At the end of 2017, we asked the UK's top civil servants to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2018 – and tell us what they cannot do Christmas without
What are you most proud of achieving in 2017?
2017 has been quite a year but as achievements go, being successful in becoming the new CEO and comptroller general (great job title) for the UKIPO has to be up there.
Celebrating my 50th birthday on a vintage tram travelling around Hong Kong was very special and the amazing experience of collecting my CBE from Prince Charles (technically last year’s achievement) have made this a special time.
What was your most difficult decision in 2017?
Probably the decision to leave Companies House after 14 fantastic years; so many great memories and colleagues, but as IPO is only a few miles away and so much joint working going on between the two agencies it’s almost home from home.
What are your organisation’s top priorities in the year ahead?
As for many others there are some big EU exit challenges at the IPO; developing the right solution for 1,200,000 EU trade marks and 300,000 EU registered designs is high on the list as is the future of the Unified Patent Court, issues around cross border copyright, and Exhaustion, which I’ve now learnt is more than just a Friday night feeling.
In addition we have priorities on delivering the next stage of our digital services, increasing awareness of the IP system and the important benefits it brings, developing further our work on IP enforcement and continuing to make the IPO an even better place to work.
For you, no Christmas holiday is complete without...
A midnight service on Christmas Eve, a large and usually chaotic Christmas dinner (as I’m doing the cooking) with lots of friends and family, and homemade sloe gin.