Patricia Bunye, managing partner of Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia, has become the first Filipino to receive the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI) Gold Medal.
She received the award at the LESI 2026 annual conference in Dublin on 25 April 2026. LESI’s international delegates unanimously approved the recognition in 2025 and the medal was formally conferred at this year’s International Management & Delegates’ Meeting.
Only 31 individuals have received the award since 1970.
“I am the first recipient from the Philippines. I was also the first Filipino/Southeast Asian to serve as LESI president (2016-2017),” Bunye told Asia Business Law Journal.
Bunye added that it had been a strong start to the year for Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia’s IP practice.
“2026 has been a busy [year] for Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia for our entire IP practice, including IP licensing [and] commercialisation. More clients are aware that they must not only protect and enforce their IP, but also commercialise and derive economic value from it,” she said.
