Strategic Realignment: Stream Three - Restructuring

This "stream" of the WIPO Strategic Realignment Program involves a sector-by-sector review in order to realign the Organization's programs, structures, staffing, skills and budgetary resources to the new strategic goals.This page will chart progressive changes in the structure, starting from the organizational organigram as of September 30, 2008 (prior to the launch of the Strategic Realignment Program).

September 30, 2008 organigram
October 2008 organigram
March 2009 organigram
October 2009 organigram

Key changes to date

Finance, Budget and Program Management Department is streamlined under a single Director, reporting to the Deputy Director General for General Affairs and Administration. A new Program Management and Performance Section is created in order to accelerate implementation of a results-based management (RBM) framework in the Organization. (October 2008)
The Development Agenda Coordination Division is created to focus on implementation of the WIPO Development Agenda (October 2008).
The Division for Global IP Infrastructure is created, bringing together the WIPO units dealing with IP classification systems; IP Office modernization; technical standards for data exchange between IP Offices; patent, trademark and industrial design information and databases. Organigram. (January 2009).
A new Patent Division is established, incorporating the former Patent Law Section and the Section for Innovation Promotion and Technology Transfer (January 2009). Following review by Member States during the October 2009 Program and Budget Committee, responsibility for Innovation Promotion and Technology Transfer is subsequently transferred to the new Global Challenges Division.
The Communications Division is reorganized; with the telephone switchboard brought into a new Customer Service Section in order to begin implementing the DG's commitment to improving customer service (February 2009).
The PCT Operations Division is reorganized (March 2009)
The Arbitration and Mediation Center is realigned (April 2009)
The Trademarks Sector is restructured (July 2009).
Realignment of the Senior Management structure in accordance with strategic priorities and for greater functional efficiency (February 2009). For the first time, the nominations of the new Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General is based on an explicit, transparent process of matching competencies and experience to the requirements of the different roles. The new Team took up their appointments on December 1, 2009.
Key strategic skills gaps were identified at Director level and filled through external recruitments, notably Information Technology (IT), Human Resources, Economics and Global Challenges (October 2008 to December 2009).
A major Voluntary Separation Program was launched in August 2009 to meet budgetary constraints while supporting future efforts at re-skilling through measured, targeted recruitment to support future . By end October closing date 102 applications were received.