Daren Tang has been appointed Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), following a consensus by its member states. Tang’s six-year term will commence on 1 October 2020.
Tang said “I sincerely thank all Member States for their support and confidence in entrusting me with this immense responsibility in these unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused untold misery and brought the world to a standstill but has also reminded us of our common humanity. More than ever, the WIPO community needs to unite to support our inventors, innovators and creators, all of whom are playing critical roles in helping us overcome this grave pandemic, whether it is in finding a cure for the virus, allowing us to stay connected through technology, or lifting our spirits during this challenging period.”
Tang will be the fifth Director General of WIPO, following Francis Gurry of Australia (2008–2020), Kamil Idris of Sudan (1997–2008), Arpad Bogsch of the United States (1973–1997) and Georg Bodenhausen of the Netherlands (1970–1973).
IAF would like to congratulate Daren Tang for assuming his new position. We look forward to working with him to find opportunities to support the international author community.
More information on his appointment can be found here.