Dr. Nicola Searle

economist in London, United Kingdom

Bio: Economist specialising in the economics of intellectual property.

Publications here.

I am an EPSRC Digital Economy Fellow and Senior Lecturer at the Institute for Cultural & Creative Entrepreneurship (ICCE), Goldsmiths, University of London. An economist who specialises in the economics of intellectual property and the creative industries, I joined ICCE in 2015.

In addition, I am a member of the RCUK Digital Economy Programme Advisory Board, a member of the UK Intellectual Property Office’s (IPO) Research Experts Advisory Group and an Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Management, University of St Andrews.

From 2017, I hold an EPSRC Digital Economy Fellowship (grant EP/P005039/1.) My fellowship, entitled “Economic Espionage and Cybercrime: Evidence and Strategy,” looks at the increasing importance of trade secrets in the digital world, and the emerging threats of the theft of trade secrets and economic espionage through cybercrime. With my team, I am developing and analysing a database of trade secrets thefts and economic espionage to provide insights into the use of trade secrets, their role in the economy and the cyber security implications.

Before joining ICCE, I served as an economist at the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) from 2013 to 2015. There I analysed patents, trade marks, designs, 3D printing, and copyright.

From 2010-2012, I was the lead Associate on a digital media research project at the School of Arts, Media & Computer Games at Abertay University. In 2010-2011, I held an AHRC/ESRC placement fellowship at the IPO. During this time I also worked with Creative Scotland on the film industry and use of IP in the creative industries.

From 2006-2010 I was a doctoral candidate, tutor and lecturer at the School of Economics & Finance, University of St Andrews. Prior to my academic career, I was a financial associate at Goldman Sachs in the US and Italy for four years.

PhD in Economics (Topic: Economics of trade secrets), 2010, University of St Andrews; MSc in International Strategy and Economics, 2006, St Andrews; BS in International Economics, 2000, Georgetown (U.S.A.)