Position: Board Member
Mr Vincent Phemelo Rapoo was appointed Board Member of the Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI) with effect from the 1st of May 2024.
Mr Rapoo has over sixteen years working experience in various organizations in the private and public sector. He currently serves as Copyright Specialist at the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA). Prior to that, he served as Director of Phuthadikobo Museum and Secretary of the Board. He also served at the Department of Research Science and Technology as Principal Research Science and Technology Officer – Intellectual Property Rights. His main capacities are in Intellectual Property Policy development, Intellectual Property strategy development, Technology Transfer strategies, IP Management and Commercialization and Access and Benefit Sharing. Furthermore, Mr. Rapoo has experience on people management and labour relations, and he currently serves on the CIPA Joint Negotiations Consultation Committee (JNCC).
Mr Rapoo holds a Master’s degree in Intellectual Property from Africa University and a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Humanities from the University of Botswana. He has provided Intellectual Property support mechanisms to different stakeholders in the field of Research, Science, Technology and Innovation.