WIPO To Create Deputy Directors For Global Issues, Trademarks

The World Intellectual Property Organization is expected this month to name a new deputy director general for global challenges, and will raise trademarks to the DDG level while moving copyright responsibility back to the assistant director general level, according to sources at WIPO. The appointments have not been finalised and consultations may be continuing.

WIPO Director General Francis Gurry, who took office on 1 October 2008, is assembling his cabinet of four DDGs and three ADGs, as exists currently. But he is proposing to change the responsibilities somewhat and almost all seven of the officials will be in new roles. DDGs are second only to the DG.

Gurry’s recommendations, the result of consultations with members, will go to the WIPO executive body, the 83-member Coordination Committee, on 15-16 June. A WIPO source said that for appointments it is not necessary to obtain full membership approval at the annual General Assemblies in September. Rather, the Coordination Committee’s decision will be final, and the newcomers will take office at the end of November if approved by committee. The appointments are for five years.

According to sources, Geoffrey Onyeama of Nigeria (a current ADG) will be the DDG for technical assistance and capacity building, James Pooley of the United States will be DDG for patents, and Wang Binyang of China (also a current ADG) will be DDG for trademarks (reportedly after a personal request from the Chinese premier, according to an informed source).

Johannes Wichard of Germany (who formerly worked at WIPO) will be DDG for global challenges – overseeing the new chief economist and global issues expert positions (both expected to be named soon), as well as the Intergovernmental Committee on Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore, “respect” for IP (enforcement), and arbitration and mediation.

At the ADG level, copyrights will be handled by Ambassador Trevor Clarke of Barbados, current chair of the WIPO Committee on Development and IP and chair of World Trade Organization special sessions on the geographical indication register. Ambi Sundaram of Sri Lanka (moving over from the World Health Organization) will be responsible for administrative and organisational matters. Yoshiyuki Takagi of Japan will be ADG for global infrastructure, overseeing matters such as databases.

Copyright has been at the DDG level for the past 6 years. But according to a source, this has traditionally been an ADG level responsibility and was elevated to DDG as part of a broader set of responsibilities, such as enforcement, with the appointment of Rita Hayes to that position. She had been US ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) prior to the appointment.

Wang, Takagi and Onyeama all currently work at WIPO.

There has been some continued discussion to settle political questions, according to sources, but it is unclear what the remaining issues are. One source suggested there is a push for a new system that can bring in more outsiders with new ideas.