WIPO News; Geneva;  October 1, 2020

Daren Tang Heng Shim (Chinese 邓鸿森[2]) is the fifth Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). He is successor of Francis Gurry who's two 6-Year Office-Periods in duty ended.

Election and Inauguration

Tang was nominated for the position on March 4, 2020, and elected by the WIPO General Assembly on May 8, 2020. Tang was officially inaugurated on October 1, 2020.

Career

Daren Tang is a national of Singapore. He began his six-year term as Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on October 1, 2020.

Prior to his appointment as WIPO Director General, he served as Chief Executive of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) from November 2015 to July 2020, driving IPOS's strategic transformation in support of Singapore's innovation-based economy. Mr. Tang is a Singaporean national.

Mr. Tang also served as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) at WIPO from May 2017 until his appointment as Director General.

Between 1997 and 2012, prior to joining IPOS, Daren Tang held various legal positions within the Attorney General's Office and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore. In 2016, he received the Public Administration Medal from the Office of the Prime Minister of Singapore for outstanding efficiency and competence in the service of his country.
Education
Daren Tang is a graduate of the National University of Singapore (Bachelor of Law, Honors) and Georgetown University Law Center (Master of Laws, Distinction). He also attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. He is fluent in English and Chinese.