Founded in 1980, the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) is an international association respected as one of the world’s leading specialists in the fight against the growing global trade in counterfeit goods.
ACG is a not-for-profit trade association, committed to representing our members, in the UK, EU and on the global stage. Together, our members own over 3,000 of the world’s most prestigious brands and help to contribute over 45% (13 million) jobs and £650 million to the UK economy. Across Europe IP industries contribute 42% to the EU Economy (5.7 trillion Euros) and 28% of all jobs (60 million)
We are governed by an elected Board of up to 14 Directors, who are full ACG members. The Board is responsible for the overall control and strategic direction of the ACG.
New directors are elected at the Annual General Meeting and existing directors stand for re-election after three years. The Board elects ACG's officers, the Chair, Vice-Chair and Company Secretary.
Chairman: Mark Bearfoot
Mark Bearfoot is currently Senior Legal Director for IP and Brand Protection at Tommy Hilfiger Global and PVH Europe, where he leads their international legal team and brand protection specialists.
Mark’s extensive experience in IP enforcement and anti-counterfeiting strategies spans private practice, where he has worked in IP specialist law firms, such as Field Fisher and Rouse, to senior corporate roles for Coca-Cola and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, leading on trademark enforcement and anti-counterfeiting programmes across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
In 2018 Mark was rewarded for his work when he became European Intellectual Property Individual of the Year. He has also been part of award wining teams for Tommy Hilfiger, Cocoa-Cola and Harley Davidson.
Mark joined the ACG Board of Directors in June 2017, and held the position of Co-Vice Chair between December 2019 and December 2021. Mark was elected Chairman of the ACG Board of Directors in January 2022.
Company Secretary and Director General: Phil Lewis
Phil has been engaged in intellectual property enforcement since 2001 when he became the UK’s Senior Policy Advisor on IP Crime. Based at the UK Intellectual Property Office, Phil was responsible for developing and leading on the UK’s first National IP Crime Strategy. He was also the UK IP enforcement representative at G8 level and a member of the Northern Ireland Organised Crime Task Force. As part of his international portfolio Phil chaired the United Nations Advisory Group (UNECE) on IP protection and enforcement and was an adviser to the Interpol Action Group. He also led a number of EU Commission IP Peer Review Teams, assessing IP infrastructures and enforcement capacities in a range of EU succession and candidate countries. In 2008, Phil became Senior National Expert at the EU Commission, where he helped develop the Commission’s strategy against counterfeiting and piracy. He was also responsible for conceiving and developing the EU Observatory on IP Infringements of IP Rights, which has become the pivotal European network of experts engaged in shaping more effective IP enforcement policies and strategies. Since retiring from public service, at the end of 2014, Phil has been working as Policy and Strategy Adviser to the ACG. He is also a senior adviser on range of EU IP Enforcement Twinning projects, producing studies and key assessment reports on countries such as Serbia, Ukraine and Macedonia. In 2014, Phil was awarded the Global Anti Counterfeiting award for individual achievement.
Vice-chair: Chloe Long
Chloe is Global IP & Brand Protection Lead at Superdry. Chloe joined the ACG Board of Directors in May 2015 and held the position of Vice Chair since December 2019
Director: Nicola Consterdine
Nicola is IP Protection Manager, Strategic Planning Department for Epson Europe BV. Nicola has worked in Brand Protection for over two decades, starting her career with Reebok International and then moving to Harley-Davidson Europe and ghd. She is a graduate in European Economics from Middlesex University, England and Nantes University, France and has been a Director of ACG since 2001.
Director: Sheila Henderson
Sheila is Chief Intellectual Property Counsel for the Richemont Group. She is a UK qualified solicitor (1990) who has spent time working for Unilever in the UK and Netherlands, Mars, and Reckitt Benckiser. Sheila joined the ACG Board of Directors in June 2017.
Director: Caron Tayler
Caron is Corporate Counsel Brand Protection for Harley-Davidson Europe Limited. Caron joined the ACG Board of Directors in July 2019.
Our main mechanism for accountability to our members is the annual general meeting (AGM) held in May/June every year.
We operate under a Memorandum of Association and an Articles of Association
ACG represents more than 3,000 brands affected by this influx of fakes into the UK and delivers an international network of information, advice and contacts on all aspects of IP protection. Working with Government and law enforcement agencies since 1980, ACG is focused on providing an effective and sustained response to counterfeiting.
Membership with the ACG is the best way to work with government and enforcement bodies to protect your brand. Our Roadshows and training days help you reach out to police, trading standards and border force officers and tell them about your genuine products.