Stuart Wood was previously Canadian Regional CEO at IPH, which acquired Smart & Biggar in 2022
Smart & Biggar tapped Stuart Wood as its new chief executive officer this week, less than a year after he joined IPH Limited as Canadian Regional CEO.
The move comes as the Australia-based IPH continues to scale operations in the wake of multiple Canadian deals. The firm began with its acquisition of Smart & Biggar in 2022 and acquired other IP shops, including Ridout & Maybee in 2023 and Bereskin & Parr last year.
Both firms have been folded into Smart & Biggar to form a single firm, roughly doubling its headcount. The integration of Bereskin & Parr was finalized in March.
For now, IPH is not looking to expand its network of Canadian IP firms further, Wood told Canadian Lawyer on Friday. The company “is mostly focused on taking the existing business and optimizing that for the benefit of the people that work there and the clients that we serve,” he said.
“They’re still looking to grow the business, but more organically and not through further acquisitions in Canada.”
Wood, who assumed his new role on July 1, says his current focus is on scaling Smart & Biggar to account for its increased size.
This includes reducing the size of the firm’s practice groups so that they are “a little bit more nimble and focused for our clients,” Wood says. The firm’s patents group will also be divided into three segments: life sciences, mechanical and industrial, and electrical and computer technologies.
“We have an excellent, very talented team, serving our clients,” Wood says.
“There’s a lot of things that we’re going to be trying to do that are not really about moving into a new space or offering a different service than we do today, but more about creating a strong, integrated national platform that is operating effectively for the benefit of all of our clients,” he adds.
In a statement this week, Matthew Zischka, who left his role as Smart & Biggar’s managing director this week, said of Wood, “Having worked with Stuart for the past year, I am confident he will bring fresh perspective and unity to the new Smart & Biggar.
“His law firm experience and raw talent will be invaluable in leading the firm as its CEO in the next phase of its evolution.”
Before joining IPH, Wood was CEO of Caravel Law LLP and held executive roles at AUM Law and Torys LLP.
