Richard Gold
Director
Richard Gold is an expert in innovation, patent law and policy, and is also a professor at McGill University’s Faculty of Law where he was founding Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy. Richard frequently provides advice to international organizations (WHO, UNITAID, WIPO, OECD), governments and institutions on the strategic use of intellectual property rights. Richard also has substantial practical experience in technology and corporate law at a top tier Toronto law firm where he worked prior to entering academia. All in all, he brings a rich blend of practical, policy and academic experience to innovation strategy.
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Profile
“Everyone is talking, but few are doing – that is why I founded TIP.”
Richard is a leading international scholar in the field of innovation, intellectual property and the life sciences. His advice is regularly sought by government, international organizations such as the OECD, WHO, WIPO, UNITAID as well as nonprofits. He publishes in leading journals in law, political science, science and philosophy and assists journalists internationally in grappling with issues relating to patents and innovation. He combines rigorous research – having led the International Expert Group on Biotechnology, Innovation and Intellectual Property – with a keen practical sense and an ability to get people with opposing interests to the table.
What is the biggest challenge facing innovation and IP at the moment?
“Everyone knows that what we are doing isn’t working – increasing costs, lower productivity, public resistance – but few are willing to do what it takes to make the necessary change. We know collaborations and more open access works but getting to sign up to it has proven difficult. Old ideas die hard.”
What is one of the most influential books or articles you have read about innovation?
“It has yet to be written. There are lots of great articles and books in different disciplines, but what we need is to bring them all together and support them with good data.”
Where do you see the future of innovation?
“The future lies in opening up the process of innovation to allow for greater flows of knowledge. We need to strategically use and abstain from IP to ensure that knowledge gets to those who can best use it.”
What is an important lesson from your research?
“The topic of innovation and intellectual property is steeped in myth and dogma. Those universities and companies that will succeed are those that are willing to experiment with new ways of sharing IP. Some examples exist, we need more. As Roosevelt said, the only thing to fear is fear itself.”