Richard Pitman

Richard Pitman is an accomplished legal professional with extensive experience in intellectual property strategy and litigation across the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. Currently serving as VP of Intellectual Property Strategy & Litigation at Ascendis Pharma since May 2021, Richard has held senior roles including Chief Patent Counsel at International Flavors & Fragrances and Assistant Chief Intellectual Property Counsel at DuPont, where responsibilities included leading global legal strategies and managing mergers and acquisitions. Previous positions include Executive Director at LEO Pharma and head of intellectual property at Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics, where management of patent teams and support for global projects were key duties. Richard's academic background includes advanced degrees from institutions such as the University of Bristol and Queen Mary University of London, complemented by specialized legal qualifications in patent law.