Alison Brimelow is president of the European Patent Office (EPO), taking office on July 1, 2007. A UK national, she succeeded Alain Pompidou, who has headed the EPO since July 2004.

Elected President in December 2003 by the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation, the EPO's governing body, she cited as one of the aims of her presidency the need to ensure the quality of patents and equip the Office to face new challenges.

Previously, Ms. Brimelow pursued a varied career in the civil service, including intellectual property positions at national, European and international levels. After a stint at the British Diplomatic Service and the Department of Trade and Industry, she joined the UK Patent Office (now the UK Intellectual Property Office) in 1991, where she became head of the Trade Marks Registry. In March 1999, she was appointed Chief Executive and Comptroller General of the UK Patent Office and became head of the UK delegation on the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organization. From 2003 to 2006 she was the Council's Deputy Chair.

According to Ms. Brimelow, "…What we need is not more patents, but more good patents. This will enable the EPO to remain a confident and competent organization which can continue to set the global benchmark in patenting."

In 2005, she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).