We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Managing Partner, Ross McFarlane. Ross will take up his new role on 1 July 2016.
Ross has been a Partner since 2006, and was elected to the POF Group Board in 2011. He is a member of the Electronics, Physics and IT practice group, and specialises in Information and Communications Technologies. Ross will continue to have an active role in ICT matters as Managing Partner.
Nominated for Partner of the Year in the 2016 Lawyers Weekly Awards, Ross is a dynamic leader whose strong client management skills complement his technical expertise. As Managing Partner, Ross will guide implementation of recently agreed strategic plans with the support of a new management team. The focus of these plans will be to strengthen our business partnership with clients by providing tailored and commercially relevant IP services.
Ross says, ‘I am looking forward to embarking on this new opportunity at POF. The changing landscape of the IP profession in Australia emphasises how crucial it is to maintain a focus on putting clients first. POF consistently adopts a partnership approach with our clients. We are, and will remain a specialist IP firm, and the business success of our clients is at the heart of everything we do.’
Ross succeeds Graham Cowin, who has been a Partner of the firm for over 30 years and Managing Partner since 2005. Graham has played a key role in leading the POF Group through the emergence of the digital era and associated challenges and opportunities of increasing IP globalisation.
Graham says, ‘I have enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity of participating in leading the POF Group as Managing Partner. Ross brings to the role a broad range of management skills importantly complemented by new vision and fresh enthusiasm. I am confident he will provide strong leadership in the future direction and growth of the Group, and wish him every success in his appointment.’
We thank Graham for his contributions as Managing Partner and welcome Ross to his new role.