Singaporean Daren Tang gets second term as head of UN patent agency
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Mr Daren Tang will begin a new six-year term as director-general of the UN's World Intellectual Property Organization from Oct 1.
ST FILE PHOTO
- Singapore's Daren Tang was reappointed for a second six-year term as head of the UN's World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) on April 21.
- Tang aims to further transform intellectual property (IP) into a global economic asset, ensuring efficient systems and updated standards for innovators facing AI-driven changes.
- WIPO reported a 0.7% rise in international patent applications to 275,900 filings in 2025, with China filing the most and Huawei being the top applicant.
AI generated
GENEVA - Singaporean Daren Tang was reappointed on April 21 for a second six-year term as director-general of the United Nations’ patent and innovation agency.
The World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO’s) 194 member states reappointed Mr Tang, who was the only nominated candidate, during the agency’s general assembly.
Established in 1967, the 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,” Mr 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.”
Mr Tang, who was previously head of Singapore’s national patent agency, will begin his second term as WIPO chief on Oct 1.
In March, 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. AFP
