New Managing Director at the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) Appointed

With effect from 26 January 2024, Mr John Onyango, was appointed as the new Managing Director of KIPI for a 3 year term. This permanent appointment follows a long stint as the Acting Managing Director from 1 December 2019 – 31 May 2023. From 1 June 2023 – 25 January 2024, Ms Norah Ratemo was appointed as the new Acting Managing Director of KIPI, ostensibly to supervise the recruitment of a permanently appointed Managing Director. Before the appointment of Mr Onyango, the last permanently appointed MD of KIPI was Mr Slyvance Sange who held the post from 31 May 2014 to 30 November 2019 before being replaced by Mr Onyango who was the Deputy Managing Director at the time.

Notably, during his tenure as Acting Managing Director, Mr Onyango, together with the KIPI’s Board of Directors, was responsible for increasing the number of examiners in the patent and trade marks sections at KIPI. The effect of this initiative has led to the expedited processing of applications and advanced the procedural efficiencies within the Registry.

We will keenly observe the developments at KIPI with the implementation of its strategic plan for the 2023-2028 period which was drafted during Mr Onyango’s tenure as Acting MD.