Singapore's Daren Tang gets second term at UN's World Intellectual Property Organization
WIPO Director General Daren Tang speaks on the final day of a "Diplomatic Conference on Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge" at the UN's World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, on May 24, 2024. (Photo: AFP/Fabrice Coffrini)
GENEVA: Singapore's Daren Tang was reappointed on Tuesday (Apr 21) for a second six-year term in charge of the United Nations' World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The 194 member states of the UN's patent and innovation agency reappointed Tang, who was the only nominated candidate, during the agency's general assembly.
Established in 1967, Geneva-based WIPO helps creators and entrepreneurs protect their intellectual property (IP) across borders.
"In my first term, I worked with member states to transform IP from a technical and legal matter into a business, economic and financial asset that helps drive innovation and creativity, and serves as a catalyst for jobs, investments, growth and development," Tang said in a statement.
"For the second term, this work will continue, so that WIPO's IP systems are efficient and effective in serving users, global IP standards continue being updated to meet the needs of innovators and creators in a fast changing world driven by AI, IP continues to be protected and used by millions around the world and harnessed to address global challenges, and IP moves from the periphery to the centre."
Tang, who was previously the head of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), will begin his second term as WIPO chief on Oct 1.
Last month, WIPO said international patent applications had risen 0.7 per cent in 2025 to 275,900 filings worldwide.
China filed the most, with 73,718, ahead of the United States, Japan and South Korea.
Chinese tech giant Huawei has been the top filer since 2017, ahead of Samsung, Qualcomm and LG Electronics.
