Experts from Amazon, GSK, Hugo Boss, Sony, Target and Disney among first confirmed participants for WTR Connect

WTR recently unveiled WTR Connect, a series of high-level online events taking place across two weeks in October. We can now reveal the first confirmed participants, which include David Gooder, USPTO commissioner of trademarks, as well as experts from companies including Abercrombie & Fitch, Burberry, Novartis, Starbucks and Under Armour.

WTR Connect is a digital concept that offers a series of individual interactive digital sessions organised around major themes. Rather than following the usual webinar or online conference model, WTR Connect is comprised of a series of hubs, each designed to facilitate discussion, benchmarking and the sharing of best practice around key topic areas and challenges facing trademark and brand leaders. Rather than following traditional conference and webinar models, the hubs are built around content, connection and contribution. Each day will start with a keynote address from a major industry figure. This will be followed by live breakout discussions lasting for a maximum of 60 minutes. These will be in a variety of formats including masterclasses, open discussion forums, solution rooms and closed-door, invite-only boardrooms.

The current list of confirmed participants includes:

• Christa Cole, head, brand development, enforcement and licensing at Nestle
• Laura Alteri, deputy general counsel at Del Monte Foods
• Hogarth Andall, director, IP at Sony
• Livia Andermatt, senior counsel, IP at Lindt
• Sharon Armstrong, senior counsel, global trademarks at Align Technology
• Jose Bautista, associate legal counsel, IP at Abercrombie & Fitch
• Mark Bearfoot, legal director, global brand protection at Tommy Hilfiger
• Maral Behnam-Garcia, director, brand protection at Wish
• Oscar Benito, assistant general counsel, corporate and vaccines, IP at GSK
• Heike Bhonsle, director, brand protection at Crocs
• Kevin Blum, senior counsel, brands and content, IP at NBCUniversal
• Sine Bramming Platz, senior counsel, IP at PVH
• Adraea Brown, director legal, trademarks and brand protection at Harley-Davidson Motor Company
• John Carriero, senior director, brand protection at Under Armour
• Mandar Chandrachud, associate vice president at Godrej Consumer Products Limited
• Marina  Depietri, vice president, IP, The Americas at Red Bull
• Claudia Gessler, legal counsel, IP at Hugo Boss
• David Gooder, commissioner, trademarks at USPTO
• Stephanie Hall, trademark and brand counsel at Lyft
• Deborah Hampton, senior manager, trademark and copyright at The Chemours Company
• Mikia Hawkins, senior counsel at ViacomCBS
• Debra Hughes, assistant general counsel at Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Shannon King, associate general counsel at Williams-Sonoma
• Renee Kraft, director counsel, trademark and copyright at Target
• David Lossignol, global head, pharma legal brand protection at Novartis
• Aimee Mahan, senior manager at Amazon
• Frank Meixner, head, corporate trademarks at Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH
• Brett Millar, senior director, brand protection at FitBit
• Anna Olsen, global director, IP at Treasury Wine Estates
• Scott Piering, vice president and chief IP counsel at Spectrum Brands
• Tina Pompey, principal counsel, IP at Walt Disney
• Laurence Rickles, chief trademark counsel at Teva Pharmaceuticals
• Michel Rorai, lead counsel, IP at Unilever
• Frank Schöne-de la Nuez, lead counsel, trademarks at CSL Behring
• Lynn Schrier, senior counsel, IP at Swarovski
• Jitendra Sharma, unit manager, legal IPR at Metlife
• Natasza Shilling, senior counsel, legal at Vodafone
• Heather Stutz, corporate counsel, IP at Starbucks
• Niall Trainor, senior director, brand protection, family and brands at Entertainment One
• Catrin Turner, IP counsel at Dr Martens Airwair
• Jeff Warren, director, brand protection at Burberry

The sessions, taking place from 6-15 October, are timed to suit attendees in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. Participants can register for as many sessions as they like, building their own schedule. However, to ensure maximum interaction and discussion, capacity within each hub will be limited.

To find out more and to secure your place at WTR Connect, click here.