Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Director General Rowel S. Barba made it to Managing IP’s list of people who had made waves in the intellectual property scene in 2023.
Under the British media group’s 50 Most Influential People in IP 2023, Barba joins Tesla CEO Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Barbie (2023) Director Greta Gerwig, Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, US Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor and other big names in the fields of business, innovation, creativity and IP law and policy. Barba is also one of nine IP authorities picked.
Managing IP cited Barba’s leadership at IPOPHL as key to turning game-changing ideas into concrete policies, such as on site-blocking, geographical indications and strengthened enforcement work to keep the Philippines out of the US and EU’s IP watchlists.
Managing IP also noted IPOPHL’s deepening role in the ASEAN region, showcased through its active work in driving multi-stakeholder partnerships in the battle against counterfeiting and piracy and its successful two-year run of its leadership at the ASEAN Working Group on IP Cooperation.
The IPOPHL chief, admired for his can-do attitude, charismatic leadership style and genuine care for the wellness of each of the agency’s employees, has also helped sustain IPOPHL employees’ satisfaction in the workplace.
“It is an honor to be named as one of the luminaries in the world of IP and the big names that have made an indelible mark and legacy in their respective fields,” Barba said.
“But the significant, exciting events unfolding in the IP landscape in the Philippines that are being felt in the ASEAN and in the world are not the workings of just one man. They are but the outcomes of the men and women at IPOPHL who amaze me everyday for their creativity and efficiency as individuals. As professionals, many of them work day-through-night, behind-the-scenes, fueled only by knowing what they need to do to protect and promote the IPs of our inventors, artists and entrepreneurs,” he added.