Intellectual property important in international mergers and acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions with intellectual property as international expansion strategy

According to a recent article in TODAYonline, Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the emerging markets is on the rise and will continue to grow through the next year, with the focus not just on expansion of business but also on gaining intellectual property in the form of brands and technological know-how.

A new study from the Mergers and Acquisitions Research Centre of Cass Business School said that Asia is emerging as the most favourable region for global M&A activity. The study found that South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong are on par with Australia and Germany in terms of their maturity and sophistication.

"There is a growing recognition that intellectual property is valuable and everybody is on the search for it," said Intellectual Property Academy, Singapore deputy chairman and external director David Llewelyn.