The role of commercial monopolies in the development of the creative industries was at the centre of the lectures delivered by Dr. Erica Smith within the Joint Master’s Programme “Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer” at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (FEBA) of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria. During the first semester, Dr. Smith taught in the course “Business of Intellectual Property”, delivered by experts from the Centre for International Intellectual Property Studies (CEIPI) under the academic leadership of Prof. Alexander Wurzer.

Source: https://wknd.canex.africa/newfront/participant/36837

Dr. Erica Smith is a recognised international expert in intellectual property and creative industries management, with more than 25 years of professional experience. Her career includes long-standing service as Director of Intellectual Property at Business Barbados, as well as Chief Executive Officer of the Copyright Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Incorporated (COSCAP). She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Intellect Management Services Incorporated, a consultancy specialising in intellectual property management, creative industries research, and strategic advisory services. In this capacity, Dr. Smith has participated in numerous international projects for WIPO, the Caribbean Development Bank, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Within the course, Dr. Smith examined copyright as both a legal and an economic instrument, focusing on the function of commercial monopolies in the creative industries. She presented exclusive rights not merely as a mechanism for the legal protection of creative works, but as a strategic tool for economic planning and the establishment of sustainable market positions. Through the analysis of case studies from the music industry, including the example of Spotify, students explored how intellectual property rights can be used to structure markets, generate licensing revenues, and develop viable business models that balance competitiveness with creative autonomy.