On September 16, 2021, the Thailand Recognized Group of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) elected councilors and standing committee members for the new term, and six attorneys from Tilleke & Gibbins across nearly all IP practices won places on APAA Thailand’s various committees and executive bodies: Darani Vachanavuttivong – APAA Thailand Council Wiramrudee (Pink) Mokkhavesa – Anti-counterfeiting Committee Sukontip Jitmongkolthong – Copyright Committee Napagate Ratana – Design Committee Suebsiri Taweepon – Emerging IP Rights Committee Peeyakorn Suparugbundit – Patent Committee The APAA advocates for intellectual property protection throughout Asia by fostering connections among IP professionals and organizations, cooperating with other organizations in the region, and arranging activities for members to promote understanding of IP laws in Asia. For more information on the APAA, please see the APAA website.

The Cambodia chapter of the ASEAN Intellectual Property Association (ASEAN IPA) recently held elections for the leadership team for the 2021–2023 term, and on September 16, it was confirmed that Sokmean Chea, an associate in Tilleke & Gibbins’ Cambodia office, has been reelected as a councilor of the association. The ASEAN IPA—of which Darani Vachanavuttivong, co-managing partner of Tilleke & Gibbins, is the president—promotes intellectual property issues and the importance of enforcing intellectual property rights in the ASEAN region. The association builds cooperation and understanding among legal and business experts who are concerned with intellectual property in the ASEAN countries, in order to encourage the development and protection of intellectual property in the ASEAN countries. Each country in ASEAN has its own national chapter, charged with carrying out the ASEAN IPA mission on a national level and marshalling support for the association’s regional initiatives. As one of three councilors on the five-person ASEAN IP Cambodia executive leadership team, Sokmean will provide guidance and oversight of the Cambodia chapter’s activities for the 2021–2023 term. For more information about the ASEAN IPA, please see the ASEAN IPA website.

Andrew Stoutley, chief operating officer of Tilleke & Gibbins, provided a lengthy quote to Asian Legal Business (ALB) for a recent feature on how law firms in Southeast Asia are increasingly using data analytics and information to drive their business strategy. The article featured contributions from a number of partners and executives from firms across Southeast Asia on the different ways that their firms are applying data to their operations and incorporating information and analytics into their strategic decision-making processes. In his contribution, Andrew explained that as technology has become central to virtually all operations at Tilleke & Gibbins, metrics and data have been harnessed to inform decisions at all levels. To illustrate this, he gave the example of a broad strategic planning process that the firm has undertaken to lay out strategy for the coming years. Identifying and gathering key quantitative and qualitative data points was crucial to the process, which considers every element of the firm’s planned operations for the next several years. Andrew went on to discuss the importance of determining how best to share the data with the relevant stakeholders, such as through visualizations or dashboards that allow staff to monitor the progress of operations. The other informants for the article reported a similar uptick in reliance on data—such as in competitive intelligence, billing, and matter management—and emphasized the necessity for firms to recognize the value of data as a resource that must be protected and used wisely. The full article is available on page 4 of the September 2021 issue of ALB.

On September 14, Dino Santaniello, head of Tilleke & Gibbins in Laos, spoke in a webinar titled “Starting a Business in Laos.” The webinar, which was hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce in Laos (ECCIL), featured four business and legal experts sharing insights on how entrepreneurs, investors, and multinationals can set up a company and obtain work permits in Laos. In his presentation, Dino focused on the legal framework for business establishment in Laos and offered some practical tips on how the process is conducted locally. Together, the speakers highlighted the significant opportunity available to business operations in Laos, and discussed the competitive advantages and challenges of carrying out business activities in the jurisdiction. They also discussed taxation and financial best practices, such as opening a corporate bank account. The well-attended webinar attracted many entrepreneurs, investors, executives, and others interested in potentially setting up business operations in Laos.