The foreign diplomatic team on IP in China is once undergoing several mid-year changes.  Some of the prior changes were reported here, here and here.

There is now a cohort of foreign diplomats who had been hired to work exclusively on IP issues in China, which have included France, the United States, the EU (including its long-running IP Key project), UK, Australia Korea and Japan.  Generally, all these diplomats bring a focused, collaborative and more technical perspective on often politicized IP issues as compared to their counterparts in trade or economic sections at foreign missions in China.

Among the recent changes, David Bennett leaves his position as the first representative of IP Australia at the Australian Embassy in China and is replaced by Charlotte Trinh.  At the UK mission, Tom Duke left his position at the UK Mission to China as Minister Counselor for Trade and is now back in the UK, after service for seven years as IP Attaché.  Cerian Foulkes ably helped out in the transition.  The position is now held by Conor Murray.  I wish Charlotte Trinh, Conor Murray and other IP diplomats, their staff and alumni the very best.

The US team in China is now led by Duncan Willson in Beijing and Conrad Wong. Conrad previously served in Guangzhou and is now in his second tour in Guangzhou.  The former Attaché resident in Shanghai, Michael Mangelson is now Senior Counsel, China at the USPTO where he co-leads the China team with Elaine Wu.

Interested in becoming an IP diplomat for the USPTO? The US IP Attaché position at the consulate in Shanghai has reopened again.  Here is the job announcement.