BREDEMA

BDM : When innovation unites with tradition... 

It was during a pleasant dinner that the ideas ignited and gave birth to an ambitious project: the merger of two important players in the French Intellectual Property market, the firms BM and BDSA.

One firm pioneering and the other historical, their affiliation enables the union of constancy and creativity. Their association has allowed them to advance to the first division of the top ten industrial property leaders in France.

It is on this occasion that we interviewed one of the founding partners, Pierre Breese.


What strategy was followed during the merger?

The directors of the two firms shared the same progressive vision of the Intellectual Property Consultant profession.

- The need to evolve from a mundane approach towards a Strategic Consultation service taking into consideration the economic and business development dimensions of Intellectual Property.

- Working within all of the legal parameters of Intellectual Property, including copyrights and all other rights pertaining, and services not limited to the application and defense of rights.

- The aspiration to extend our reach internationally.


What was the desired synergy?

The synergies sought concerned first of all the size of the firm: with close to one hundred colleagues, the firm doubled its investment capacity in its information systems, its international client meetings and in its "back office " efficiency.

Nevertheless increasing the size without an accruement in expertise would have been of little justification for the merger. One firm's target market being oriented more towards small/medium sized businesses and Research Institutes in advanced technological industries (ex: biotechnologies, pharmaceutical, telecommunications and information systems) and Industrial manufacturers and Luxury Products for the other, the merger fosters a vast coverage of a great number of technical spheres with a very limited number of conflicts of interest.

Most importantly the merger produced a solid Board of Directors, enabling the improvement of the firm's managerial resources, and creating positions such as Internal Controller, as well as strengthening the Information Systems, Finance and Operational Quality teams.


How was the merger decided?

As with most projects of this nature, over a pleasant dinner. The directors have known and respect each other for a long time, and have come to a stage in their professional careers that rendered such an association logical.

Several working group sessions and a day-long seminar were held to finalize the affiliation project preceded by the legal and structural organization of the merger that was handled by two consultants close to the directors.

Did the merger reposition your firm on the Intellectual Property market?

Ironically, the two firms were tied in the second division; this merger permitted us to move to the first! Presently we are placed among the top ten French firms and we count ourselves among the leaders of IP in France and even in Europe.




How are your clients reacting to the merger?

The American and Japanese clients, as well as our Agents in these countries, are very impressed and reassured by the size of the firm. It is important for them to be able to rely on powerful teams with a range of expertise to handle prominent cases. They also appreciate the developments in Financial Valuation and IP Portfolio Management Strategy, and the on-line accessibility of their portfolios which we handle.

The French clients equally appreciate the success of the firm; several knew us in the beginning and view the merger as an acknowledgement of the quality of our services provided.


How are you going to handle the disparities in terms of operational methods, management, case archival and information systems?

We have dedicated the six months following actualization of the merger and prior to the physical regrouping to identify and analyze the advantages and weaknesses of each operating system and to prepare unified operational systems selecting the best of each one:

- Management by team with a well-defined autonomy, to facilitate a proactive and reliable functioning despite the doubling of our size including (eight practice area teams and four administrative support teams, with a team leader who is a member of the Board of Directors).

- A highly developed internal information system guaranteeing a total integration of the data processing sequence (case management, correspondence, deadlines, internal time management, disbursements, billing and the client's secure access). The "Information Systems" team has modified the original platform to include graphic interface facilitating usage by our colleagues who were accustomed to another program.

- Revision of the Corporate Manual to clarify the procedural reforms. Our procedures were very similar thus fusion did not evoke a substantial change in the internal operations.

The move of the two firms to the new location, 38 avenue de l'Opéra 75002 Paris, and the regrouping of the personnel within the teams contributes to the consolidation of the new organization and prevents the sentiment of one firm being subordinated to the methods of the other.



Do you think that the blending of different teams will produce new services/areas of expertise?

It strengthens the "law and economy" practice area in which the process of financial valuation of intangible assets is developing rapidly, particularly as a result of the new accounting regulations IAS38 adopted in 2005. Strategic IP Portfolio Management and Judicial and Fiscal Engineering of Project Innovation are the main focuses of the team lead by Alain Kaiser, author of " Financial Valuation of Intangible Assets " with a preface by Alain Pompidou.


Finally the team dedicated to "Packaging and Luxury Products" is directed by a colleague who was with an American firm for three years which assures a strong presence in a market in full bloom.


What are your priorities of future development?

International development is a prime focal point. Presently, 25% of our business is achieved with non-European clients, and the majority is by direct relationships rather than by intermediary of an Agent.

The second center of interest is Strategic Consultation. Our objective is to reduce paralegal fees by optimizing organization and IT investments and promoting the strategic dimension of our consultation services. The services offered concern audits and due diligence, assistance in the development and implementation of internal IP Policies, organization of the management of the client's IP portfolio, and the economic implication of IP in all of the services rendered.



Quick overview of the history of the two firms...

Breese Majerowicz SAS, a firm that venerates innovation and protects it ...

Breese Majerowicz SAS was formed in 1990 by Pierre Breese, physicist and Marc Majerowicz, biologist, both with degrees from CEIPI. They both began their careers in the publicizing and utilization of Public Research. Breese Majerowicz acquired in 1999 the Simonnot Firm, founded in 1802 (probably the oldest French IP firm), following the death of the last Director. Prior to the merger, the firm consisted of about 50 people.

The firm distinguishes itself in prospective fields such as Business Methods protection and patentability of Computer Programs, as well as Olfactory Creation protection, which makes them an essential contact to European perfume manufacturers. The financial approach to IP by the financial appraisal of intangible assets, allows for a tactical positioning in the due diligence and financial valuation market. Breese Majerowicz SAS is furthermore one of the rare firms to be certified ISO9000-2001 in Europe and sanctioned to undertake national defense intelligence.

BDSA, a historical pillar in Industrial Property.

BDSA was a French firm of fifty employees before the merger with origins dating back to the beginning of the twentieth century. BDSA was a result of the merger in 1991 of Bugnion and Associates and the firm belonging to André Bouju originating from a line of Industrial Property firms created in 1895. In 1991 the merger of Cabinet Bugnion Associés and André BOUJU was completed in 1994 by the creation of a new brand name BDSA.

As with Breese Majerowicz, BDSA is sanctioned to undertake national defense intelligence.