WASHINGTON (July 9, 2026) — Laura Peter, a longtime intellectual property advocate, public servant, and member of the Council for Innovation Promotion’s (C4IP) Advisory Board, was today confirmed as Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization‘s (WIPO) Patents and Technology Sector.
Peter previously served as Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under C4IP Co-Chair and then-USPTO Director Andrei Iancu, helping advance policies to strengthen the U.S. patent system and support American innovation. She currently serves as an Advisory Board Member at C4IP and as Executive Director of Intellectual Property & Technology Transfer at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she helps move university research from the lab to the marketplace.
“Having worked closely with Laura at the USPTO, and for many years before and after, I know firsthand her deep commitment to strengthening intellectual property and advancing innovation,” said Andrei Iancu, board co-chair of C4IP and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director from 2018 to 2021. “Laura is a proven leader, dedicated to effective innovation policy and efficient technology commercialization, making her a tremendous asset to WIPO and the broader international innovation community.”
“Laura’s experience at the USPTO, in the private sector, and in university technology transfer has given her a unique perspective on how strong IP systems can help turn ideas into real-world products,” said David Kappos, board co-chair of C4IP and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director from 2009 to 2013. “She is exceptionally well-qualified and an outstanding choice to help lead WIPO’s work on patents and technology.”
“C4IP commends USPTO Director John Squires’ leadership in international bodies, and shares his view that WIPO must refocus on its core mission of promoting and strengthening intellectual property protections,” said Frank Cullen, Executive Director of C4IP. “Laura’s leadership will help ensure that WIPO works to reinforce the rights and incentives that drive innovation. C4IP congratulates Laura on this well-deserved appointment, and we look forward to the contributions she will make to WIPO’s work on behalf of innovators around the world.”
About the Council for Innovation Promotion: The Council for Innovation Promotion is a bipartisan coalition dedicated to promoting strong and effective intellectual property rights that drive innovation, boost economic competitiveness, and improve lives everywhere.