Daren Tang

World Intellectual Property Organization Director General

Daren Tang, of Singapore, was appointed as the World Intellectual Property Organization’s 5th Director General on October 1, 2020.
Under Mr. Tang’s leadership, WIPO is focused on transforming intellectual property (IP) from a technical matter into a powerful catalyst for jobs, investments, enterprise growth, and economic, social and cultural development for all countries. Robust IP systems create the conditions for innovation and creativity to thrive.
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Director General Daren Tang

Under Daren Tang’s leadership, WIPO is working to transform IP from a technical matter into a powerful catalyst for jobs, investments, enterprise growth, as well as economic, social and cultural development for all countries. He is also committed to ensuring the Organization works to harness the power of IP to provide innovative solutions to our common, global challenges like climate change.

To do this, IP must go beyond the specialist to connect with those innovating and creating at the grassroots level. To make IP more inclusive, he believes that the focus of the global IP ecosystem should also broaden to include SMEs, women, youth and even those from Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. He has spearheaded initiatives to enhance IP education and capacity-building in developing countries, in particular through impact-driven projects that have empowered hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries in the past few years.

Mr. Tang has championed the modernization of WIPO’s services and operations, leveraging digital technologies to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of its global IP systems. He has also overseen reforms to make WIPO’s services more efficient and user friendly, streamlining processes and enhancing the Organization’s responsiveness to its diverse stakeholders.  
The Director General advocates for a global IP ecosystem that is balanced, accessible and serves the interests of all WIPO Member States. His forward-looking approach is geared to ensuring that WIPO can continue to add value through its unique insights, ability to create and nurture connections and empower innovators and creators from around the world. 
In a world facing geopolitical challenges, economic uncertainty and fast emerging technologies, he believes that IP, innovation and creativity serve as a bridge to connect countries together for the common good for all.  
Director General Daren Tang

WIPO under Director General Tang

WIPO continues to make significant strides in advancing the global IP system. This includes the adoption by Member States of two major international treaties in 2024 – the WIPO Treaty on IP, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge and the Riyadh Design Law Treaty. These landmark achievements benefit innovators everywhere.
Mr. Tang is also leading the modernization of WIPO’s IP registries and services, driving a transformation in customer service and harnessing digital technologies to improve efficiency and accessibility. WIPO is also stepping-up support for Member States in areas like IP enforcement and dispute resolution, where demand is rising around the world.
In reinforcing WIPO’s position as the place for IP thought-leadership and exchange, Mr. Tang is spearheading initiatives on IP and Frontier Technologies, IP Finance and the future of IP. WIPO’s data and analysis –including the Global Innovation Index– shine new light on critical innovation trends, influencing policymakers and IP professionals the world over. New platforms, including creators’ portal CLIP, have quicky become global leaders in the field.
One special area of focus is bringing IP to the grassroots. Mr. Tang believes in better serving groups like women, youth and SMEs – focusing not just on IP registration but also IP commercialization. Highlights include WIPO first IP and Gender Action Plan, WIPO’s first Youth Engagement Strategy and a more impactful approach to development assistance. The WIPO Academy has trained over 600,000 people in the past four years, over 80% from developing countries.
Mr. Tang is committed to ensuring the Organization works to harness the power of IP to provide innovative solutions to our common, global challenges like climate change. To do this, IP must go beyond the specialist to connect with those innovating and creating at the grassroots level. To make IP more inclusive, Mr. Tang believes that the focus of the global IP ecosystem should also broaden to include SMEs, women, youth and even those from indigenous peoples and local communities. He has spearheaded initiatives to enhance IP education and capacity-building in developing countries, in particular through impact-driven projects that have empowered hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries in the past few years.
Mr. Tang has championed the modernization of WIPO’s services and operations, leveraging digital technologies to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of its global IP systems. He has also overseen reforms to make WIPO’s services more efficient and user friendly, streamlining processes and enhancing the Organization’s responsiveness to its diverse stakeholders.
The Director General advocates for a global IP ecosystem that is balanced, accessible and serves the interests of all WIPO Member States. His forward-looking approach is geared to ensuring that WIPO can continue to add value through its unique insights, ability to create and nurture connections and empower innovators and creators from around the world.
In a world facing geopolitical challenges, economic uncertainty and fast emerging technologies, he believes that IP, innovation and creativity serve as a bridge to connect countries together for the common good for all.

Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2022-2026 [PDF]

The MTSP outlines WIPO's strategic direction and serves as a source of inspiration and guidance for the Organization.

Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2022-2026 [PDF]

The MTSP outlines WIPO's strategic direction and serves as a source of inspiration and guidance for the Organization.

WIPO under DG Tang’s leadership

Daren Tang is leading  WIPO in transforming intellectual property (IP) from a technical matter into a powerful catalyst for jobs, investments, enterprise growth, as well as economic, social and cultural development for all countries. He is also committed to ensuring the Organization works to harness the power of IP to provide innovative solutions to our common, global challenges like climate change.
To do this, IP must go beyond the specialist to connect with those innovating and creating at the grassroots level. To make IP more inclusive, Mr. Tang believes that the focus of the global IP ecosystem should also broaden to include SMEs, women, youth and even those from indigenous peoples and local communities. He has spearheaded initiatives to enhance IP education and capacity-building in developing countries, in particular through impact-driven projects that have empowered hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries in the past few years.​​​​​
Mr. Tang has championed the modernization of WIPO’s services and operations, leveraging digital technologies to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of its global IP systems. He has also overseen reforms to make WIPO’s services more efficient and user friendly, streamlining processes and enhancing the Organization’s responsiveness to its diverse stakeholders.​​​​​​
The Director General advocates for a global IP ecosystem that is balanced, accessible and serves the interests of all WIPO Member States. His forward-looking approach is geared to ensuring that WIPO can continue to add value through its unique insights, ability to create and nurture connections and empower innovators and creators from around the world.​​​​​
In a world facing geopolitical challenges, economic uncertainty and fast emerging technologies, he believes that IP, innovation and creativity serve as a bridge to connect countries together for the common good for all.

Director General Tang quotes

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Related links

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Speeches

  • Opening Speech to the Launch Event - “WIPO Technology Trends: Future of Transportation” (February 6, 2025) [PDF]
  • Closing Remarks to the Diplomatic Conference to Conclude and Adopt a Design Law Treaty (November 22, 2024) [PDF]
  • Opening Remarks to the Diplomatic Conference to Conclude and Adopt a Design Law Treaty (November 11, 2024) [PDF]
  • Opening Ceremony of the Diplomatic Conference to Conclude and Adopt a Design Law Treaty (November 11, 2024) [PDF]
  • Keynote Address, Intellectual Property in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (October 1, 2024) [PDF]