BSA Appoints Victoria Espinel to Be President and CEO

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- BSA | The Software Alliance today announced that it has named Victoria Espinel, who served in the Obama Administration as the first US Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, to be its President and CEO. She will begin on September 3.

"We are thrilled to have Victoria leading BSA forward in an important phase of growth and evolution for the software industry," said BSA Board Chairman Pascal Di Fronzo, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Autodesk, Inc. "Victoria brings an extraordinary wealth of expertise on key issues at the intersection of trade policy, market access and IP protection. She has served with distinction in Democratic and Republican Administrations, most recently as America's first Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator and previously as Senior Counsel then Assistant United States Trade Representative for Intellectual Property and Innovation. She is a proven leader who has earned the respect of policymakers in the United States and around the world. She will be an outstanding advocate for our industry."

BSA President and CEO-designate Victoria Espinel said, "I am looking forward to working closely with BSA's member companies to ensure markets around the world provide the enabling environments necessary for technology innovation to continue flourishing. Software drives growth and productivity in all sectors of the global economy, and it enriches modern life. BSA will continue to be a forceful and effective advocate on issues central to the next phase of the industry's growth as rapid changes in the digital landscape create new opportunities and policy priorities."

Until recently, Espinel served in the Obama Administration as the first US Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, a post she held since being confirmed by the US Senate in December 2009. She previously served in the Bush Administration, first as Senior Counsel in the Office of the US Trade Representative and then as the first Assistant US Trade Representative for Intellectual Property and Innovation. Earlier in her career, Espinel was an attorney in private practice with Covington & Burling in London and Washington, DC, and Sidley Austin in New York.

"Victoria is recognized around the world as a preeminent leader on intellectual property and trade issues — not just because of the positions she has held, but also because she is viewed as a knowledgeable, trustworthy, honest broker," said Di Fronzo. "She understands well where the balance of public interests lies as technology innovation continues to transform the international marketplace and enhance our increasingly digital society. She will be a significant asset for the software industry as its chief spokesperson and advocate."

About BSA
BSA | The Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the leading global advocate for the software industry. It is an association of world-class companies that invest billions of dollars annually to create software solutions that spark the economy and improve modern life. Through international government relations, intellectual property enforcement and educational activities, BSA expands the horizons of the digital world and builds trust and confidence in the new technologies driving it forward. BSA advocates on issues of interest to its members consistent always with the letter and spirit of all applicable lobbying laws and ethics rules.

SOURCE BSA | The Software Alliance