In memory of Kathy Wright (1966 - 2025)
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Kathy Wright, a dedicated and valued member of our governing Council for the past four years. Lisa Ritchie has written a tribute to Kathy, with input from her sons and some of her close friends.
Kathy was a woman of deep impact. Her loss will be profoundly felt but her professional and personal legacy will remain strong.
In her professional community, Kathy’s story and contribution were truly inspirational. Kathy started her career as a trade mark paralegal in the 1990s, and through her ambition to progress to learn, she studied for and passed her qualifications to become a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney as a single mum raising two sons.
Most recently, Kathy built a sterling career at the global pharmaceutical company Astellas. She was with the company for 17 years, rising to Global Director of IP. Kathy’s colleagues at Astellas vividly remember her instinct for collaboration and passion for educating colleagues on the importance of IP.
Kathy was an extraordinary communicator and a fierce advocate for IP rights and rights in general. She had no hesitation in raising a challenge in her quest for the right outcomes, without compromise. Kathy always chose the courageous path, not the easy one.
Kathy’s professional excellence was recognised with numerous peer-reviewed IP leadership awards over many years. She was also an active member of key IP organisations, including INTA, Marques, PTMG and CITMA. In particular, Kathy was a valuable member of CITMA’s governing Council for the past 4 years, where she is remembered as lively and outspoken. CITMA’s tribute post on LinkedIn, and the upswell reaction it received, is a reminder of how loved she was in the IP community.
Kathy was also an incredible mentor and career sponsor to many upcoming IP attorneys. One of her mentees remembers Kathy as both an inspiration and close friend who supported his advancement – ‘She strongly advocated for me to qualify as a trade mark attorney and her continued support is something I will always be grateful for’. ‘Inspiration’ is a core theme in how Kathy fostered talent – another colleague who she worked with expressed that ‘Kathy’s influence on my personal and professional life is unparalleled - she will forever be an inspiration to me’.
While Kathy’s professional expertise and commitment will always be remembered, it is her personal values and legacy which leave the most lasting impression.
Kathy’s most important values, which she embodied every day, were faith, family, friendship and community. In particular, her faith gave her strength and wisdom to courageously endure her long illness.
While faith was her framework, family was Kathy’s bedrock - she was unwaveringly dedicated to, and proud of, her beloved boys, Ramón and Alex. Kathy spoke of them frequently and many of us either know them, or feel like we know them. She openly shared her love, travel stories and experiences with Ramón and Alex, and she would consider them her best legacy of all.
Kathy’s personal community was rich and those who count Kathy as a friend know how lucky they are. She was warm, funny, vivid, unique, caring and loyal to the core. One of Kathy’s dear friends remarked that when times get tough, she will now ‘channel her inner Kathy’ and hope that she can be as true to herself as Kathy was. Kathy was just that – brilliantly herself – and being that, she built a troupe of friends who treasured her.
Finally, Kathy’s generosity to the broader community cannot be overlooked. Even in times of ill health, Kathy was a volunteer driver for Care in Egham, driving elderly, incapacitated and vulnerable people to appointments. She gave time and resources to numerous carefully chosen charitable organisations, and cared deeply for the welfare of others.
Kathy passed away on 30 May 2025 with her sons by her side. In the midst of the loss, we can honour her memory - her faith, love, integrity, openness, quiet strength, passion and selflessness.
For those wishing to make a donation in Kathy’s memory, her charities of choice were Care in Egham and Khalsa Aid.