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

Moore & Van Allen hires former Teva counsel Larry Rickles to help expand the firm’s life sciences capabilities
Canadian law firms should avoid ‘tunnel vision’ as exclusive survey reveals client dissatisfaction with risk management advice and value-added services
In major recent developments, the CoA ruled on director liability for patent infringement, and Nokia targeted Paramount at the UPC and in Germany
Niri Shan, the newly appointed head of IP for UK, Ireland and the Middle East, explains why the firm’s international setup has brought UPC success, and addresses German partner departures
Vlad Stanese joins our ‘Five minutes with’ series to discuss potentially precedent-setting trademark and copyright cases and his love for aviation
Heath Hoglund, president of Via LA, discusses how it sets royalty rates and its plans to build on growth in China
Stobbs stands accused of interfering with the administration of justice after Brandsmiths’ client was subjected to an interim injunction for unjustified threats
The firm, known for its prosecution expertise, discusses its plans following the appointment of a UK-based patent litigation head and two new partners
Ed White at Clarivate provides an exclusive insight into the innovation power clusters reshaping Europe and the Middle East’s IP landscape, and why quality is the new currency of invention
In the first in a new podcast series celebrating the tenth anniversary of IP Inclusive, we look back at the network’s origins and discuss its mission
Gift this article