James Pooley, deputy director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, was selected to deliver a keynote address at the recent Growth, Innovation and Leadership Conference in Silicon Valley.

Event organizers expected Pooley's unique experience in intellectual property, regulatory standards and their combined impact on innovation to align well with the entrepreneurial spirit of the event.

"This is the first Frost & Sullivan summit at GIL focused on intellectual property and we are delighted to have James Pooley with us to discuss the steps to leverage IP for strategic growth," commented Frost & Sullivan spokesman Sudeep Basu. "He will also share an inside view of the United Nations' future vision for global innovation."

Pooley's inclusion in the proceeding underscores the increasingly important role of IP strategy in the success of today's businesses. According to Bloomberg, industry leading brands such as HTC, Apple, Google, Oracle and Eastman Kodak are each currently involved in patent disputes that could transform their business outlooks.

Despite the attention paid to major corporations, the growing significance of IP management should not be overlooked by smaller firms. According to Venture Beat, properly grooming patent portfolios in the early stages of startup development may be the most important process involved with protecting initial investments.