A Letter From the 2025 Annual Meeting Co-Chairs

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Approximately five and a half weeks from now, we’ll gather in San Diego for our Association’s 147^th Annual Meeting. More than 9,300 of you, representing 136 jurisdictions, have already registered to join us in “America’s Finest City.” As your Meeting co-chairs, we can’t wait to welcome you to the global intellectual property (IP) community’s premier event of the year.

The theme of this year’s Meeting is “The Business of IP.” As IP professionals, we must play a more central role in the business of our brands and clients’ brands. As all of us have experienced in our work, brands are not just about trademarks. We’re asked to wear more hats than ever in our firms and companies, and the Annual Meeting provides us with an invaluable opportunity to develop the range of skills necessary to thrive in today’s evolving IP landscape: from getting up to speed on legislative developments from around the world to navigating the ethical challenges surrounding AI to sharpening the skills we need in communicating with clients. With this in mind, our educational program this year is designed around three dynamic tracks:

1. Business and Technology;
2. Law and Policy; and
3. Professional Development and Career Advancement.

The educational program also includes two new series: an In-House Practitioners Series specifically designed for brand legal professionals navigating the complexities of in-house trademark practice, and a Patent Series, curated for IP professionals ready to dive into the world of patent practice. In addition to the 50+ educational sessions, there will be five interactive workshops and an Idea Exchange to promote stimulating conversation.

More than 200 speakers from 42 jurisdictions—including top IP professionals, business leaders, government officials, judges, representatives from non-government organizations, and solutions providers—will be sharing their expertise on the most pertinent IP issues we face today, the challenges and opportunities on the horizon, and what we need today to succeed in our jobs and enjoy fulfilling careers.

Our end goal: for all of us to leave San Diego with a more holistic understanding of “The Business of IP” and lots of practical takeaways that we’ll be able to apply to our work. We are quite fortunate in that INTA has a clear vision of the future of IP. This is embodied in the educational program.

In this spirit, we couldn’t think of a better Opening Ceremonies keynote speaker than Louise Felton, Vice President, Marketing, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. Ms. Felton has extensive experience with operationalizing brand identity and messaging, leveraging market insights, and driving forward-thinking campaigns that fortify brand values and mission. She has led efforts through several innovative marketing initiatives to elevate the Qualcomm brand and increase the company’s brand awareness and value, taking on a central role in fostering partnership between the business’s branding and marketing team and its in-house IP legal team. It’s exciting to have a keynote speaker—who is not a lawyer(!) but—who appreciates “the Business of IP.” We look forward to hearing her insights on the importance of brand building, the value in visibility and relatability, and driving business success through compelling and differentiated approaches.

The Annual Meeting will also offer registrants crucial opportunities to engage with IP office officials from around the world, as well as judges, enforcement and custom authorities, and representatives from various other government agencies and non-government organizations. As INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo said in a recent INTA Bulletin interview, the Annual Meeting is “a unique opportunity for users to meet with almost all IP offices from around the world, to ask questions, to discuss issues that might happen with an IP office, and to learn about updates and new services.”

Business Development is also a key component of “The Business of IP.” This year’s Meeting will include a full slate of Business Development excursions where registrants can connect on an informal basis, as well as a record number of Table Topics, 20 receptions, 10 Speed Networking sessions, and a block party–themed Grand Finale in San Diego’s beautiful and vibrant Gaslamp Quarter. The business connections and friendships formed at these activities will prove to be invaluable to your career development and industry knowledge over time.

Our host city, San Diego, is an industry hub for life sciences and technology, and home to many world-leading companies. The city’s optimistic spirit, relaxed atmosphere, and famously pleasant climate all add up to create the perfect venue for exploring “The Business of IP” and to host the finals of INTA’s 2025 Open Innovation Challenge, a competition designed to rapidly propel start-up and scale-up businesses by offering professional guidance through expert judges and resource access.

This is an Annual Meeting you can’t afford to miss. If you haven’t already done so, register today.

See you soon in San Diego!

Yours truly,

Jill Abasto (Qualcomm Incorporated, USA)
2025 Annual Meeting Co-Chair

Okan Can (DERIS, Türkiye)
2025 Annual Meeting Co-Chair