UK IPO: Parting thoughts
Tim Moss made time to address our readers as he handed over his IPO role.
Tim Moss made time to address our readers as he handed over his IPO role.
By the time you read these words, I will have taken up my new post as Director General and Chief Operating Officer at the Welsh Government, leaving the IPO in the capable hands of interim Chief Executive Adam Williams.
In my final letter to the CITMA Review, I want to take this opportunity to reflect on five incredible years.
The overriding theme that stands out has been our shift to putting our customers at the heart of what we do, with everyone pulling together and asking: how can we make things better?
The way we responded to Brexit exemplifies this. Brexit dominated the organisation once we knew it was coming.
We just weren’t quite sure when it was going to happen or what it would look like. I remember, in the early days, checking whether our forms and systems could cope with the additional work without falling over.
Then, once we had the deadline, it was full steam ahead. It was a massive piece of work.
Now we’re seeing the positive knock‑on impact from that. The increase in trade mark and design applications, and the growth this led to, really was a defining moment.
Then we also had the COVID‑19 pandemic. It was difficult, but also brought out the best of our core values.
We took risks to get services online in a matter of days and weeks. I was inspired by how we rose to these challenges, ensuring the needs of our customers remained at the centre of our thinking.
Over five years, the number of domestic trade mark applications we received more than doubled – to more than 150,000 last year.
This growth, of course, came with its own set of challenges. At its peak in March 2021, the trade mark application backlog stood at over 30,000.
Last May, I was delighted to announce that we cleared all our backlogs for the first time in many years.
We did this by finding ways to be more efficient, and through our excellent teams’ hard work. With the backlogs cleared, the IPO can firmly focus on transformation.
Better services mean that, as demand increases, backlogs shouldn’t build up as they have historically.
But the One IPO Transformation Programme isn’t just about making paper services digital – it’s about the IPO’s future.
Historically, the IPO’s systems didn’t always do what they should have – with something like 16 ways to register an address.
The inherited limitations went back a long way.
As well as a vehicle to get systems up to standard, One IPO is also a springboard for the future. It will ensure the IPO can adapt to take advantage of rapidly changing technologies, from machine learning and AI to whatever opportunities come next.
Engagement with CITMA members remains essential. We are grateful for the recent contributions to our call for views on the design system and the continuing support for our One IPO Transformation Programme.
As I embrace a new challenge, the outstanding team at the IPO will continue working to build a world‑class IP system in the UK. The ongoing input of CITMA members is crucial to this.
Tim Moss served as Chief Executive of the IPO until 1st September 2022. He is now Chief Operating Officer at the Welsh Government.
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