Na Wei heads the Corporate Business Development and IP Strategy department at Xiaomi Group and is responsible for managing the company’s global IP licensing and acquisition matters. With extensive knowledge and in-depth insights into SEP licensing and FRAND issues, she has concluded numerous high-stake and strategic licensing deals for Xiaomi.

Prior to joining Xiaomi, Dr Na Wei had more than 10 years of experience in wireless communications research and eight years of experience as 3GPP standardisation delegate for major industry players such as Nokia, Motorola, and SONY. She is a prominent inventor of over 150 wireless communication patents.

Dr Na Wei holds a master’s degree in ECE from National University of Singapore and a PhD degree from Aalborg University, Denmark. Additionally, she earned a master’s degree in civil and commercial law from Renmin University of China

Joff Wild has been Head of Content and Strategic Communication at Sisvel since January 2024. He became a journalist specialising in IP in 1992 and founded IAM in 2003, holding the post of editor-in-chief until 2022. During his time at IAM, he established the IPBC conference franchise and developed a number of IAM-branded publications, including the IAM Strategy 300 and the IAM Patent 1000. He also created the IP Hall of Fame. Prior to IAM, Mr Wild was editor of Patent World and then MIP. He has contributed to numerous publications including the Financial Times, The Times, the Wall Street Journal, Euromoney magazine and the American Lawyer.

Koenraad Wuyts graduated in physics in 1992 and became bachelor in philosophy in the same year, both at the University of Leuven. He entered the intellectual property arena in 1994 and qualified as European patent attorney in 1999.

He is currently Chief Intellectual Property Officer of the KPN Group companies. The group develops ICT operations mainly in the Netherlands. Before working with KPN, Mr Wuyts was the Head of Patents and Licensing at the Research Center IMEC (Belgium). Over the last 20 years, he has developed extensive experience in patent portfolio management and the broad range of IPR law. He speaks regularly at international conferences.

Dr Wuyts is the proud father of three young professionals, none of them active in the IPR world!

Dr Zhang Guangliang is a professor of law at Renmin University of China Law School, the director of Renmin University of China Institute of International Intellectual Property, the Secretary-General of the Intellectual Property Law Research Association of the China Law Society, and the chief editor of Study on Global Intellectual Property Developments and Study on Intellectual Property Developments of China.

Dr Zhang was a member of World Intellectual Property Organization Independent Advisory Oversight Committee (from January 2014 to January 2017). Before he transitioned to the academic world, he worked at the Beijing First Intermediate People’s Court as a judge, deputy chief judge and acting chief judge of the Intellectual Property Tribunal, and was then the director of the research department, as well as a judicial committee member of the court.