Sean Dennehey

Assistant Comptroller and Patents Director

Sean is responsible for the delivery of high quality and timely UK national patents and a range of related products and services.

After reading natural sciences at Cambridge University, Sean joined the Office in 1978 as a patent examiner. He has been involved in a number of policy initiatives, including negotiation of the EC Biotechnology Directive and the Supplementary Protection Certificate Regulation, and the conference in 2000 to revise the European Patent Convention.

In the operational field, Sean initially set up the Office’s non-statutory search and advisory services. He has also led the Patents Legal Section and acted as a tribunal Hearing Officer, deciding inter-partes disputes as an alternative or prelude to litigation in the High Court.

Having been appointed Director of Patents in March 2004, Sean took on the role of Assistant Comptroller in November 2007.