Jo Johnson re-appointed Minister for IP
Former Minister for Intellectual Property (IP) Jo Johnson has been re-appointed into the Minister for IP role, it has been confirmed.
Jo Johnson, the brother of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, replaces Chris Skidmore as Minister for IP who held the role for less than a year.
Mr Johnson was previously Minister for IP from 2016-2018. We met with him on several occasions while he was in the role and shared a platform with him at an event in India just before his appointment in 2016 (see picture).
Minister for IP forms part of a large brief for Mr Johnson as part of his role as Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation.
Tania Clark, President of CITMA, said: “We welcome the reappointment of Jo Johnson to this important role. The next few months will be pivotal to the future of the intellectual property system in the UK.
“The importance to businesses of UK Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys being able to represent clients before the European Union Intellectual Property Office after Brexit is paramount and we will make this clear to Mr Johnson.
“Maintaining a strong intellectual property system in the UK whatever the outcome of Brexit should be seen as a priority, as it supports business and nurtures innovation.”