Gael Tisack

Gael Tisack has more than 20 years of experience in IP law and as a leader for multinational corporations. She currently serves as chief intellectual property counsel, divisional vice president, and associate general counsel at Abbott Laboratories, a global healthcare company (which celebrates its 25th anniversary of Women Leaders in 2025). At Abbott, Tisack leads a worldwide team managing an extensive patent portfolio exceeding 46,000 patents.Before joining Abbott, Tisack held noteworthy positions, including global head of IP at Olympus, where she managed a patent portfolio of more than 25,000 patents and led an IP staff of nearly 200 worldwide. She also founded and led the Technology Transfer Office at Wichita State University, and served as senior vice president and general counsel at Terumo Cardiovascular Systems. Prior to studying law at the University of Michigan Law School, Tisack earned both BS and MS degrees in mechanical engineering from the same institution. She began her career as an engineer and manager at Ford Motor Company, where she was awarded a patent for a shielded circuit module. Tisack is regularly recognised in rankings for her leadership and contributions to the field. She is also a frequent guest lecturer at universities such as Georgetown Law School, the University of Michigan, the University of Maryland, and Wichita State University. Her industry involvement includes the ChIPs Global Summit 2024, where she engaged in discussions on innovation and leadership among chief IP officers. While at Olympus, Tisack shared her experiences on Brooks Kushman’s Breaking Mindsets podcast, on the role of flexibility as a driver of professional success.