UPC to become “default choice” for patent litigation across many industries, says Umicore Head of IP

Belgium-based Umicore is an advanced materials and recycling group that develops metal-based technologies and recycling, cleaner mobility solutions, and the advanced materials needed for energy, electronics, space exploration, and more.

The group’s IP unit is made up of around 30 people, spread across Finland, Belgium, Germany, Japan, and South Korea, and is headed up by Sean Alexander. Together, they manage a portfolio of over 5,500 patents, with most families being filed in Europe, the U.S., China, South Korea, and Japan. The IP unit is within the legal department and reports directly to the General Counsel.

In an interview on the sidelines of IP Dealmakers Europe last week (May 13, 2026 ip fray article), Mr. Alexander told ip fray that he can see the UPC developing into the “default choice” for many industries. The court system is a “hugely important development in the global IP landscape”, he said. The IP head also discussed how the business values its IP department and what goals he set out to achieve when he first joined in 2024.