WIPO Independent Advisory Oversight Committee

The WIPO Independent Advisory Oversight Committee is an independent, expert advisory and external oversight body. It aims to assist Member States in their role of oversight and for better exercise of their governance responsibilities with respect to the various operations of WIPO.

Committee members serve in their personal capacity and are independent of the Member States that elect them. The Committee’s mandate (document WO/GA/40/2) is to promote internal control, focus assurance resources and oversee audit performance by reviewing, inter alia: various internal control, operational and accounting and disclosure issues; the effectiveness of audit and other oversight functions, especially WIPO’s Internal Audit and Oversight Division; and, management’s compliance with oversight recommendations. The Committee is also tasked to oversee WIPO’s New Construction Project and its Strategic Realignment Program.

At its sixteenth session (January 12 to 13, 2011), the Program and Budget Committee approved the recommendation of the Selection Panel for the Appointment of the WIPO Independent Advisory Oversight Committee, as recorded in paragraphs 13 and 14 of the Selection Panel’s Report (document WO/PBC/16/2).

The seven Committee members are: 

• Mrs. Maria Beatriz Sanz Redrado (Spain) - Chair
• Mr. Fernando Nikitin (Uruguay) – Vice Chair
• Mr. Anol Nath Chatterji (India)
• Mr. Kjell Larsson (Sweden)
• Mr. Nikolay V. Lozinskiy (Russian Federation)
• Mr. Ma Fang (China) 
• Mrs. Mary T. Ncube (Zambia)