Copyright Agency appoints Dr Kate Harrison to the Board
March 8, 2018
The Copyright Agency has appointed highly respected commercial and intellectual property lawyer Dr Kate Harrison to its Board as an independent director, filling an existing vacancy. Kate is a Partner of Gilbert + Tobin and has been the Head of its Litigation practice.
Kate’s experience encompasses corporate and commercial litigation, intellectual property advice, commercial licensing and commercialisation across technology industries, media and communications, the music industry, advertising and consumer goods. She has also worked on a number of high-profile public inquiries and Royal Commissions.
Kate also has public policy experience as a senior advisor in Canberra between 2008-2011.
Copyright Agency Chairman Kim Williams says, “I’m pleased to welcome Kate to the Board. Her impressive credentials both in legal, commercial, technology and public policy areas will ensure she makes a significant contribution to the Board in its service of our 40,000 members.
“The Copyright Agency makes a significant contribution to supporting Australian writers, publishers and visual artists through licensing their work, distributing close to $120 million per annum to members and funding significant creative activity via the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.”
Kate said, “I am delighted to be joining the board of an agency which has such a proud history of standing up for the rights of Australian authors, publishers and visual artists.
“Through its work, the Copyright Agency plays an important role in connection with our cultural industries by ensuring payment to authors and publishers for use of their work. It also advocates for a copyright regime that supports writers and publishers, and investment in innovative new services.”
Kate holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales, a Masters of Laws from Columbia Law School in New York, and a Doctorate from the University of Sydney. She was also the founding director of the Communications Law Centre, then at the University of UNSW.
Late last year, the Copyright Agency also appointed leading Aboriginal arts consultant Jason Eades to the Board, as an independent director, and Dr Oliver Watts as the interim Artist Director – a new position formed as a result of the merger between the Copyright Agency and Viscopy.
Dr Kate Harrison