The Coordination Committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has overwhelmingly nominated Mr. Daren Tang of Singapore for a second term as Director General of the Organization.
The Coordination Committee, which consists of 83 member states, met on February 12, 2026, and held a vote between two candidates. Mr. Tang received 81 votes, while the other candidate, Mr. Johanny Stanley Joseph from Haiti, received 2 votes. In accordance with the rules of the Organization, the Coordinating Committee will propose the candidate it has selected to the WIPO General Assembly for formal ratification. The final decision is expected to be taken on April 21, 2026, at the session of the WIPO General Assembly, as well as the Assemblies of the Paris Union and the Berne Union, which are called upon to ratify the proposal. Although a vote will be taken on the proposal, in practice this is a formal procedure to ratify the decision of the Coordination Committee.
Mr. Tang’s current term expires on September 30, 2026. Prior to joining WIPO, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).
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