Anna Joubin-Bret (Secretary of UNCITRAL and Director of the International Trade Law Division at the Office of Legal Affairs of the UN Secretariat)

Anna Joubin-Bret

Secretary of UNCITRAL and Director of the International Trade Law Division at the Office of Legal Affairs of the UN Secretariat

Ms. Anna Joubin-Bret is the Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the Director of the International Trade Law Division in the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations, which functions as the substantive secretariat for UNCITRAL. She is the ninth Secretary of the Commission since it was established by the General Assembly in 1966.

Prior to her appointment on 24 November 2017, Ms. Joubin-Bret practiced law in Paris, specializing in International Investment Law and Investment Dispute Resolution. She focused on serving as counsel, arbitrator, mediator and conciliator in international investment disputes. She served as arbitrator in several ICSID, UNCITRAL and ICC disputes. Prior to 2011 and for 15 years, Ms. Joubin-Bret was the Senior Legal Adviser for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). She edited and authored seminal research and publications on international investment law, notably the Sequels to UNCTAD IIA Series and co-edited with Jean Kalicki a book on Reform of Investor-State Dispute Settlement in 2015.

Ms. Joubin-Bret holds a post-graduate degree (DEA) in Private International Law from the University of Paris I, Panthéon-Sorbonne, a Masters Degree in International Economic Law from University Paris I and in Political Science from Institut d'Etudes Politiques.

She was Legal Counsel in the legal department of the Schneider Group, General Counsel of the KIS Group and DirectorExport of Pomagalski S.A. She was appointed judge at the Commercial Court in Grenoble (France) and was elected Regional Counsellor of the Rhône-Alpes Region in 1998.

Andrej Savin (Professor in IT Law & Internet Law / Head of CBS LAW (law department) at CBS Law & Law Department, Copenhagen Business School)

Andrej Savin

Professor in IT Law & Internet Law / Head of CBS LAW (law department) at CBS Law & Law Department, Copenhagen Business School

Andrej Savin is a Professor in IT Law and Internet Law at CBS LAW and Law Department, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark.

Andrej Savin specializes in European IT law and Internet law policy. His research contributions go in two directions. The first is the theory of digital regulation, including the formation of European information-technology and policy. He researches how IT policy is formulated and how EU institutions make laws. The second is decision making and strategy in response to IT regulation. Here the focus on Savin’s research has been strategy formation and organizational aspects as a response to digital transformations in companies.

Andrej Savin is the author of several standard European treaties and research handbooks on Internet and telecommunications law including EU Internet Law, EU Telecommunications Law and Research Handbook on EU Internet Law.

Savin has participated in a number of research projects and he is currently conducting the DFF project on smart homes (PI) and Danish Industry Fund project on cybersecurity in the supply chain (co-PI).

He has been the head of CBS LAW (law department) at Copenhagen Business School since 2023.

Tatiana Minaeva (Partner at RPC)

Tatiana Minaeva

Partner at RPC

Tatiana Minaeva specializes in international arbitration (both commercial and investor-state) and in cross border litigation proceedings. Tatiana has experience representing international clients in a broad spectrum of disputes relating to financial services, energy, mining, telecoms, construction, international sale of goods, and technology. Tatiana is ranked as a "global leader" in international arbitration by Who's Who Legal: Arbitration 2021, 2022 and 2023 and is recommended by Legal 500 for her work in international arbitration.

Tatiana is featured as a "distinguished advisor" in the 2023 edition of the Financier Worldwide – Power Players in international arbitration.

Tatiana is on the panel of many of the leading arbitral institutions and is often appointed as an arbitrator (including as a sole arbitrator) under the Rules of UNCITRAL, LCIA, ICC, SCC and ICAC. Tatiana has published extensively on the topic of International Arbitration and is regularly invited to speak at industry conferences.

Tatiana is a co-author of the book ICSID Rules and Regulations 2022 – Article-by-Article Commentary, which offers practical and theoretical guidance for experienced arbitration practitioners.

Nenad Stankovic (Senior Partner at Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW))

Nenad Stankovic

Senior Partner at Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW)

Nenad Stankovic, attorney at law and senior partner at law firm Stankovic and Partners.
Nenad graduated from Belgrade University Law School and has been a member of the State and Belgrade Bar Association since 1998.

Over the past 15 years he has been responsible for representing clients in some of the most complex arbitration and litigation matters in Serbia, as well as handling hearings involving international arbitral and other disciplinary bodies such as ICSID, VIAC, ICC and the Football Association of Serbia.

Nenad regularly acts as an arbitrator and is president of the arbitral tribunal of the Permanent Arbitration service at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. In addition, he is one of the founding members of the Arbitration Association of Belgrade and his name appears on the list of arbitrators held by Belgrade Arbitration Centre. Nenad has also been recognised as a leading practitioner in the Legal 500 Arbitration Powerlist CEE for 2023.

At Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW), he continues to handle some of the largest, most complex disputes in the region, either as lead counsel or as local counsel working closely with some of the best-known international law firms in the world. These range from general commercial and company litigation, through real estate, environment and construction disputes, to banking, IP and IT, employment and competition matters. NSTLAW has extensive expertise in all these areas combined with a successful track record in substantial and significant arbitrations.

Deger Boden (Founding and Managing Partner at Boden Law)

Deger Boden

Founding and Managing Partner at Boden Law

Değer is the founding partner of Boden Law, specializing in energy law and arbitration. With an exceptional track record, she has solidified her reputation as a prominent figure in the energy sector globally. Değer’s expertise extends across various energy-related domains, including infrastructure and arbitration matters. Her exceptional abilities have earned her prestigious accolades, featuring listings in Legal 500, Chambers & Partners, and Who’s Who Legal, where she is acknowledged as a leading individual in the energy and natural resources field.

Değer possesses extensive experience in steering project development and finance transactions in diverse energy areas, encompassing power, oil and gas, ports, metals & mining, and general infrastructure. Her unique energy practice in Turkey has significantly contributed to her global recognition. Commencing her career in Turkey, Değer has been intricately involved in numerous facets of the Turkish energy sector, acclaimed for her adeptness in structuring intricate energy investments and agreements, as well as adeptly resolving complex challenges within the energy industry.

Her expertise spans a wide range of areas within the sector, including commodity trade transactions, mergers and acquisitions (asset and stock acquisitions), project finance transactions, concession agreements, host-government agreements, and turn-key EPC contracts. Clients rely on her unparalleled guidance to avoid or resolve disputes and regulatory issues, including intricate energy regulations, employing various means such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and litigation. She has extensive experience in international commercial and investment treaty arbitration. Furthermore, Değer serves as an esteemed arbitrator in disputes arising from energy contracts.

Her involvement in multifaceted projects across various jurisdictions underscores her proficiency in navigating intricate energy sector landscapes, encompassing EPC contracts, long-term supply agreements, and technology transfer agreements.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Değer is a respected authority in the field, actively engaging in publications, teachings, and speaking engagements pertaining to arbitration and energy matters. Notably, she serves as a lecturer for the “Energy Project Management and Law” course at the Energy Systems Engineering Department of Kadir Has University. She also holds a coveted position as a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Energy and Sustainable Development (CESD) of Kadir Has University, further cementing her commitment to fostering energy sustainability. In addition, Değer contributes as a Board member in the esteemed Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Association.

Değer serves as the chair of the Energy Commission of the Istanbul Arbitration Centre.

She speaks English, French and Turkish.

Dr Ileana Smeureanu (Counsel - Global Disputes at Jones Day)

Dr Ileana Smeureanu

Counsel - Global Disputes at Jones Day

Ileana Smeureanu concentrates her practice on international commercial and investor-State arbitration. She represents clients from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East throughout the whole arbitral process, covering a wide range of disputes and a variety of jurisdictions.

Before joining Jones Day, Ileana worked in London as a research assistant to a renowned international arbitrator and was an associate with the International Law Institute (ILI) in Washington, D.C. During her doctoral studies, Ileana trained with the ICC Court of Arbitration, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, and four international law firms in Paris and Singapore.

Ileana is author of the book Confidentiality in International Commercial Arbitration (Kluwer Law International, 2011). She coauthored the English translation of the Romanian arbitration law (ICCA International Handbook on Commercial Arbitration, 74th Suppl., May 2013) and has published and spoke on numerous topics with special focus on Eastern Europe.

She is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Bucharest Bar Association, and the young international groups of several prominent arbitral institutions.

Stevan Dimitrijević (Senior Partner - Attorney at Law at Dimitrijević & Partners)

Stevan Dimitrijević

Senior Partner - Attorney at Law at Dimitrijević & Partners

Stevan Dimitrijević, Senior Partner and co-founder of Dimitrijević & Partners law firm, one of leading law firms renowned for its excellence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Stevan's academic journey began with the completion of his LL.B. degree at the prestigious University of Belgrade in 1998. He finished his Master's studies focusing on investment arbitration, with a thesis titled: "Legal Position of the Multilateral Investment Court in the Law of the European Union, Faculty of Law, University of Banja Luka – Master of Laws (LL.M.) (2020). He is currently finishing his PhD research in the field of Private International Law and investment arbitration – focusing on the protection of foreign investments, procedural, and substantive aspects. Approved doctoral dissertation project in the field of mediation in investment arbitration.

Specialized in the protection of foreign investments, dispute resolution before local courts and arbitration, negotiations and mediation, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and general business matters with a focus on international elements; banking and finance, bankruptcy, and competition law. Advises clients on all aspects of legal structuring of their business in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in cross-border transactions.

Stevan's commitment to the field of arbitration is exemplary. He not only serves as an arbitrator on esteemed arbitration panels in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad but has also played a pivotal role as counsel in various investment arbitrations at different stages. He has represented the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Government of Republika Srpska, and many other multinational companies. Stevan also leads numerous mergers and acquisitions transactions, and advises a broad scale of clients, both domestically and regionally.

He is a member of Bar Association of Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the International Bar Association (IBA). Additionally, he holds positions in several international arbitration bodies as Arbitrator, including VIAC, CIETAC, the International Arbitration Court in Shenzhen, China, International Arbitration Centre in South China, Hong Kong, Association for Arbitration Law of the Republic of Serbia; Member of the Presidency and arbitrator at the Chamber of Commerce of Republika Srpska – International Trade Arbitration; He is also Member of Association of Mediators in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Member of Moot Alumni Association (MAA) – a non-profit organization composed of professionals in international trade law and arbitration (Vienna).

Member of MENSA (branch in Bosnia and Herzegovina and international association); Member of the Association of European Energy Consultants (AEEC); TRK Racing Club & Banja Luka Marathon – co-founder and member; Ski Club Starčevica – co-founder and member.

Stevan's outstanding contributions to the legal profession have garnered widespread acclaim. He has been individually recognized as a "Leading Individual" in Commercial, Corporate, and M&A law by EMEA Legal 500 and has consistently been ranked in "Band 1" by Chamber and Partners. Clients and peers alike commend Stevan for his pragmatic approach, problem-solving skills, and unwavering dedication to achieving favourable outcomes for his clients.

Stevan speaks English, French, Greek and Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian.

Agis Georgiades (Partner at Christos Georgiades & Associates LLC)

Agis Georgiades

Partner at Christos Georgiades & Associates LLC

Agis Georgiades is an advocate, barrister, arbitrator and mediator. He is a member of the Bars of Cyprus, England and Wales, and a registered practitioner in the DIFC Courts.

He is based in Nicosia and is a Partner and Head of International Disputes at CGA, focusing on complex international dispute resolution, including arbitration and litigation before local and international tribunals, in Cyprus and abroad.

As counsel, he has had a broad commercial and international practice since 2005. Agis has argued international commercial, construction, corporate (including corporate fraud), energy, IP and investment cases before arbitral tribunals and courts. He has extensive experience in interim injunctions and other emergency proceedings of all types. He also appears frequently before the Tenders Review Authority in relation to large procurement projects.

Agis is listed as arbitrator by several institutions, including DIAC, CAMC, BVI IAC, CAfA, ArbCEE, JCAA, RAA, CLF, UAA, HKIAC and SCCA; and is also listed for Bilateral Disputes in relation to EU’s Trade Agreements with Third Countries. As arbitrator, he has wide experience in commercial, construction and corporate disputes.

Agis is a Member of LCIA Court, an Ambassador of VIAC, a Fellow of the CIArb, and an Accredited Mediator. He is a member of the board of directors of CAF and the founder and co-chair of CAD.

He was a member of the Cyprus Supreme Court’s CPR Revision Committee and is an advocate member of the Cyprus CPR Standing Committee.

Agis holds a law degree from the University of Leeds, an LLM from LSE, a Postgraduate Diploma on International Mediation and Construction Arbitration from Queen Mary College, a Diploma in Negotiations from the Athens University of Economics and Business and has completed the ICC/CIArb Advanced Arbitration Academy. He has published on arbitration, mediation, civil procedure, international law and law of evidence. He is Adjunct Faculty at the University of Nicosia, where he lectures on the Law of Evidence.

Nataša Lalatović Đorđević (Partner at Schoenherr (Serbia))

Nataša Lalatović Đorđević

Partner at Schoenherr (Serbia)

Nataša Lalatović Djordjević co-heads the firm's dispute resolution practice. She is a partner specializing in investment arbitration, international commercial arbitration and complex commercial and corporate litigation. She represents banks, international and domestic companies, and investment funds in arbitrations conducted under ICSID, ICC, and UNCITRAL rules. She is on the list of arbitrators of the Permanent Arbitration at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the Bucharest International Arbitration Court. Nataša is a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR.

Ana Stanic (English Solicitor Advocate at E&A Law Limited)

Ana Stanic

English Solicitor Advocate at E&A Law Limited

Ana Stanič, an English Solicitor Advocate and Irish solicitor, has over 25 years of experience of advising states, companies and international institutions on matters of energy law, EU law and international law with specific emphasis on dispute resolution.

She has been appointed as an arbitrator in numerous arbitrations and regularly represents states and companies in international commercial arbitrations and investment treaty arbitrations with a particular focus on energy. She also advises states on inter-state disputes before Court of Justice of the European Union and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) as well as concerning boundary disputes.

She is a member of the PCA in The Hague since 2019 and was nominated as an arbitrator and sustainability expert by the EU in respect of bilateral disputes under the EU's trade and investments agreements with third countries in June 2022.

Tatiana Chlorakiotou (Senior Lawyer at George Z. Georgiou & Associates LLC)

Tatiana Chlorakiotou

Senior Lawyer at George Z. Georgiou & Associates LLC

Tatiana is an experienced Senior Lawyer in the Dispute Resolution team of George Z. Georgiou & Associates LLC, with a specialisation in International Litigation. She manages multi-jurisdictional and complex commercial disputes with a particular focus on complicated fraud and cross-border asset tracing work. Her experience in Litigation and Arbitration enables her to provide well-rounded advice to clients who may encounter arbitration as part of their broader dispute resolution strategy. Tatiana is actively involved in promoting arbitration in Cyprus. She has assisted in the establishment and organisation of one of the Arbitration Centres in Cyprus, has assisted in the drafting of the proposed bill relating to the amendments of the Cyprus Arbitration Law and has been instrumental in organising the recent arbitration forum in Cyprus.

Iuliana Iacob (Partner at Musat & Asociatii)

Iuliana Iacob

Partner at Musat & Asociatii

Iuliana specialises in international arbitration. She acted as counsel in multiple high-stake arbitral disputes under the rules of almost all major arbitral institutions across a wide range of sectors, as well as in complex cases involving applications for provisional measures, annulment of Arbitral Awards or recognition and enforcement proceedings. She regularly advises clients in connection with complex investment protection matters.

Iuliana assisted and represented clients in relation to complex domestic litigations arising out of major infrastructure projects and in high-stake proceedings before international courts (the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Court of Human Rights).

Iuliana is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and of the ICC Institute of World Business Law. She is listed on the panel of arbitrators of the Bucharest Court of Arbitration, the Court of Arbitration of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Permanent Court of Arbitration of the Romanian-German Chamber of Industry.

Boris Baklaja (Attorney at Law at BIT Law Office)

Boris Baklaja

Attorney at Law at BIT Law Office

Attorney at law Boris Baklaja is a highly skilled commercial and arbitration lawyer with 20 years of professional experience in Serbia and throughout the CEE region. For the past decades he has provided legal services to local and international clients cooperating with different international law firms.
He graduated Law in 1999 LLB Faculty of law, University of Belgrade, Serbia, and obtained in year 2000 LLM in European Business Law in Pallas program University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands. He is fluent in English and French. Boris has represented clients in more than 20 arbitration proceedings in areas of construction and engineering, IT, international trade and services in Serbia and CEE region. He acted before the local and international arbitration forums under VIAC rules, ICC rules, UNCITRAL rules, Belgrade Arbitration Centre (BAC rules), Rules of the Permanent Court of Arbitration of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and rules of Arbitrational Court of the Serbian Football Association.

For the past 10 years Boris acted as a sole arbitrator and coarbitrator in international arbitrations under VIAC rules, Permanent Court of Arbitration of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce rules and BAC rules. He is a founding member of the Serbian Arbitration Association and a member of the Austrian Arbitration Association (ArbAUT). Boris is a listed arbitrator in Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC) and on the list of recommended arbitrators of all 3 arbitration institutions in Serbia being the Permanent Arbitration at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Belgrade Arbitration Centre (BAC) and Centre for dispute resolution in construction (CDRC).

He is a member of Serbian Bar Association and has served as Disciplinary judge in Belgrade Bar Association. Boris was a speaker at BAC/VIAC twin conferences in Belgrade and Vienna, participates in training secessions on arbitration in practice in Serbia for graduates of Belgrade Law Faculty, and has drafted legal texts promoting the legal advantages for using arbitration in practice all covered in the White Book published by Foreign Investors Council in Serbia. Boris Baklaja is recommended by Legal 500 in hall of fame for dispute resolution services.

Nikola Stambolic (Director of Berkeley Research Group (BRG))

Nikola Stambolic

Director of Berkeley Research Group (BRG)

Nikola Stambolić is a director in Berkeley Research Group, based in London. Economist by education, Nikola is a chartered accountant and a damages expert in arbitration and litigation with 18 years of experience. His experience as damages expert spans cases throughout the world and in a wide range of industries. He is a recognised expert, listed as Recommended in Who’s Who Legal’s 2024 Expert Witnesses register.

Nikola is also an experienced mergers and acquisitions consultant and fraud investigator. He advised clients such as large institutional investors, private equity funds, banks and corporations in the pre and post-acquisition stages of more than 40 transactions in various industries and has led teams on fraud and corruption investigation cases throughout Central & Eastern Europe. 

Originally from Serbia, Nikola began his career at PwC, first based in Belgrade as a part of the firm’s Central & Eastern Europe forensic accounting team and then moving to London in 2011. He joined Berkeley Research Group’s international arbitration practice in 2018.

While his arbitration experience took him all over the world, he has worked in all the countries in the South-Eastern Europe, except Kosovo, either in the context of arbitration, fraud investigation or as an advisor in transactions.

Haris P. Meidanis (Managing Partner at Meidanis Seremetakis)

Haris P. Meidanis

Managing Partner at Meidanis Seremetakis

Haris P. Meidanis is member of the Athens Bar (1995). He is fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and member of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. He is also a certified mediator, Member of the ICC in Greece and of the Institute of World Business Law of the ICC. He has studied at the University of Athens Law School (1993), at the University of London (Queen Mary – LL.M.1996) and holds a Ph.D. in Private International Law from the Department of International and European Studies of Panteion University of Athens (2003). He is member of the Supervisory Board of the Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations (HCAP) and acting Director of Mediation of the Athens Arbitration and Mediation Centre (EODID). His primary fields of expertise are: (a) business and commercial law (b) private international law and law of international business transactions (c) arbitration and mediation and (d) law of energy. He is regularly participating in arbitrations and mediations as arbitrator/mediator and/or counsel/advocate. He has taught Private International Law, Law of International Transactions. Mediation and Arbitration at postgraduate classes in Universities in Greece and abroad. He has worked as legal counsel at the Ministry of Economy (2007-2009) and at the Ministry of Development (2005-2007), where he worked extensively in law drafting.

Dragan Psodorov (Senior Partner at Joksovic, Stojanovic & Partners)

Dragan Psodorov

Senior Partner at Joksovic, Stojanovic & Partners

Mr. Dragan Psodorov, is an attorney at law from Belgrade, Serbia and Senior Partner of Joksovic, Stojanovic and Partners law firm, with more than 20 years of experience. Before becoming an attorney at law, Mr. Psodorov completed studies of law at Law School at the University of Belgrade and postgraduate studies at the Central European University - Budapest, Hungary and obtained degree of Master of Law in International Business Law.

Mr. Psodorov acted as counsel in arbitration proceedings before major domestic or regional arbitral institutions, such as Permanent Arbitration of the Serbian Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Arbitral Court attached to the Montenegrin Chamber of Commerce, Permanent Arbitration of the Serbian Chamber of Trade and Commerce and Belgrade Arbitration Center (BAC). Also, Mr. Psodorov represented parties before major international arbitral institutions such as ICC, London Maritime Arbitrators Association and in ad hoc arbitrations. Further, he acts frequently as the counsel in DAB proceedings in major construction projects.

Mr. Psodorov also acts as arbitrator in different disputes in the area of construction law, sales law, distribution law, M&A disputes and similar. He acted as the arbitrator in accordance with ICC Rules, BAC and other institutions. Total number of cases as counsel and arbitrator is approximately 50.

Besides arbitration law, area of law that Mr. Psodorov is focused are: construction law, pharmaceutical law, sales and distribution, contracts law, private international law and IP

Languages in which the relevant work can be provided are English and Serbian language (which includes Montenegrin and Croatian language, as similar languages).

Mr. Psodorov also advises and follows the clients in their work on different matters during the projects and advise them on main legal aspects and therefore does not act only when the dispute arises.

Prof. Dr. Tania Iossifova (Chairperson at Arbitration Court at Bulgarian Industrial Association)

Prof. Dr. Tania Iossifova

Chairperson at Arbitration Court at Bulgarian Industrial Association

Tania Iossifova is chairperson of the Arbitration court at the Bulgarian Industrial Association, Sofia.

She is professor in Civil and Commercial law at the Law faculty of the University of National and World Economy. She is lecturer in various seminars for legal practitioners, as well as author of books, articles and opinions in private law matters.

Lucian Ilie (Barrister at Outer Temple)

Lucian Ilie

Barrister at Outer Temple

Lucian is an English barrister, and a French and Romanian avocat, combining experience of civil law culture with common law know-how of over 12 years. Lucian’s practice areas cover (i) International Arbitration (including arbitration-related litigation), (ii) Private and Public International Law (including rules of jurisdiction, conflict of laws, enforcement of foreign judgments/awards, State immunity, ECHR law), and (iii) International Commercial Litigation (including before the English, French, DIFC and ADGM courts). In addition to his counsel work, Lucian sits as arbitrator (Sole arbitrator/Co-arbitrator), being listed as an arbitrator at several arbitration institutions.

Monica Crespo (Head of Product at Jus Mundi)

Monica Crespo

Head of Product at Jus Mundi

Monica worked as a lawyer in international disputes in Panama. She later founded and served as CEO of Popularis, the first centralized search engine of judicial decisions in Panama. Currently, Monica holds the position of Head of Product at Jus Mundi, a global arbitration intelligence platform, powered by AI. In this role, she drives the evolution and innovation of Jus Mundi’s legal research use case. Her responsibilities encompass the integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as AI including large language models. Beyond her professional commitments, Monica is deeply immersed in academic research, exploring the impact of AI-powered platforms in law firms.

Sebastian Coulon Bauer (Counsel at Schellenberg Wittmer)

Sebastian Coulon Bauer

Counsel at Schellenberg Wittmer

Sebastian Coulon Bauer is a Counsel in our Dispute Resolution Group in Zurich. His main areas of practice are international commercial and investment arbitration, with a special focus on the construction and engineering industries. He has acted as counsel in complex international disputes related to both private and public international law, including arbitrations administered by ICSID, ICC, DIS, and CAM Santiago. He has also represented parties in commercial litigation and arbitration related proceedings before Chilean courts.

David Dearman (Senior Managing Director, Litigation, Arbitration & Disputes of Ankura)

David Dearman

Senior Managing Director, Litigation, Arbitration & Disputes of Ankura

David is a Senior Managing Director in the London office of Ankura, a global company specializing in providing expert witness, crisis management and dispute resolution services. David is a valuation and damages expert with over 30 years of experience of preparing expert reports, advising instructing solicitors and Counsel and giving evidence in complex international accounting disputes (including breach of warranty and post transaction disputes, joint venture disputes, assessments of loss of profits and damages in contractual, intellectual property and product liability disputes, technical accounting disputes, professional negligence actions and complex valuations).  David has given oral evidence on more than 40 occasions in the High Court and the Criminal Courts in the UK, before the Competition Appeals Tribunal and at International Arbitration Tribunal hearings globally. David has acted as expert in UNCITRAL, ICSID, ICC, LCIA, SIAC, DIFC, ICDR and AAA proceedings, preparing expert reports and giving oral evidence at Arbitral Hearings in the UK, the USA, Dubai, Paris, Porto, Singapore, the Hague and Ireland.  He is recommended by WWL as an expert in Arbitration, Financial Advisory and Valuation, Forensic Accountancy, Investigations, Financial Advisory and Valuation – Quantum of Damages and Mining. 

He is recognized among the Global Elite as a Thought Leader in Forensic Accounting.

Stelios Gregoriou (Managing Partner at Gregoriou Law Firm)

Stelios Gregoriou

Managing Partner at Gregoriou Law Firm

Stelios Gregoriou is a distinguished Greek lawyer and an LLM graduate from the London School of Economics. Currently, he serves as the Senior Partner and Managing Director of Gregoriou Law Firm, a leading legal practice in Athens, Greece, with over 35 years of establishment.

Stelios is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and proudly chairs the newly established CIArb-Greek Chapter. He is also empaneled with several prestigious arbitration organizations, including the Vienna International Arbitration Centre (VIAC), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Cyprus Arbitration and Mediation Centre (CAMC), Athens Mediation & Arbitration Organization (EODID), and DELOS Dispute Resolution.

In his professional role, Stelios has successfully handled many significant arbitration cases, serving as either an arbitrator or counsel. These cases often involve complex corporate and commercial matters, especially in the areas of energy, competition, intellectual property, and the enforcement of arbitration awards.

As a thought leader, Stelios contributes annually to publications like the International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG) and others, on Greek Arbitration and is involved in academia lectures on International Commercial Arbitration.

Additionally, Stelios is an accredited mediator appointed by the Greek Ministry of Justice. Since mediation became compulsory in Greece in 2018, he has successfully facilitated the resolution of numerous disputes. Notably, he settled a high-profile military aviation crash case as the claimant counsel in a mediation mandated by a U.S. Federal Court.

Besides his ADR work, Stelios is a renowned litigator with a wealth of experience in high-profile trials, including appearances before the Supreme Court of Greece and the Council of State (Supreme Administrative Court of Greece). He specializes in complex cross-border corporate and commercial disputes, competition law, intellectual property, and energy-related issues. Stelios has also represented clients in critical cases before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), particularly concerning Articles 2, 6, 8, 10, and Article 1 of Protocol 1.

An enthusiastic scholar of the Law of the Sea, Stelios presented a paper in 2019 at the annual LIBC (Volterra Law Firm) on resolving the Greek-Turkish maritime delimitation dispute under UNCLOS provisions. In 2021, he discussed the role of islands in maritime delimitation at the Athens Bar Association Conference in Kastellorizo.

A respected speaker, Mr. Gregoriou will present, this time, on the principles and methods of calculating damages in international arbitration at the 2nd edition of the South East Europe Arbitration (SEEA) Conference. This year, he also shared insights at the Cyprus Arbitration Days on the new Greek Arbitration Law (L. 5016/2023), emphasizing Greece's potential as an attractive arbitration center.

Tsvetelina Koleva (Senior Associate at Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. Law Firm)

Tsvetelina Koleva

Senior Associate at Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. Law Firm

Tsvetelina Koleva is a Senior Associate in Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. Law Firm (DPC), specializing in arbitration, commercial litigation, enforcement procedures and insolvency & restructuring. She regularly advises clients on various AML matters. Tsvetelina is a member of AIJA, ArbCEE and InsolEurope.

Tobias Vollmer (Associate Managing Director of Raedas)

Tobias Vollmer

Associate Managing Director of Raedas

Tobias routinely provides investigative support in international litigation and arbitration across Russia/CIS, MENA, Sub-Saharan Africa, North America as well as offshore jurisdictions in Europe, the Caribbean and Asia.

Evidence gathered by Tobias has been submitted to the High Court of England and Wales, US federal courts in the Southern District of New York, European courts and arbitral tribunals constituted under the rules of ICSID, LCIA, ICC and other regional arbitration centres, in support of worldwide freezing orders, Norwich Pharmacal applications, section 1782 applications and civil fraud proceedings.

Tobias’ recent cases include an investigation into the asset position of a banker based in the UK in support of insolvency proceedings in the UK and ancillary Chapter 15 proceedings in the US, resulting in a worldwide freezing order in excess of GBP 700 million and a bankruptcy order; an investigation into corruption at a CIS state-owned company and potential collusion between government officials in support of a multi-billion ICSID investment arbitration; tracing the assets of a sovereign European state for the enforcement of an anticipated multi-billion US dollar arbitral award for a mining investor and many others. In addition to casework, Tobias has extensive experience in providing consultancy and intelligence services in relation to the US, UK and EU sanctions regimes.

Tobias is a member of the International Bar Association’s LFMC ESG subcommittee. He regularly contributes to panels on international arbitration, sanctions, asset recovery and investigative support of legal proceedings.

A native German speaker, Tobias is fluent in Russian and speaks conversational Ukrainian and French.

He has lived and worked in Germany, Russia and Kyrgystan.

Dr Hasan Tahsin Azizagaoglu (Associate at Bench Walk Advisors LLC)

Dr Hasan Tahsin Azizagaoglu

Associate at Bench Walk Advisors LLC

Dr. Hasan Tahsin Azizagaoglu works at Bench Walk Advisors, overseeing the due diligence process for proposed funding cases, negotiating funding arrangements, and managing subsequent cases. He has been recognised in Who's Who Legal 2024 Thought Leaders - Third Party Funding and named among the Lawdragon 100 Global Leaders in Litigation Finance for the second consecutive year.
Additionally, he serves as the co-chair of the Third-Party Funding Group at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is a member of the organising committee for Istanbul Arbitration Days. Dr. Azizagaoglu holds a PhD in Private International Law and has authored many articles and contributed to publications in the fields of private international law, arbitration, and third-party funding.

Jurriaan Braat (Managing Director, Enforcement & EMEA of Omni Bridgeway)

Jurriaan Braat

Managing Director, Enforcement & EMEA of Omni Bridgeway

Jurriaan Braat is responsible for the Omni Bridgeway enforcement team.

Jurriaan adds 25 years of experience in assessing and coordinating litigation and enforcement proceedings globally against corporates and sovereigns in political risk countries. He has unique expertise in successfully negotiating settlements with governments and corporates in a large number of jurisdictions.

Before joining Omni Bridgeway, Jurriaan practised law with international law firm DLA Piper, where he specialised in the field of international trade, cross-border litigation, insurance, insolvency and banking law. He advised on insolvency and bankruptcy matters, was appointed as receiver in several bankruptcies, and qualified for the Dutch Supreme Court Bar.

From 2020 - 2023 Chambers and Partners has recognised Jurriaan as a key player for Asset Tracing & Recovery (Investigations Agencies) - Global-wide.

He holds a masters degree in Dutch law from Vrije Universiteit and also studied at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He is fluent in Dutch and English and understands German, Afrikaans, French and Italian.

Mahnaz Malik (Barrister and Arbitrator at Twenty Essex)

Mahnaz Malik

Barrister and Arbitrator at Twenty Essex

Mahnaz is a barrister and arbitrator at Twenty Essex who specialises in representing governments and corporations in commercial and investment arbitration.

She has extensive expertise in advising governments, corporations and international organisations on international disputes. Mahnaz has acted as counsel on behalf of both investors and states in several investment and commercial disputes including ICC, ICSID, LCIA and PCA administered arbitrations.

Mahnaz’s appointment as an arbitrator in EuroGas Inc and Belmont Resources Inc v Republic of Slovakia makes her one of the youngest ever appointed to an ICSID Annulment Committee since records began, and the youngest woman. She serves on the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators and was on the editorial board of the ICSID Review.

She is routinely sought for her expertise in a range of common law systems across Asia and Africa. Mahnaz is particular adept in dealing with states and state entities as parties to international arbitration proceedings. Mahnaz recently joined the Shanghai Arbitration Commission’s new cohort of SHAC Arbitrators (Overseas).

Mahnaz also has extensive expertise in advising governments and international law organisations on international investment law issues, developing model treaties and negotiating positions, sovereign guarantees, foreign investment laws and the training of government officials. She also assists individuals and corporations in relation to obtaining investment treaty protection and sovereign guarantees. She has analysed some 1000 treaties and advised over 20 governments and three regional groupings on international law. She has designed and delivered training for over 600 government officials.

She publishes, teaches and speaks extensively. Her writings are frequently cited in academic journals, academic theses and appear on syllabi. Her professional awards include the prestigious Financial Times Legal Innovator of the Year Award 2007 and the Law Society of England’s national award for the Trainee Solicitor of the Year 2001. Mahnaz is an adjunct faculty member of the master’s programme in investment treaty arbitration at Uppsala University, Sweden. She has also served as a member of the ICC Commissions on Arbitration and Anti-Corruption.

After graduating with a MA in Law from Cambridge University, she qualified as an Attorney at Law (New York), Solicitor (England & Wales), advocate of the high court in Pakistan and an English Barrister (Lincoln’s Inn). She recently taught investment law at the LLM programme of the University of Zurich and has been elected as a Governing Body Fellow of Hughes Hall College Cambridge University from 01 September 2021.

Peter Rižnik (Independent Arbitrator at Rižnik Disputes)

Peter Rižnik

Independent Arbitrator at Rižnik Disputes

Peter is an arbitrator in independent practice based in Vienna, Austria. With extensive experience serving as arbitrator, tribunal secretary, and counsel, Peter has participated in commercial and investment arbitrations conducted under the rules of the ICC, LCIA, VIAC, SCC, Ljubljana Arbitration Centre, Finnish Arbitration Institute and the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules.

Peter is a member of the ICC Court of International Arbitration and one of the founders and a board member of ArbCEE, the Arbitration Association of Central and Eastern Europe, and Vice-President of the Moot Alumni Association. Peter is also active in academia and regularly lectures on arbitration throughout the region, including as a habilitated lecturer at the University of Maribor in Slovenia. As a Slovenian national he is particularly skilled in the Central-European, Central-Eastern and South-Eastern European markets.

In the past, Peter was active as an arbitration counsel in private practice, as a full-time tribunal secretary, with the Secretariat of the Ljubljana Arbitration Centre as well as with UN-organizations, including on international commercial law and the law of outer space.

Andrew Sidaway (Associate Director – Insolvency & Asset Recovery of Grant Thornton)

Andrew Sidaway

Associate Director – Insolvency & Asset Recovery of Grant Thornton

Andrew is an Associate Director in Grant Thornton UK's Insolvency and Asset Recovery team. He has 17 years’ experience in the industry and has worked on a wide range of insolvency appointments throughout his career. He specialises in contentious matters with a UK nexus, often involving an element of fraud, which require asset tracing and legal action to make a successful recovery for clients. Andrew's professional qualifications combined with his depth of experience enable him to be highly effective in this area where collaboration with legal teams in several jurisdictions is often required. 
Andrew is a member of the digital asset fraud investigations and recovery practice area within the Insolvency and Asset Recovery team. The practice combines a number of specialist skillsets to maximise prospects of recovery for clients: blockchain analytics with corporate intelligence and digital forensic techniques to conduct investigations, alongside insolvency proceedings, court appointed receiverships, other civil procedures and litigation funding to formulate legal claims and enforce judgements. Andrew has published several articles on the topic. 
Andrew  is also a director and committee member of the Crypto Fraud and Asset Recovery network (“CFAAR”). CFAAR is a global organisation of lawyers, barristers, forensic accountants, corporate intelligence and asset recovery professionals, specialising in cryptocurrency fraud investigation and the tracing and recovery of digital assets.

Daniel F. Vișoiu, Esq. (FCIArb and Founding Partner at Vișoiu Law Firm)

Daniel F. Vișoiu, Esq.

FCIArb and Founding Partner at Vișoiu Law Firm

Daniel F. Visoiu, Esq., FCIArb, B.C.S. (International Law), is a member of the Florida (USA) Bar, and has been registered with the Bucharest Bar (a European Union (EU) jurisdiction) since 2006. He is also a Board Certified Specialist in International Law. Daniel has been working in the Central and East European (CEE) region since 1997, focusing on international arbitration, cross-border/M&A transactions, having assisted numerous well-known multinationals, investment funds, founders/entrepreneurs and high-net worth individuals.

Daniel has substantial ICSID/investor-state arbitration experience going back to the early 2000s, representing both foreign investors and respondent states. In the past twelve years, Daniel has represented the Romanian State in two important and successful ICSID procedures, dealing with such novel issues as abuse of process and adverse inferences, the right for a respondent state to file counterclaims, the applicability of the Achmea decision to intra-EU ICSID procedures as well as the optimum formula for calculating potential damages for non-going concerns. He was also part of the first ICSID procedure which switched to full online hearings in April 2020 due to the Covid pandemic and resulting global lockdown, and was a participant in the follow-up ICSID-organized webinar in May 2020 relating to the recommended do’s and don’ts of virtual ICSID hearings.

Daniel is an arbitrator with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland (www.tas-cas.org), a Fellow with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (www.ciarb.org) and was a Recognized Arbitration Practitioner on The Legal 500 Arbitrator Powerlist 2021 Central and Eastern Europe. His pro bono activities include serving as the president of the Romania-U.S. Fulbright Commission’s (www.fulbright.ro) board of directors (2012-2015/2023-present). Daniel has lectured in the U.S. and the UK on ICSID (investor-state) arbitration, international commercial arbitration and international sports arbitration.