Appointed Chief Executive of the Intellectual Property Office (formally the Patent Office) in 2007.
Ian joined the UK Civil Service in 1989 after an earlier career in the New Zealand diplomatic service. He worked initially in the (then) Monopolies and Mergers Commission until 1991 and then in Trade Policy at the GATT Uruguay Round and continued this work during a secondment with the European Commission.
Ian returned to the UK in 1998 and, after working in DTI's HR area, Ian joined the (then) Overseas Trade Services organisation at the time British Trade international was being established.
In 2000, Ian undertook a short secondment with the UN Administration in Kosovo as head of the Customs Service and Department of Trade & Industry. He returned later that year to head DTI's Directorate responsible for electricity and gas policy. During 2002, Ian moved to the Cabinet Office as Principal Private Secretary to Sir Andrew Turnbull, the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Home Civil Service.
Prior to joining the Office, from 2004 to 2007 Ian was Managing Director of UK Trade and Investment's International Group.
