Expert Interview: Insights from our IP experts – Singapore

Today, let’s meet Chan Wai Yeng, our IP expert based in Singapore!

Chan Wai Yeng is a Singapore-based patent attorney with over 15 years of professional experience in IP. In her early days of practice, she worked in a Singapore law firm with a strong regional presence across South-East Asia (SEA), where she acquired in-depth knowledge of regional IP laws. 

In 2015, Wai Yeng was stationed in Yangon, where she led the IP team of the largest foreign legal practice in Myanmar. Since then, she has supported numerous European businesses in securing and managing their patents, designs, and trademarks in Singapore and throughout the SEA region.

"It is essential to understand that key IP rights, such as patents, designs, and trademarks, have to be registered at the local IP offices in order to be enforceable in SEA. Most of such IP rights are registered on a first-to-file basis, so timing is important,” said Wai Yeng.

Wai Yeng is one of the many professionals in the South-East Asia IP expert network, supporting international SMEs across the region.

Q1: From your experience, what are the main IP risks or obstacles in Singapore that EU SMEs should be aware of?

• Entering the Singapore market without conducting due diligence may result in infringement of existing third-party IP rights.
• Patent registration in Singapore can be costly.
• Monitoring and enforcement of IP rights can be costly and time-consuming.
• Trade secrets protection in Singapore is primarily protected by the common law doctrine of breach of confidence, rather than specific legislation.

Q2: What are your top practical tips or advice for European SMEs regarding IP protection in Singapore? 

• Seek professional advice early, preferably before expanding into the Singapore market.
• Pick up practical/best-practice IP tips from fellow members of the same industry already operating in Singapore.
• Set aside a budget for the necessary IP registrations, as IP registration in Singapore may involve a considerable investment.
• Collaborate with local partners, such as local distributors or agents, to strengthen monitoring of potential IP infringement issues in Singapore.
• Deter potential IP infringement with continuous monitoring and targeted enforcement actions to demonstrate a proactive approach in protecting IP rights in Singapore.

Discover our full network of IP experts across South-East Asia. 

Explore more insights on IP protection in Singapore, download the Singapore IP country factsheet.

If you have any further questions on how to protect your IP in SEA, contact us at expertsea-iphelpdesk [dot] eu (expert[at]sea-iphelpdesk[dot]eu)