Singapore’s Daren Tang nominated for second term as director-general of UN’s WIPO

SINGAPORE – Singapore’s Mr Daren Tang was on Feb 12 nominated for a second term as the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) director-general, said the coordination committee of the UN body.

He was first appointed to the role in October 2020, when he began a six-year mandate that will end in September 2026, and

became the first Singaporean to lead a major UN agency.

The WIPO Coordination Committee, which comprises 83 member states, met on Feb 12, and held one round of voting from a list of two candidates. The other candidate was Mr Johanny Stanley Joseph from Haiti.

Mr Tang, 53, prevailed in the first round of voting with 81 votes as Mr Joseph received two votes.

The WIPO General Assembly, the Paris Union Assembly and the Berne Union Assembly will meet in an extraordinary session on April 21 to confirm the WIPO Coordination Committee’s nomination.

If confirmed, Mr Tang’s second term as WIPO chief will span from Oct 1, 2026, to Sept 30, 2032.

His nomination for a second term was previously supported by Singapore’s ministries of Foreign Affairs and Law in July 2025.

Then, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Law Minister Edwin Tong both offered their support for Mr Tang’s second term, noting the strides WIPO had made under his leadership.

Speaking from Geneva, Mr Tang expressed his honour at being nominated. He said: “As a Singaporean, I remain committed not just to the values of multilateralism but one that focuses on real impact and tangible results.

“I look forward to working with all WIPO member states to continue transforming IP (intellectual property) from something technical into a powerful catalyst for jobs, investments, growth, development and prosperity for all countries.”

Singapore’s Government said it is confident in Mr Tang’s continued leadership in developing IP as a catalyst for jobs, investments and economic development for all countries, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs said on Feb 12.

Dr Balakrishnan said WIPO and the international IP community will benefit from Mr Tang’s proven ability to build consensus and drive meaningful progress on IP matters.

Mr Tong said Mr Tang’s nomination reflects the wide support he has received for his vision of the global IP ecosystem. “Singapore looks forward to his continued service and leadership,” he added.

Before his appointment as WIPO chief, Mr Tang, an NUS and Georgetown University graduate, served the Singapore Government as a trade lawyer, specialising in international economic law and resolving international disputes. He was previously the chief executive of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore.

The Geneva-based WIPO is responsible for shaping global rules on IP, and oversees trademarks, designs and patents.

Mr Tang, WIPO’s fifth director-general, had taken over from Mr Francis Gurry of Australia, who held the post from 2008 to 2020. Before Mr Gurry, Mr Kamil Idris from Sudan held the post from 1997 to 2008.