Arbitration

Commission on Arbitration and ADR Vice-Chairs announced

  • 26 February 2018

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has announced the appointment of 11 new Vice-Chairs to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, ICC’s leading think tank and rule-making body for international dispute resolution.

Formally appointed by ICC Secretary General John Danilovich following a proposal by Commission Chair Carita Wallgren-Lindholm and in consultation with the ICC International Court of Arbitration and its Secretariat, the new Vice-Chairs are:

  • Babatunde Ajibade, SAN
    S. P. A. Ajibade & Co (Nigeria; based in Lagos)
  • Jose Ricardo Feris
    Squire Patton Boggs LLP (Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Spain; based in Paris)
  • Susanne Gropp-Stadler
    Siemens AG (Germany; based in Munich)
  • Dyala Jiménez Figueres
    DJ Arbitraje (Costa Rica; based in San José)
  • Vladimir Khvalei
    Baker & Mckenzie CIS (Russia; based in Moscow)
  • Xiaohong Liu
    Shanghai University of Political Science and Law (China; based in Shanghai)
  • Jenni Lukander
    Nokia Corporation (Finland; based in Espoo)
  • Caline Mouawad
    King & Spalding LLP (Lebanon, United States; based in New York)
  • Christopher Newmark
    Spenser Underhill Newmark LLP (United Kingdom; based  in London)
  • Melanie van Leeuwen
    Derains & Gharavi (The Netherlands; based in Paris)
  • Sharif Ali Zu’bi
    Ali Sharif Zu’bi Advocates & Legal (Jordan; based in Amman)

The new Vice-Chairs – together with Commission Chair Ms Wallgren-Lindholm, President of the ICC Court Alexis Mourre, Secretary General of the ICC Court Alexander G. Fessas, Chair of the Institute of World Business Law Yves Derains, Chair of the ICC International Centre of Expertise James Nicholson and Commission Secretary Helene van Lith – constitute the Steering Committee of the commission’s leadership.

Each Vice-Chair will serve a three-year term, with the exception of Christopher Newmark and Xiaohong Liu who serve for one year each.

Secretary General of the ICC Court Alexander G. Fessas said: “I am delighted that such an adept and diverse group of experts will drive the strategic direction of the Commission and its efforts to ensure that ICC remains ahead of the field in arbitration and other dispute resolution services. Carita and all Vice-Chairs have our full support and I look forward to working closely with all of them.”

Underscoring the value of collective knowledge and cultural capital in driving the Commission’s work Ms Wallgren-Lindholm said: “The new Steering Committee of the Commission brings fresh impetus to the table representing a diverse range of geographical, professional and personal profiles.  I have no doubt that this will allow for some very progressive dispute resolution thinking…My few weeks in office as Commission Chair have already shown me the level of responsibility and dedication this requires, and how much energy is being deployed and generated in commission activities both at, and between, commission meetings.”

The Commission membership comprises approximately 850 practicing lawyers, arbitrators, mediators, in-house counsel and academics. It includes members, from more than 90 countries, of the commission’s task forces established to undertake study of a particular aspect of dispute resolution or sector to set a standard within the international dispute resolution community.

The commission holds two meetings per year, generally in spring and autumn, with the next meeting scheduled to take place on 10 April in Paris during Paris Arbitration Week 2018.

Commission Secretary Helene van Lith said: “Having worked closely with Carita in her previous role as Vice-Chair of the commission and since January as commission chair, I look forward to supporting the work of the new team, which promises to be dynamic, creative and with thoughtful views on dispute resolution.”