Report reveals growing importance of trade secrets

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Report reveals growing importance of trade secrets

At least one in five companies have suffered trade secret theft, and 82% of executives say trade secrets are an important, if not essential, part of their business according to a new report

The report, The Board Ultimatum: Protect and Preserve, was published by Baker McKenzie in association with Euromoney Institutional Investor Thought Leadership, which is part of the same company as Managing IP.

It is available to read online.

It suggests that trade secrets more important for businesses in the digital economy, but that many companies aren't taking basic steps to protect them.

Based on a survey of 400 executives across five industries, the report found:

  • 82% of respondents said their trade secrets are an important, if not essential, part of their business.

  • 46% of financial services executives said they consider their trade secrets to be essential to their corporate strategy.

  • 61% of respondents said protecting trade secrets and IP is a board-level issue.

  • 20% of companies said they have had trade secrets stolen. Another 11% said they didn't know if they had or not.

  • 33% of healthcare executives said they have suffered trade secret theft.

  • 32% said respondents said theft by former employees was the greatest threat to their trade secrets.

  • Only one-third of companies maintain inventories of their trade secrets and have action plans for responding to theft.

The report also includes a case study of Schott, interviews with trade secrets specialists, updates on trade secrets legislation in the EU, US and China, and advice on what companies need to do.





more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Attorneys explain why there are early signs that the US Supreme Court could rule in favour of ISP Cox in a copyright dispute
A swathe of UPC-related hires suggests firms are taking the forum seriously, as questions over the transitional stage begin
A win for Nintendo in China and King & Spalding hiring a prominent patent litigator were also among the top talking points
Rebecca Newman at Addleshaw Goddard, who live-reported on the seminal dispute, unpicks the trials and tribulations of the case and considers its impact
Attorneys predict how Lululemon’s trade dress and design patent suit against Costco could play out
Lawyers at Linklaters analyse some of the key UPC trends so far, and look ahead to life beyond the transition period
David Rodrigues, who previously worked at an IP boutique, said he may become more involved in transactional work at his new firm
Indian smartphone maker Lava must pay $2.3 million as a security deposit for past sales, as its dispute with Dolby over audio coding SEPs plays out
Powell Gilbert’s opening in Düsseldorf, complete with a new partner hire, continues this summer’s trend of UPC-related lateral movement
IP leaders at Brandsmiths and Bird & Bird, who were on opposing sides at the UK Supreme Court in Iconix v Dream Pairs, unpick the landmark case and its ramifications
Gift this article