Andrew Blattman: From Patent Attorney to Global Leader, 30 Years at IPH 

3 July marked a significant milestone in the story of leading international group of IP firm’s IPH Limited – 30 years of service of CEO and Managing Director, Dr Andrew Blattman. Andrew started his career in IP as a Molecular Biologist at Spruson & Ferguson in 1995, developing to Principal and Chemical/Life Sciences Practice Group Leader at the firm, and eventually taking the helm at IPH in 2017. Under his leadership, the group has acquired some of the world’s most prolific firms in secondary markets. Over his thirty years of growth, he has borne witness to significant changes within the IP industry, and has seen the industry and IPH’s firms hold strong through challenging economic cycles, a global pandemic and ever-changing technological developments.  

Protecting and embracing technology  

Since 1995, the IP industry has seen significant technological developments, with ICT taking the top spot in innovation trends in recent years.  

“Outputs from different industries ebb and flow over time – in the 80s and 90s, we saw a growth in biotechnologies that became patented. Now we see a boom in ICT technologies through emerging innovations like AI, which are producing huge patent filings. AI poses an opportunity not only for patents, but in terms of business, and I think it’s important that everyone be open to adopting it – it’s here to stay.” 

Technology is constantly changing, impacting both the kind of technologies attorneys protect, but also those that attorneys can (and often should) adopt into their practice, with AI as a key example. Andrew notes the proximity of IPH to Asia as a key opportunity in embracing these changes.  

“During my time in IP, I’ve seen a lot of change, particularly when it comes to the technology we both use and protect. Technology is constantly changing, and the constancy really for us is the need to protect it. That keeps us in business. We’ve seen a transforming global landscape, with the rise of China an example, which has emerged as a technological superpower. Back in my early days at Spruson & Ferguson, Southeast Asia was a new, dynamic and rapidly changing market, and leading the expansion of the firm into that space shines as a highlight of my career,” says Dr Blattman. 

“You’ve got to adopt, and be open to adopting the newest technologies – that’s how you do business well. If you’re starting off in this space, you need to be willing and able to use new tools and develop new skills. This industry, like many, sees constant change, and you must be adaptable and open to that change. Our business is technology; we live and breathe it.” 

Weathering the storm, globally  

IPH comprises some of the oldest and largest firms in secondary IP markets, including Spruson & Ferguson (established in 1887), Smart & Biggar (established in 1890), AJ Park (established in 1891), ROBIC (established in 1892) and Griffith Hack (established in 1904). These businesses have survived and thrived as leading firms in their regions, weathering the storms of economic ebbs and flows, technological booms and not one, but two global pandemics.  

“Nearly all of the businesses across our group are 100-year-old businesses, which is an amazing reflection of the quality of firms we have. For a lot of our firms, COVID was the second pandemic they faced after the 1918 Spanish Flu. They have stood strong through both. These businesses are incredibly enduring. COVID did emerge at the time as a disruption for our business, as it did many businesses, but we had the technology to revert to at home working quickly. It’s a real credit to our people that we were able to pivot during this period without really losing a beat. We’ve been through a few economic cycles as well – in my 30 years we’ve seen the tech boom and subsequent fall in 2000-2002. We saw the Global Financial Crisis in 2008. All of that has some impact but we hold strong thanks to our wonderful and varied base of clients.” 

Our network combines Asia, a market that is constantly growing, and mature markets Australia, New Zealand and Canada, which have seen consistent growth since federation. At the end of the day, the IP system goes through cycles and so does our business, but it always survives,” says Dr Blattman.  

Clients at the core 

Looking back on his career, Andrew notes that while his leadership of the group’s growth is a highlight, those earlier moments of drafting first patent applications and working with clients to bring their ideas to life shine through. Working with great clients and great people remains at the core of his passion for IP work.  

“When you first enter your career and draft your early patent applications, it’s rewarding to see them go through to acceptance and grant. You become part of your clients’ team through this process, through the context of what you’re creating in this intellectual asset that has become tangible through your work. Seeing them then commercialise is also rewarding. It’s satisfying to bring in new clients and work with them through the experience of bringing their ideas to life, and now as the leader of IPH, bringing those clients in to one or several of our member firms is always a highlight. 

“On top of the great work we contribute to, there is so much opportunity to access interesting experiences. It’s an international profession, and I’ve travelled the world so many more times that I ever would have imagined, seeing some of the greatest clients in the world, whether it be a large German industrial chemical company, a pharmaceutical company in Switzerland or tech companies in the Bay Area of California. As IP attorneys, we’re a part of these teams, and it’s an extremely rewarding experience.” 

Embracing the future 

Reflecting on thirty years in IP and with IPH, Andrew looks forward to embracing the future of the group and industry, working with great clients, surrounded by a strong network of leaders and experts.  

“It’s been such a wonderful career to be a part of – there haven’t been too many days that I haven’t enjoyed coming to work. I can’t believe the depth of our client base, and the daily filings I see coming in whether it’s from Canada or Australia or New Zealand or Asia. The strength of the client base is truly incredible, and they are so enduring. I feel privileged that our business is in a strong position to pivot into new ways of doing business. As in any business there are challenges ahead, but I’m grateful to have an accomplished team of leaders working with me, and a network of brilliant people to take us into the future.”