LONDON: The head of an international electronics company denied on Wednesday that they were blackmailing the Saudi telecoms provider STC with a lawsuit over the similarity between the two companies’ logos.
“I want to be very clear about this, we’re not blackmailing anybody,” Kieran O’Sullivan, chairman and chief executive of CTS, told Arab News. “There’s no need to resort to name-calling, we’re professional people.
“We’ve got great respect and admiration for the Saudi people and their creativity, we do not believe STC’s actions reflect on the Saudi people.”
The dispute began in December when the Saudi company revealed its new logo as part of a rebranding. Marketing experts and others drew attention to its similarity with the logo of CTS, which makes sensors and other electronic components.
Mohammed Abaalkheil. Corporate Communication GM (STC) speaking to AlEkhbariya TV (@alekhbariyatv)
CTS filed a lawsuit in the Saudi courts in January, claiming its trademark had been infringed on. In February, STC accused an unknown company of blackmail and said it would take the necessary measures to protect the group and its shareholders’ rights.
O’Sullivan said: “If STC wants to use our property then they should not just take it. We’re open to reaching a constructive business solution together, and that’s not blackmail.
“We’ve been very cordial throughout the whole process; we’ve made concerted efforts to handle this issue privately. However, STC is not engaged in a serious manner, therefore from our perspective, CTS has taken the necessary steps to protect our property.
“We think we’ve got a very good case and the copying is very evident, we are confident that the Saudi justice system will treat this case with the fairness and the gravity it deserves.”
