Chairperson: Johann Guldenpfennig (Brand Protection Manager – Skye Distribution)
Vice-Chairperson: Braam Schoeman (Brand Protection Manager, SC Johnson & Son of SA (Pty) Ltd)
The Brandholder Anti-Counterfeiting (BAC) Forum is a newly launched Forum, established to encourage collaboration between brand holders to address common issues such as counterfeiting, relationships with law enforcement agencies, lobbying and advocacy, and training sessions.
Our member organisations share their efforts to reduce counterfeit and illicit goods from the marketplace. You can read more about these Anti-Counterfeiting measures here.
Objectives:
- To be available to all brand holders, in and outside of AmCham membership, to address cross-cutting issues;
- To lobby government and relevant officials in terms of pressing matters
- To create awareness about the serious impact counterfeiting has on the economy, and its serious risks to the consumer; and
- To engage law enforcement agencies to establish a valid working relationship and open channels of communication.
Past Speakers have included:
- U.S. Government Representatives on “An Overview of U.S. Government Anti-Counterfeiting and IP Enforcement Resources in Africa”
- Tebele Luthuli, Managing Director at Business Against Crime (BAC) and Fouche Burgers, National Project Manager at BAC, on “Business Against Crime and its Operations in SA”
- Major General Khana, Head: Commercial Crimes Unit at the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI) on “The DPCI and its role when addressing counterfeit crime in South Africa”
- Amanda Lotheringen, Senior Manager for IP Enforcement at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), on raising and rewarding consumer awareness – a CIPC initiative
- Raj Pather, Brand Protection Manager at Nike, on the Forum’s collaboration with the City of Johannesburg (COJ) to fight counterfeiting
- Mohamed Ally, member of the SARS Custom Unit at O.R. Tambo (ORT) International Airport, on the counterfeit procedures at ORT
- Rita Viljoen, Senior State Advocate at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on “The Specialised Crime Unit (SCCU) and IP crimes – the decision to prosecute or not”
- Jarred West and Mohamed Khader, Spoor & Fisher on “A Legal perspective on fighting counterfeiting in South Africa”
- Magauta Mphahlele, Acting Ombud at the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO), on the CGSO’s mandate
- Joe van Der Walt, CEO at Focus Africa, on “The Intelligence Approach – Fighting Counterfeiting in Africa”
- Braam Schoeman, Brand protection Manager: Africa at S.C. Johnson & Son, on “A discussion on anti-counterfeiting measures in Africa”
Copies of these presentations can be accessed here.