PATMI Partnership Hiring! Full Time Chief Intellectual Property Officer in - Ricebowl

Our client is one of Asia’s largest and most established private equity firms, with a diversified portfolio spanning multiple industries and markets. The firm partners with founders, management teams and institutional investors to build market-leading businesses and create sustainable long-term value.

As intellectual property, proprietary technology, data and other intangible assets become increasingly important drivers of enterprise value, the firm is appointing a Chief Intellectual Property Officer (CIPO) to lead its intellectual property strategy across the investment platform and portfolio.

Position Summary

The Chief Intellectual Property Officer will be responsible for developing and implementing an enterprise-wide intellectual property strategy that protects proprietary assets, strengthens competitive advantage and unlocks additional value across the firm’s portfolio.

This is a strategic investment and value-creation position, extending beyond traditional IP legal administration. The CIPO will work closely with investment teams, portfolio company boards, CEOs, legal leaders, technology leaders and operating partners to identify, protect, commercialise and monetise intellectual property and other intangible assets.

The role will also incorporate emerging areas including artificial intelligence, proprietary algorithms, data assets, digital platforms, trade secrets and technology-enabled business models.

Key Responsibilities

1. Intellectual Property Strategy

• Develop the firm’s overarching intellectual property and intangible-assets strategy.
• Establish a portfolio-wide framework for identifying, protecting, managing and commercialising intellectual property.
• Align IP strategy with investment theses, portfolio value-creation plans and exit strategies.
• Advise senior leadership and investment committees on material IP opportunities and risks.
• Build greater awareness of intellectual property as a strategic and financial asset.

2. Investment Due Diligence

• Lead or oversee IP due diligence for potential acquisitions, investments, joint ventures and strategic partnerships.
• Assess the ownership, validity, defensibility, transferability and commercial potential of target-company IP.
• Identify risks involving disputed ownership, employee-created IP, licensing restrictions, open-source software, infringement claims and weak protection.
• Evaluate the strength of patents, trademarks, copyrights, designs, trade secrets, data assets and proprietary technology.
• Translate IP findings into investment implications, valuation considerations, transaction protections and post-acquisition priorities.
• Support transaction documentation, representations, warranties, indemnities and closing conditions relating to intellectual property.

3. Portfolio Value Creation

• Conduct portfolio-wide reviews to identify valuable but underprotected or underutilised intellectual property.
• Develop company-specific IP roadmaps aligned with growth, innovation, market-entry and commercial objectives.
• Help portfolio companies establish strong IP governance, ownership and decision-making processes.
• Support the creation of new revenue streams through licensing, franchising, technology transfer and strategic partnerships.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate, share or commercialise IP across portfolio companies where appropriate.
• Ensure that portfolio companies’ IP strategies support future fundraising, strategic transactions and successful exits.

4. Protection and Portfolio Management

• Oversee the strategic management of patents, trademarks, copyrights, registered designs, domain names and trade secrets.
• Introduce consistent standards for invention disclosure, registration, renewal, enforcement and portfolio rationalisation.
• Ensure appropriate protection across relevant Asian and international jurisdictions.
• Establish controls covering employee, consultant, vendor and joint-development IP ownership.
• Review the commercial and strategic value of IP portfolios and recommend whether assets should be maintained, expanded, licensed, sold or retired.
• Develop cost-effective arrangements with external law firms, patent agents, investigators and specialist advisers.

5. Commercialisation and Monetisation

• Identify opportunities to generate value from intellectual property through licensing, royalties, partnerships, joint ventures, spin-offs and asset sales.
• Support the valuation of intellectual property for transactions, financing, restructuring, tax planning and financial reporting.
• Work with portfolio management teams to incorporate IP commercialisation into business plans.
• Advise on licensing structures, exclusivity, territorial rights, field-of-use restrictions and commercial terms.
• Develop strategic approaches to technology transfer and cross-border IP deployment.
• Explore opportunities to create portfolio-wide innovation or technology platforms.

6. Artificial Intelligence, Data and Digital Assets

• Establish principles governing the ownership, protection and commercial use of AI models, algorithms, software, databases and digital content.
• Advise on intellectual property risks arising from generative AI, including training data, third-party content, ownership of outputs and confidential information.
• Develop standards for protecting proprietary datasets, source code, models and technical know-how.
• Address IP implications associated with software development, open-source code and outsourced technology arrangements.
• Work with technology and cybersecurity leaders to protect digital intellectual property against theft, leakage and unauthorised access.

7. Risk Management and Disputes

• Develop an IP risk-management framework for the firm and its portfolio companies.
• Oversee significant infringement, ownership, licensing and trade-secret disputes.
• Advise on enforcement strategy, litigation exposure and settlement options.
• Establish escalation and reporting requirements for material IP incidents.
• Monitor emerging laws, regulatory developments and court decisions affecting intellectual property and technology.
• Ensure appropriate protection of confidential information during investments, partnerships and exits.

8. Governance and Capability Building

• Establish intellectual property policies, governance standards and reporting dashboards.
• Define clear accountabilities for IP ownership and management across portfolio companies.
• Develop an inventory and classification system for material intellectual property and intangible assets.
• Introduce portfolio-level metrics covering protection, utilisation, commercial value, cost and risk.
• Provide training to investment professionals, directors, executives and relevant employees.
• Build a network of high-quality legal, technical, valuation and commercialisation specialists across Asia and other priority markets.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a senior intellectual property leader with substantial experience connecting IP strategy to corporate growth, investment decisions and enterprise value creation.

Candidates should demonstrate:

• Significant leadership experience in intellectual property, technology law, innovation, investment or a related field.
• Strong experience with patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing, technology transfer and IP disputes.
• Experience conducting IP due diligence for investments, acquisitions or major strategic transactions.
• A strong understanding of how intellectual property affects valuation, competitive advantage and exit readiness.
• Exposure to private equity, venture capital, investment banking, management consulting or portfolio-company environments.
• Experience operating across multiple Asian and international jurisdictions.
• Knowledge of emerging IP issues involving artificial intelligence, software, data, digital platforms and open-source technology.
• The ability to work effectively with investors, boards, founders, CEOs, lawyers, scientists, engineers and commercial leaders.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to translate complex legal and technical issues into clear investment decisions.
• High integrity, sound judgement and the ability to manage highly confidential matters.

Qualifications

• Degree in law, engineering, science, technology, business or another relevant discipline.
• Legal admission and/or registration as a patent attorney would be advantageous but is not essential where the candidate has strong commercial and strategic IP leadership experience.
• An advanced qualification in intellectual property, technology, business or finance would be beneficial.
• Typically 15 or more years of relevant professional experience, including substantial senior leadership responsibility.