Thomas is a registered patent attorney with experience in patents and registered designs, as well as regulatory compliance and policy related to Intellectual Property. He graduated with an MSc in Plant Biotechnology from the University of Pretoria before pursuing a law degree from UNISA and becoming a patent attorney. He has a strong technical background in plant and crop biotechnology, with a focus towards conventional and biologic pharmaceuticals, vaccines, molecular biology, genetics, GMOs, bioremediation, and biotechnological products in general.

Thomas is passionate about the application of Intellectual Property as a toolkit for solving business challenges, and uses a cross-cutting, data-driven approach. He has over nine years’ experience in IP law and practice, with numerous published articles on the field, and has lectured at various workshops, seminars and events around the country.