Christel Wolmarans

Christel has extensive and wide experience in South Africa’s technology and innovation space, having worked as a South African patent attorney for 13 years, as an innovation support manager at Wits Commercial Enterprise for four years, as well as in the public sector from 2020 to 2023, during which time she headed the team responsible for the administration of the South African R&D tax incentive at the Department of Science and Innovation. She also worked and qualified as an Australian patent attorney, during which time she drafted specifications for international clients, and was part of the Apple-Samsung litigation matter in 2013. With various and diverse roles in management positions, she has a deep knowledge and understanding of the legislative framework (as it relates to intellectual property laws, the IPR Act, section 11D of the Income Tax Act and the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act), but also understands the science, technology and innovation (STI) environment, its policies, challenges and opportunities.