Four candidates, including Gurry, to run for WIPO leadership

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Cookies Settings

Four candidates, including Gurry, to run for WIPO leadership

Four candidates will run for the Director General post at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), including the current Director General, Australian Francis Gurry.

The other three candidates whose names were received by the deadline at 5pm Geneva time today were Geoffrey Onyeama from Nigeria, Jüri Seilenthal from Estonia, and Alfredo Suescum from Panama.

Despite speculation from some IP professionals that WIPO deputy director general Jim Pooley of the US might be in the running, he was not on the list.

One of the candidates will be nominated in March 2014 by the WIPO Coordination Committee, made up of representatives from 83 member states. The winning candidate will then be appointed by the WIPO General assembly in May.

The selection of the director general is governed by WIPO’s procedures.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

IP experts gathered in San Francisco last week to discuss the changing global SEP landscape and new licensing models for AI infrastructure
SKW Schwarz partner Daniel Kendziur explains how new green claims rules are changing his workload and bringing him into direct contact with marketing, PR and government affairs teams
The government is targeting earlier resolution of SEP disputes while ruling out a standalone IPEC rate determination track and restrictions on injunctions
Ana Castedo, who brings a strong focus on patent litigation, will help build the firm’s IP litigation offering in Madrid
A former scientist, inventor and now a patent practice leader, Hanane Fathi Roswall shares her views on leadership, diversity, the rise of AI and the promise of the UPC
With rumours that a third IP judge could yet join the England and Wales High Court, we run through some potential names while practitioners outline the importance of a well-stocked bench
Speaking to Managing IP at Via’s Bridge Summit in San Francisco, president Kevin Mack explains why the AI infrastructure boom is forcing a rethink of traditional SEP licensing and FRAND models
Law firms continue to sell clients on international footprints, but sprawling office networks count for little if financial structures discourage internal collaboration
Via's Qi pool expands its footprint in Asia with the addition of Chinese smartphone giant and Japanese auto company
Matthew Cassie becomes the tenth partner to join the firm’s London outpost, and the second since it opened its new headquarters in May this year
Gift this article