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19 December 2001
QED merges with US intellectual property firm
(London, England and Stamford, Connecticut. USA) -- QED Intellectual Property
Limited (QED), the patent licensing arm of technology development and licensing
company, Scipher plc is proud to announce a merger with Fairfield Resources International
Inc. (FRI), a highly acclaimed intellectual asset strategy firm, based in Stamford,
Connecticut. The merger with FRI comes only months after QED opened an office
in Tokyo, giving the company a strategic presence in the world's top IP producing
and using countries. QED believes it is now unique in offering its clients' a
truly global patent licensing service.
FRI was founded in October 1997 by Fish and Richardson, one of the leading
IP and technology law firms in the US. The management team is made up of senior
executives from leading US companies and who have been instrumental in the emergence
of IP management as a strategic business discipline. The president and CEO of
FRI, Emmett J. Murtha, was previously Director of Licensing at IBM, where he was
responsible for world-wide licensing policies and practices. During his tenure
IBM's royalties grew from $17m to over $1 billion per year.
Commenting on the merger with FRI, David Hulston, Managing Director of QED,
said: "Intellectual Property is a key business asset in many American companies.
Their understanding of its commercial value has created a unique market place
for the licensing of IP and the transfer of technology. We are delighted to welcome
Emmett and his team into QED. Their unique skills and experiences will be of tremendous
importance in helping to realise the value in our clients' IP."
Emmett Murtha said: "This merger of professionals in intellectual property
strategy and licensing results in an outstanding combination of talent and experience
which will provide our clients throughout the world with an extraordinary level
of capability backed by substantial technical resources." He went on: "I
am enormously impressed by the talented people, technical skills and executive
leadership that QED and Scipher bring to this relationship. The synergies are
compelling, and I am delighted at our prospects for excellent client service and
licensing success as we field this strong, new team."
About QED Intellectual Property Limited (QED)
QED is the patent licensing arm of technology development and licensing company
Scipher plc (FTSE:SIP). With headquarters in the United Kingdom and offices in
the USA, Japan and Sweden, QED provides proactive licensing services to a range
of world class international clients, helping them to generate revenue and value
from their IP portfolios.
QED's clients include British Telecommunications plc, Deutsche Telekom AG,
Imagination Technologies Plc, Simoco Digital Systems Inc., Toyota R&D Laboratories
Inc., Telstra Inc. and Unilever plc.
For further information please visit the web site: www.qed-ip.com
About Fairfield Resources International Inc. (FRI)
FRI is recognised around the world for identifying and capturing the full value
of its client's intellectual assets. With a staff of internationally respected
intellectual asset strategists, FRI has both the experience and perspective to
help clients set and achieve aggressive financial goals for their entire intellectual
asset portfolio.
FRI's clients include 3M, The Boeing Company, Du Pont de Nemours and Company,
Fuji Photo Film USA Inc., Nokia Corporation and Siemens Corporation.
About Scipher
Scipher plc is the largest technology development and licensing company of its
type in Europe. Scipher delivers value from intellectual property (IP) in two
principal ways:
- It commercialises patent-protected products developed by its own R&D resources,
through licensing or sale to high-growth markets around the world.
- Using its extensive expertise in IP management it creates value from clients'
IP assets by providing a complete licence revenue generating service.
Scipher's impressive portfolio of advanced technology products and know-how
covers the markets for 3D Sound, Displays, Communications, Sensors, Secure Identification
and Broadcast Monitoring. Almost two-thirds of Scipher's revenues are earned outside
the UK in 49 countries.
Scipher is backed by more than 70 years in advanced R&D including developments
of such historic importance as stereo recording, television broadcasting and the
medical CT scanner, which won a Nobel Prize for its inventor. Scipher's continuing
tradition of technological achievement has been recognised most recently by winning
the 2001 MacRobert Award, the highest UK accolade for innovation, awarded for
Scipher's outstanding 3D Sound technology.
Scipher is listed on the London Stock Exchange (FTSE:SIP) and is a constituent
of the techMark 100 index. For further information, visit the web-site: www.scipher.com.
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