Today I just learned that a good friend Philip Stevens has passed away several months ago.
Phil was a keen researcher, writer and speaker on intellectual property rights (IPR) issues especially related to healthcare and trade. He was the Founder and Executive Director of Geneva Network (GN) based in UK, former analyst at World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) in Geneva, former Exec. Director of Emerging Markets Health Network (EMHN) in KL, former analyst of International Policy Network (IPN) London.
I met Phil first time when IPN (then headed by Julian Morris) organized the "Global Development Summit" in June 2005 in London. It was a pro-free trade, free market conference and against more aid, more government narrative of the G8 Summit in Scotland the following week.
Then on September 2007, I organized the "Symposium on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Health" at Manila Hotel. It was a Minimal Governent-IPN forum, we made the local preparations and invites, IPN provided the funding. The speakers were Philip Stevens of IPN and Bibek Debroy from India. The moderator was Dr. Epictetus Patalinghug, then Professor at the UP College of Business Administration, also MG adviser.
Phil and Bibek talked among others, about the importance of innovation in medicine development, other measures that the WHO and Health Departments or Ministries of governments can do like improving the health infrastructure, expanding the generic drugs sector, and not become too focused on drug patents and pricing of newly-developed medicines.
Sometime in 2009, I participated in a small group Asian think tanks' IPR and Innovation meeting in Singapore. It was organized by IPN.
January 2011 also in Singapore, IPR-Health-Trade seminar organized by IPN.
From left: me, Amir Khan (India) Philip, and Julian Morris of IPN.
Around December 2011 I went again to Singapore for a meeting with some fellow free market leaders in Asia. Night before I met up with Singapore libertarians, the New Asia Republic (NAR) group headed by Donaldson Tan.
From left: Philip, his wife Debbie, me, Xingyuan Feng and Fu Weigang (from China). Donaldson is 2nd from right, beside him is Min Cheong. Behind Donaldson them were other writers and supporters of NAR.
November 2012, Economic Freedom Network (EFN) Asia conference 2012 in Hong Kong. Sponsored by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) and Lion Rock Institute (HK).
From left: Andrew Work (LRI), Philip, me, CathyWindels (US), and ______.
May 2019, Phil and Geneva Network organized an IPR conference in KL, co-sponsored by IDEAS Malaysia. Group photo after the seminar.
After dinner, from left: Junjie "Jack" Ma (China), me, Amir, and Philip.
Last time I met Phil was September 2019, Geneva Network launched the report "The importance of IPR for growth: reform agenda for ASEAN countries" in Manila at Holiday Inn Makati. GN partners in ASEAN for that report were from the PH, MY, ID, TH and VN. I organized that forum, I successfully got DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez as the keynote speaker.
Below, from left: Josephine Santiago, Atty. George Katigbak, Secretary Lopez, Philip, me, and Jesus "Jess" Varela.
Atty. Santiago was the Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), Atty. Katigbak was with the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) Property Rights Team and served as program MC that afternoon, Jess was the Director of the IPR Committee, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).
Below from left: Jess Varela, Atty Kristine Alcantara, Dir. Gen. Santiago, Atty. Katigbak, me and Philip.
Atty. Alcantara was with the Trade Lawyers firm and also an FEF Fellow. She, Jess and DG Santiago served as reactors to the report presented by Philip that afternoon.
Below, a b&w version of the photo posted by Kristine. Cool.
Here, Phil listening and enjoying the discussion.
Thank you Philip. You and Julian Morris were very helpful and supportive of Minimal Government Thinkers early on. If I had known that you were sick, I should have written you to express how helpful and friendly you were to me.
Until then, my friend. Peaceful journey....
And Debbie, my deep condolence to you and your three kids...
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See also:
Christmas Notes 4: Thanks to International Policy Network (IPN), Dec. 14, 2011
IPR and Innovation 21: Recent News + IPN Assistance to Asian Think Tanks, Feb. 15, 2015
Photos during the IPR-Trade seminar in KL, May 2019, June 28, 2019
Photos, launching of IPR-ASEAN report with Geneva Network, Oct. 19, 2019
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