New WIPO Director General Named

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

15 May 2008

It was announced on Tuesday that the Coordination Committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has nominated Francis Gurry, a national of Australia, to become the next Director General of WIPO.

The candidate will have to be appointed by the WIPO General Assembly at its next meeting scheduled from 22nsd-30th September, 2008.

Mr. Gurry was selected from a list which originally included 15 candidates. He will become the fourth Director General of WIPO, following Georg Bodenhausen of the Netherlands (1970-1973) . Arpad Bogsch of the United States (1973-1997) and Dr Kamil Idris of Sudan (1997-2008).

Three days were set aside for the Coordination Committee meeting. However, withdrawal of seven candidates following the second round of formal voting accelerated the process, according to WIPO. The last round of voting included Gurry and José Graça Aranha, a national of Brazil. Gurry received 42 votes, whereas Graça Aranha received 41 votes.

Mr. Gurry joined WIPO in 1985 as a consultant in the Development Cooperation and External Relations Bureau for Asia and the Pacific. He has assumed various posts since that time, and is currently the Deputy Director General .

The Director General-elect will assume his duties on 1st October, 2008 following appointment by the General Assembly.

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