# Daniel McKinnon

> Daniel McKinnon is the CEO of Proof Authentication, a Boston-based anti-counterfeiting technology company whose non-duplicatable printed marks and smartphone verification app are used by Fortune 500 brands. Before taking the top job in 2021 alongside the company's Series A round, he spent nearly a decade as Senior Counsel for Intellectual Property and Global Brand Protection at New Balance, where he led the sportswear maker's aggressive legal campaign against copycat brands in China. He is best known for helping secure a landmark $1.5 million damages award against the counterfeiter New Boom, at the time the largest such award granted to a foreign company by a Chinese court.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer at Proof Authentication
- **Organizations:** Proof Authentication, New Balance
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** AB, Economics, Bowdoin College, Juris Doctor (J.D.), Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, LLM, Intellectual Property Law, The George Washington University Law School
- **Known for:** Led the legal team that won a $1.5 million damages award against Chinese counterfeiter New Boom, at the time the largest counterfeit damages award granted to a foreign company by a Chinese court., Helped drive New Balance's RMB 25 million (~$3.85 million) trademark victory against copycat brand New Barlun, one of the largest sportswear trademark awards in China., Built and led New Balance's global brand protection function for nearly a decade.

## Career timeline

- **1998** — Graduates from Bowdoin College with an AB in Economics.
- **2002** — Completes an LLM in Intellectual Property Law at George Washington University Law School.
- **2013** — Joins New Balance as Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property & Global Brand Protection.
- **2017** — Helps secure a landmark $1.5 million damages award against Chinese counterfeiter New Boom - the largest such award granted to a foreign company by a Chinese court at the time.
- **2021** — New Balance wins RMB 25 million (~$3.85M) against copycat New Barlun in Shanghai; McKinnon calls it the result of 'years of hard work in the fight against parasite and counterfeit brands.'
- **2021** — Appointed CEO of Proof Authentication in connection with the close of the company's Series A funding round led by VCFA Group.

## Achievements

- Led the legal team that won a $1.5 million damages award against Chinese counterfeiter New Boom, at the time the largest counterfeit damages award granted to a foreign company by a Chinese court.
- Helped drive New Balance's RMB 25 million (~$3.85 million) trademark victory against copycat brand New Barlun, one of the largest sportswear trademark awards in China.
- Built and led New Balance's global brand protection function for nearly a decade.
- Named CEO of Proof Authentication alongside its Series A financing, transitioning from in-house counsel to startup operator.
- Frequent speaker on anti-counterfeiting and brand protection at industry conferences.

## Latest updates

- **2021-06** — Appointed CEO of Proof Authentication alongside the close of the company's Series A round led by VCFA Group.

## Links

- Website: https://proofauthentication.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-mckinnon-28822a4

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/daniel-mckinnon
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-22