ICC Institute of World Business Law elects five new Council members

The new additions bring the total number of Council members to 47, comprising 25 women and 22 men. The Council governs the ICC Institute and is made up of distinguished lawyers, academics, and corporate counsel. They work collectively to shape the Institute’s strategy, establish policies and oversee its programme of activities. 

The new members are: 

Niuscha Bassiri – a German-Iranian arbitrator at ArbBoutique, which she co-founded. Currently operating from Brussels, Ms Bassiri has over 20 years of experience acting as arbitrator and counsel in numerous international arbitrations under the major arbitral institutions and arbitration rules. She has been involved in arbitrations and mediations for States and private entities spanning a multitude of sectors. 

Olivier Caprasse – a Belgian Professor teaching Corporate Law, Arbitration, and Alternative Dispute Resolution at the Free University of Brussels and the University of Liège. In 2017, he founded the Oliver Caprasse law firm, where he acts as an attorney. Mr Caprasse has a long list of publications on arbitration and mediation and is a board member of CEPANI (Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation), Francarbi (a non-profit organisation for the promotion of diversity in arbitration), and several law journals. Mr Caprasse is also member of ICC Belgium and the ICC Commission on Arbitration. 

Kai-Uwe Karl – Global Chief Litigation Counsel for GE Renewable Energy who holds a PhD in commercial law from the University of Tübingen, Germany. Mr Karl has extensive experience in international dispute resolution and international trade law, European competition and state aid law, as well as general EU law and commercial law.  

Samantha Nataf – an international arbitration partner at De Gaulle Fleurance in Paris, France. Ms Nataf holds bar admissions in New York, Israel and Paris, and has experience in a wide range of sectors including agribusiness, aviation, construction, defence, energy, infrastructure, mining, new technologies, satellites, telecommunications, transportation and logistics. She has handled arbitrations arising from international commercial contracts, international investments, joint-ventures contracts, long-term partnerships or M&A transactions. 

Cynthia Randall – Deputy General Counsel for Litigation at Microsoft. In this capacity Ms Randall manages the global defence of commercial litigation and arbitrations, including intellectual property, class action, employment, antitrust, securities, and product liability matters. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and has over 20 years of legal experience. 

Commenting on the new members, Director of the ICC Institute of World Business Law Sybille de Rosny-Schwebel said: 

“We are proud to add Niuscha, Olivier, Kai-Uwe, Samantha and Cynthia to the Council. Their diverse academic backgrounds and legal experience will further develop the Institute’s mission to foster the development of international business law.” 

Learn more about the Institute of World Business Law and the latest additions to the ICC Institute of World Business Law Council.