Esther Sandrine Ngom

I am Intellectual Property Consultant based in Cameroon’s capital Yaoundé. I am currently Research Fellow and Cameroon Researcher for the Open African Innovation, Research and Training Project (Open A.I.R.), which offices are hosted by the Intellectual Property Law and Policy Unit (IP Unit) of the UCT Faculty of Law. I focus on issues at the intersection of IP law and Africa’s development, including the traditional knowledge (TK) commons, the protection of new plant varieties, geographical indications and collaborative agricultural branding. I am also working on Intellectual Property Audit, Contracts, and providing Intellectual Property trainings for professionals. I have an extensive knowledge of IP issues in Francophone West and Central Africa, particularly the member countries of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI). I am author of many articles published in international intellectual property journals. I hold an LLM in Intellectual Property Law from the University of Yaoundé II - Soa (with distinction), and have done research on many IP issues. I am interested about gender issues, as a woman living in Africa, and about socio economic right and access to information, as they are linked to Intellectual Property Law.