Australian Dr Francis Gurry has been nominated as the next director general of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
Dr Francis Gurry
(Credit: WIPO)
Gurry had to compete with 15 other candidates, although after seven dropped out, the three-day meeting scheduled to choose the nominee was abbreviated.
He beat his Brazilian colleague Jose Aranha by a single vote.
Gurry needs to be appointed to office at the next WIPO General Assembly, which will be held from 20-22 September, and will assume his duties on 1 October.
"The nomination of Dr Gurry for WIPO Director General reflects the importance the government places on building a strong, balanced and accessible international intellectual property system," said Stephen Smith, the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, who nominated Gurry for the position.
Previous director generals have been from the Netherlands, the US and Sudan.