Our member for February is Caroline Perriard, Co-CEO of BRANDIT. In her exciting job she is advising companies about legal and compliance strategy of their digital transformation and the protection of their brands online. Learn how her career took a different path when she immersed in the field of digital.
I’m Caroline Perriard, living in Lausanne and coming from Switzerland. I’ve lived in several countries as well and enjoy multicultural experiences. I am now the co-CEO of BRANDIT, a legal consultancy firm specialized in online matters, domains, trademark, counterfeits and data protection.
How long have you been a member of WDS?
I joined WDS about 7 or 8 years ago. I was in charge of the legal matters for digital activities at Nestlé and I looked for more interaction with digital experts, from a non-legal side. I have always enjoyed interactions between different functions and skills. WDS is offering a great opportunity to meet with people with different backgrounds and skills.
What was your first interaction with WDS and how was it for you?
I went to the Lausanne chapter event and was impressed with the openness of all participants to share their experience. Then I got the opportunity to talk about Legal & Digital, several times, covering also data protection and brand protection online.
What was the reason you joined WDS?
I believe in networking, it gives me a lot of energy. I like the mission of WDS, which is to share knowledge and grow with new ideas. The cross-function audience makes it exciting.
Tell us something about you that might surprise us
I have a professional background in trademarks, linked brands used on tangible products. One day I was asked to take care of the domain name portfolio of my company. It meant understanding the concepts of servers, hosting providers, SSL certificates, DNS, etc. First I made friends in the IT department to grasp those concepts. Then I fell in love with the digital side of the brands – and made it a specific expertise. The learning is never ending, as we now embrace web 3.0, NFTs or blockchain domains.
Of which professional achievement are you especially proud of?
Being invited to talk about my experience is the most rewarding element in my career. It means I achieved to be recognized as an expert and leader in my field and I am proud of that.
Are there many women in your industry?
There are many women in law, less in tech law, but a good number in intellectual property and data protection. There is still a glass ceiling due to how society sees work-life balance. I have strong hopes that this is changing. I’m also the president of the Swiss Women Lawyers Association. We take a position on new legislative development to make sure equality and non-discrimination are being carefully looked at in the laws.
Which aspect of your industry might interest other women to start work in this field?
Tech law, digital, data are fields that need a good understanding of the technology and also good common sense. There is much to interpret in the new laws, as digital is moving so fast. I think these fields are very exciting because we can steer the direction for a fair use of digital.
Which future trend is the most interesting in your opinion?
Fake information related to news, products or services is a threat and we must find ways to appreciate what is true and discover what is misleading. Legal tools, such as complaints against impersonation or counterfeits will help the brands to stand out, so customers will find the original product.
New channels of communication such as via the web 3.0 are opening new opportunities, new threats and new practices. It is fascinating to understand what it brings to brands and how we, as individuals, are playing in this new field.
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