Harnessing cutting edge MENA IP and TMT expertise for the next generation

At the end of 2019, seven out of the world’s top ten largest companies, by market value, were technology based companies. Central to the success of many of these companies is their intellectual property (‘IP’) assets and their ability to both protect and exploit these assets to deliver new technology products and services.

Technology and IP have always been closely intertwined and never more so than now as new disruptive technologies emerge and never more so than in the Middle East & North Africa (‘MENA’) where new technology companies are establishing themselves and an ever increasing number of international technology companies are entering the MENA market.

As more companies adopt new technologies as part of digital transformation efforts critical to their future growth and success, there is an ever-greater need for lawyers who understand these technologies and the IP that underpins it.

Al Tamimi & Company’s IP and Technology, Media and Telecommunications (‘TMT’) teams work closely together supporting both technology companies as they develop and grow their MENA businesses and their customers as they license and use technology. This issue of the Law Update demonstrates the depth and breadth of expertise within these teams with articles ranging from the basics of IP protection of software innovations to the UAE approach of regulating AI and what Data Monetisation means for organisations. Our Patent Team also prepared an article on insights into legal concepts of Inventorship vs Ownership.

We also cover developments in the region and look at the new legal framework offered for Cloud Computing in Bahrain and in Saudi Arabia. We explore the Diplomatic immunity it offers for Data stored in Bahrain and the Cyber Security control and challenges in Saudi Arabia.

Our Team also gives a refresher on traditional topics such as an Insight into protection and enforcement of IP rights in Egypt, as well as 10 quick short notes on copyright claims in the Middle East.

Our experts also look at the newly issued DIFC Intellectual Property Law and its implications for UAE businesses.

We also touch base on the transformation of our industry and the advantage of Document Automation.

We hope you will enjoy reading this issue and find it interesting as much as we did preparing it; if you have any queries related to Intellectual Property matters or Technology, Media & Telecommunications, please do not hesitate to contact our experts.