Transforming Innovation Through Inclusive Leadership: A Message from INTA’s 2025 President Elisabeth Stewart Bradley
- Hetanshi Gohil
- May 26
- 2 min read
In The Women’s IP World Annual 2025, Elisabeth Stewart Bradley, Vice President of Innovation Law at Bristol Myers Squibb and 2025 President of the International Trademark Association (INTA), shares an inspiring vision of leadership, inclusion, and transformation. Her letter marks a powerful call to action for advancing gender diversity in intellectual property. From English Literature to Global IP Leadership
Bradley’s journey from an aspiring English professor to a senior executive in IP law is a testament to the power of adaptation. Without taking a single IP course in law school, her early involvement in a cybersquatting case set her on a career path that would span litigation, brand protection, and innovation law at one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.
“Thriving Through Transformation”: The 2025 Presidential Task Force
As INTA President, Bradley is leading the “Thriving Through Transformation” initiative—this year’s Presidential Task Force theme—focusing on the underrepresentation of women in IP leadership. She underscores that innovation depends on diversity and that accelerating gender parity is not only an ethical obligation but a business imperative.
The State of Women in IP: Progress and Challenges
Bradley highlights key findings from INTA’s 2023 report, Shattering Systemic Barriers, which explores gender disparities in IP careers and recommends solutions for equity. Despite advances, challenges remain: unequal access to leadership opportunities, differing standards, and slower career progression for women compared to men.
Three Core Focus Areas
Bradley outlines three strategic priorities for closing the gender gap:
Strengthening the pipeline: Representation matters—young women must see role models in leadership.
Rethinking mentorship: Active sponsorship is essential to ensure women receive high-visibility assignments.
Changing workplace systems: Inclusive metrics and healthy work-life balance are vital for equitable advancement.
The Broader Impact of Inclusive IP Leadership
Beyond business, Bradley calls for collective action in shaping a future where women’s voices and leadership guide how innovations are protected, prioritised, and commercialised. As AI and tech reshape the IP landscape, women must play a central role in ensuring innovation serves society inclusively.
Conclusion
Elisabeth Stewart Bradley’s leadership embodies the future of IP—diverse, inclusive, and transformation-focused. Her vision for INTA 2025 invites us all to reimagine leadership not as a position but as a platform to empower others.
Read her full opening letter in The Women’s IP World Annual 2025 to learn more about this transformative moment in IP leadership.
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