IP business time frames are now divided into Before Nortel and After Nortel

Joff Wild attended the Nortel session at the annual LES USA and Canada meeting and walked away with two distinct impressions:

1. Without early and detailed input of IP management and valuation advisors, the Nortel auction probably would never have occurred. Education about the value of IP was necessary on both the buy and sell sides of the transaction.
2. The world for IP managers will be divided into BN and AN, Before Nortel and After Nortel. “People who could not have cared less about IP six months ago now want to know all they can.  Opportunities that were not there BN now exist.”  Wild further believes history may look upon the Nortel sale as the “tipping point” for IP management.

David Descoteaux, who led the Lazard team that oversaw the Nortel  bankruptcy, also believes there has been a fundamental shift in the way the investment community sees IP.  They are viewing it as an asset that has value independently of the way it enables a business. As a result, companies are going to have to understand exactly what IP they have and the different options available to maximize its value.