Together with responsibilities for science and research, innovation, space, agri-tech and technology, the Rt Hon Jo Johnson has been appointed as Minister of Intellectual Property returning to a role, he held between 2016 and 2018.
Commenting on the appointment Dids Macdonald, OBE CEO of ACID said, “ACID welcomes Mr Johnson back to the role of Minister for Intellectual Property not least because he has already gained an insight into this complex area of policy. We had urged Government to appoint a dedicated Minister to this important role more especially with the challenges ahead post Brexit (see recent article). We will be seeking an urgent meeting with him to discuss the significant challenges facing UK designers, the majority of whom rely on unregistered design rights and who will be severely disadvantaged when they lose protection in EU27”
Mr Johnson was Minister of State at the Department for Transport and Minister for London from 9th January 2018 to 9th November 2018. He was elected Conservative MP for Orpington in May 2010 and re-elected in May 2015. He began his schooling in Brussels, at the European School in Uccle, before attending Ashdown House School in East Sussex, and then Eton College. In 1991, he went to Balliol College, Oxford to study Modern History.
A French speaker, he did his postgraduate studies in Europe and has degrees from two further European universities. Jo was Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation from July 2016 to January 2018. He was head of the Downing Street Policy Unit and served as Minister of State at the Cabinet Office from July 2014 until May 2015. He served as an Assistant Government Whip from September 2012 until July 2014. He also served as Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office from April 2013 until July 2014.
He succeeds Rt. Hon Chris Skidmore, MP who held the role from 2018-2019.
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