Project Description
The role of Intellectual Property (IP) and the importance of its protection
Intellectual Property (IP) rights serve as an incentive to reward innovation by providing IP creators and owners with the time and opportunity to see a return on investment for their creation. A weak IP regime has an adverse effect and impact on access to innovative therapies.
IP rights are not only the lifeline of the pharmaceutical industry, but many other industries globally.
Join us in conversation as we educate stakeholders about IP rights and the importance of IP protection, as well as how the protection of IP allows for continuous innovation and R&D.
Joanne Joseph
Master of Ceremonies
Joanne Joseph
Joanne’s broadcast career started in radio and she has extensive experience on the airwaves. Joanne has presented several high-profile live broadcasts including the live coverage of Nelson Mandela’s passing broadcast internationally, Thabo Mbeki’s presidential inauguration, Walter Sisulu and Beyers Naudé funerals. She regularly MCs corporate functions in English and French and has produced documentaries for the United Nations Development Programme among others. She has also authored a best-selling book, Drug Muled, Sixteen Years in a Thai Prison; teaches scriptwriting for broadcast and is a sought-after MC.
Zweli Bashman
Managing Director, MSD, and President
IPASA
Zweli Bashman
He is the Managing Director of operations in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa for international healthcare and pharmaceuticals group MSD since February 2021. He first joined MSD South Africa as Director for HIV and Vaccines in 2020. His successes during his tenure included the signing of voluntary licence agreements with other healthcare companies to allow the marketing of generic versions of its HIV medication, expanding access to treatment for people living with HIV/Aids in Africa.
Dr McLean Sibanda
Managing Director and Board member
Bigen Global
Dr McLean Sibanda
An accomplished patent attorney, engineer and internationally respected innovation promoter with a 23-year career in intellectual property and related fields, Dr McLean Sibanda is the regional Managing Director of Bigen Global and a member of the Bigen Board. Before joining Bigen, McLean was the CEO of The Innovation
Hub South Africa, as well as Treasurer of the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) and President of the IASP African Division. He brings on board legal expertise with a specific proficiency in deal structuring and extensive experience in developing entrepreneurship, innovation, venture funding and incubation.
Dr Susan Winks
Head of Research Operations and Business Development
H3D Drug Discovery Centre, University of Cape Town
Dr Susan Winks
Professor Yahya Choonara
Director of Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform
University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Yahya Choonara
Dr Tsepo Tsekoa
Chief Researcher
Council for Industrial Scientific Research (CSIR)
Dr Tsepo Tsekoa
Doctor Tsepo Tsekoa is a Chief Researcher and Research Group Leader for Biomanufacturing Technology Demonstration at CSIR Chemicals Cluster. He was trained at the University of London, University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape and is qualified at doctoral level in Applied Biotechnology (PhD). He completed his postdoctoral training at UCT’s IDM prior to joining CSIR Biosciences in 2007. He has expert knowledge of downstream processing, including filtration and chromatography, as applied to biomanufacturing development at these scales using bacteria, yeast and tobacco expression hosts.