"Africa is an enticing mix of two powerful ingredients - challenge and opportunity," says Gérard du Plessis, chairman of South African intellectual property law firm Adams & Adams".

"It is in this unique business landscape that we have made our mark." Du Plessis was commenting on Adams & Adams winning of the 2015 Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) award for the Best IP law firm in Africa. The magazine is recognised as the global voice of the IP industry.

He described his firm's outreach into Africa, now extending to 14 countries, as a never-ending journey, delivering "a high quality, competitively priced service. The fact that we are the first winner of the Africa Award testifies that we're getting it right."

The Africa Award is awarded for the first time in 2015 and based on research, conducted by independent researchers.   It recognises the attributes of IP law firms globally and their commitment to innovation, outstanding work in the previous year, as well as new clients.

Du Plessis points out that many countries in the emerging nation universe are growing economically at an accelerated rate - the United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects for 2015 forecasts an African region GDP growth of 4.6% growing to 4.9% next year, noting that would probably have been higher had it not been for the virtual halving of the oil price, an economic mainstay for many in the continental economies. The anticipated mean GDP growth  for the same period is 3.2%.

He believes that  Africa is "an exciting and rewarding region to be a part of from an intellectual property perspective. Especially for developing markets, projecting a strong and effective regime of IP protection is vital in attracting foreign direct investment and, indeed, local and regional financial participation".

Du Plessis says "In 2014 Adams & Adams received the MIP award for the Best IP law firm in South Africa and the 2015 award for the whole of Africa is an achievement on an entirely new level." He says the law firm has gained unique and unrivalled experience that enables it consistently to provide its international and local clients with quality services and advice in the field of intellectual property law and other fields, virtually in every country on the African continent.