He leads IP firm’s practice group for chemistry and biotechnology patents
AJ Park has expressed its congratulations to Dr Duncan de Geest on his appointment as chair of the Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Board (TTIPAB), which the intellectual property firm called a ‘significant achievement.’
“He is particularly motivated by the intellectual curiosity of those working in, or entering, the industry and brings a significant depth of technical and regulatory expertise to his new role,” AJ Park said in its news release highlighting the appointment.
In October 2024, de Geest joined the TTIPAB, which administers the regulatory and disciplinary regimes for patent attorneys in Australia and New Zealand, as well as for trademark attorneys in Australia.
Apart from the chair, the nine-member board includes IP Australia’s director general and the New Zealand patents commissioner as ex officio members.
The TTIPAB also includes other members from Australia and New Zealand, appointed by Australia’s industry and science minister in consultation with New Zealand’s minister of commerce and consumer affairs.
In its news release, AJ Park described de Geest as a longtime advocate for the IP profession. He served on the Council of New Zealand Intellectual Property Attorneys Inc.
He joined AJ Park in 2001. A Wellington-based principal, he leads the firm’s practice group for chemistry and biotechnology patents. In this role, he heads a specialised team of IP professionals, many holding PhDs across wide-ranging scientific areas.
de Geest’s biography on the firm’s website provided more information regarding his professional experience and educational background.
He focuses on patent law related to chemical innovations. He assists clients interested in obtaining patent protection in fields like nanotechnology, materials science, medical devices, small-molecule pharmaceuticals, and process technology.
de Geest’s clients include Crown research institutes, universities, and other New Zealand companies and research organisations, as well as large research-driven multinationals across Europe, Japan, and the US.
Apart from working directly with clients, he also receives instructions through international law firms acting on behalf of clients abroad to secure IP protection through the New Zealand and Australian patent offices.
de Geest is a registered patent attorney in Australia and New Zealand and an admitted barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.
From the University of Canterbury, he earned his BSc in chemistry (honours) in 1992 and his PhD in 1998. He obtained his LLB from the Victoria University of Wellington in 2009.
