Hobbies & Personal information

Music (I play the oboe and the cor anglais in a non-professional local wind orchestra), hiking, ski, fitness training, nature photography, astronomy.

“I started my studies with a law degree at the University of Geneva and decided to continue with biochemistry studies, with the intention to become a patent attorney. During my biochemistry studies, I worked as a research and teaching assistant in intellectual property and unfair competition, civil proceedings, biotechnology law and environment law in the Faculty of Law of the University of Geneva. After my biochemistry degree, my first assignment as a patent professional was with Firmenich, where I started in 2007 and qualified as a European patent attorney in 2011. I was responsible for IP of the biotechnology group and did also work on chemical synthesis, on encapsulation and on perfume and flavour applications. I then joined Nestlé in 2012, where I took responsibility for the IP of an R&D center in Konolfingen, working on dairy applications and infant nutrition. I then specialized on infant nutrition. The technical field in which I have been active are mainly immune and gastrointestinal benefits, probiotics and fermentation, prebiotics (oligosaccharides), dairy and plant proteins, encapsulation, packaging and dairy science and engineering. I was responsible for the IP strategy and managed the patent portfolio of two key brands of Nestlé Nutrition. While working with Nestlé I developed and got particular expertise in European patent oppositions. Now at Katzarov, I am working as a patent counsel in the areas of biotechnology, chemistry and pharmacy.”