D WIPO WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGAN IZATION
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d WIPO WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGAN IZATION C. N 3953 The Chair of the Coordination Committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Ambassador Franr;ois Rivasseau, presents his compliments and has the honor to refer to Note C. N 3926, dated September 30, 2019, inviting candidates for nomination to the post of Director General of WIPO. A copy of the letter from His Excellency Mr. Urmas Reinsalu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia, received on December 30, 2019, proposing the candidacy of .I. Mr. Juri Seilenthal for the said post is enclosed. December 30, 2019 Prt;;;;? I /; £~(/ Enclosure: Letter of His Excellency Minister for Foreign Arfairs of the Republic of Estonia 34, chernin des Colornbettes 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland T +4122 338 97 11 F +4'122 733 54 28 www.wipo.int Permanent Representation of the Republic of Estonia Geneva No. 10.1-13/485 The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Estonia to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva presents its compliments to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and has the honor Jo transmit the letter ofH.E. Mr. Urmas REINSALU, the Minister ofForeign Affairs ofEstonia, addressed to Ambassador Franc;ois RIVASSEAU, the Chair of the WIPO Coordination Committee. The letter nominates Mr Jiiri SEILENTHAL as a candidate for the position of the next Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization. The Permanent Mission of Estonia avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the World Intellectual Property Organization the assurances ofits highest consideration. Geneva, 30 December 2019 To the World Intellectual Property Organization Geneva Minister ofForeign Affairs Republic ofEstonia H.E. Mr Frarn;~ois Rivasseau Ambassador, Permanent Representative Chair of the Coordination Committee of WIPO 34 Chemin des Colombettes Tallinn, 23 December 2019 1211 Geneva Switzerland As Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia I nominate Mr. Jilri Seilenthal to be the candidate for the position of Director General of the World Intellectual Prope1iy Organization (WIPO) to be selected by the Committee chaired by you. Mr. Seilenthal has served his country with distinction for 25 years as a diplomat in numerous positions of responsibility as detailed in the curriculum vitae attached. This gives me full confidence that he has the capability to lead an international organization of such a high standing as WIPO. During the six years (2009-2015) that Mr. Seilenthal served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative in Geneva he chaired numerous oversight bodies on behalf of member states in various international organizations. Of the most significant I would mention UNCTAD TDB, WTO CTG and in WIPO as Chair of the Coordination Committee. He is familiar with the organization and has vast experience with the work of WIPO. During his latest appointment from 2015 as DG for Foreign Economic Policy and Development Co-operation he was Theme Leader for Development and Humanitarian issues during Estonian Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2017. Since autumn 2018 he has is the Full Member of the EU Trade Policy Committee. As both trade and development issues are directly linked to the functions of WIPO I believe this gives him a unique perspective to the organisations mandate. Excellency, please accept the assurances of my highest consideration, Urmas Reinsalu sum SEILENTHAL An Estonian career diplomat, Mr. Seilenthal has served as of August 2015 as Director General, Foreign Economic Policy and Development Cooperation Department. Dtiring his tenure he was the theme leader for development and humanitarian files during Estonian Presidency of the European Union during the 2. Semester of 2017. As of November 20 I 8 he is also the litulaire (foll member) of the EU Trade Policy Committee. Permanent Representative, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to UN and other international organizations in Geneva from August 2009 to July 2015. During his tenure in Geneva he held several elective or nominated positions in various UN bodies and other International Organizations. From September 2012 to March 2013 Mr. Ji.iri Seil enthal was the President of the Trade and Development Board (TDB) of UNCT AD and later Vice President of the TDB. From September 2011 to September 2012 he chaired WIPO Coordination Committee From March 2011 to March 2012 he chaired the WTO Council for Trade in Goods. Mr. Seilenthal also served as friend of Chair (facilitator) for UNCT AD XIII and XIV in 2012 in Doha and 2016 in Nairobi and as Vice-president of CCW protocol V in 2012. Since 1995 Mr. Jiiri Seil enthal has held va1ious positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia: June 2007 till May 2016 - Estonian Ambassador to the Holy See (non-resident, additional responsibility); From 2006 to 2009 -- Chief of Staff of the Minister of Foreign Affairs; From 2002 and 2006 - Estonian Ambassador to Republic ofitaly, Rome During the same peri od he served as an Ambassador to Malta (non- resident); From 1999 to 2004 - first Estonian Ambassador to Israel (non-resident, additional responsibility); From 1999 to 2002 - Deputy Permanent Undersecretary for Administrative Affairs. From 1999 to 2010 - Head of delegation for the negotiations on diplomatic real-estate with the Russian Federation (concurrent with other responsi bilities); From April 1997 to 1999 - Eston ia 's first Charge d 'Aj/'aires a.i., Estonian Embassy in Ireland, Dublin. From 1996 to 1997 - Director of the Human Resources Department; From 1995 to 1996 -· Counselor, Assistant to the Secretary General. Before joining the public service in 1995 Mr. Seilenthal worked in a bank and in a public opinion research company. In 1993 Mr. Seilenthal graduated with Cum Laude from the University of Tartu in Estonia with and M.A. degree. He spent the academic year of 1991 to 1992 at the University of Lund in Sweden and was elected President of the Student Union of the University of Tartu between 1993 and 1994. Mr. Seilenthal speaks fluently Estonian, Engl ish, Finnish, Russian and Italian, and has basic knowledge of French and German. He is married and has two children. .