7TH ICC MENA CONFERENCE 2019

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Date: 3-4 March 2019
Event Type: Conference
Language: English & Arabic







    Description

    Taking place on 4 March 2019, this annual conference is a "must attend" for arbitration professionals who want to keep up to date on the latest arbitration developments in the MENA region.

    The conference will offer a line-up of top-class speakers, topical discussions and relevant news, but also an excellent opportunity to network.

    Who should attend?

    • Practising lawyers
    • Corporate counsel
    • Arbitrators
    • Mediators
    • Business professionals and academics coming from or doing business in the MENA region

    The ICC Institute Advanced Level Seminar on "Amicable Settlement of disputes" will take place on 3 March 2018.



    Conference Programme

    Monday 4 March 2019
    09.00-09.10Welcome Address
    Alexis Mourre, President, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris
    Ali Al Aidarous, Managing Attorney, Al Aidarous Advocates & Legal Consultants, Dubai; Chairman, ICC UAE Commission on Arbitration & ADR
    Linda Fitz-Alan, Registrar and Chief Executive, Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts
    09.10-09.30Opening Key Note Speech
    Yas Banifatemi, Partner and Deputy practice leader, International Arbitration Practice, Shearman & Sterling, France; Vice-President, ICC International Court of Arbitration
    09.30-10.30Roundtable: The role of arbitral organizations in the development of international arbitral practice
    This roundtable will feature eminent representatives of leading arbitral organizations (ICC/IBA, UNCITRAL ICCA, CIArb and IFCAI) who will discuss the significant role played by these bodies in shaping the best practices and sustaining the attractiveness of arbitration as a fair, neutral and efficient method of dispute resolution.
    Samaa Haridi, Vice Chair, Arbitration Committee, IBA; Partner, Hogan Lovells US LLP, United States
    Leonora Riesenburg, Branch Chair, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UAE Branch, Dubai
    Michael Schneider, President of UNCITRAL Working Group II, having revised the Arbitration Rules and the Notes on Organising Arbitral Proceedings; Partner, Lalive, Switzerland
    Ismail Selim, Secretary Treasurer, International Federation of Commercial Arbitration Institutions (IFCAI)
    Anke C. Sessler, Member, ICCA Governing Board; Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
    Chair

    Alexis Mourre

    10.30-11.00Discussion
    11.00-11.30Coffee break
    11.30-12.30Complex arbitrations: Assessing the efficacy of ICC reforms
    This interactive session will take stock of ICC's vast experience in handling procedurally complex arbitral phenomena. Speakers will discuss how the practices applied under the 2012 and 2017 ICC Rules increase efficiency and help prevent delaying and disruptive tactics, while balancing due process concerns. The panel will engage in a practical analysis of how the provisions of Articles 6-10 and those of Article 12.8 of the Rules have been applied to real-lige situations, and discuss issues such as the appointment of all members of arbitral tribunal in multipolar arbitrations, the requirements for joinder of additional parties, addressing and balancing the risk of contradicting decisions and the risk of prejudgment when consolidating of two or more arbitrations, etc. Thoughts will also be shared on whether the existing framework is already giving rise to new practices which, in turn, foster the emergence of a way forward into the future.
    José Feris, Partner, Squire Patton Boggs, France; former Deputy Secretary General, ICC International Court of Arbitration
    Simon Greenberg, Partner, Clifford Chance, France; former Deputy Secretary General, Court Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration
    Asli Yilmaz, Counsel, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris
    Chair

    Alexander G. Fessas, Secretary General, ICC International Court of Arbitration; Director, ICC Dispute Resolution Services, Paris

    12.30-13.00Discussion
    13.00-14.30Lunch
    14.30-17.45Cross-industry overview of disputes in the MENA: landscape and disruptive trends
    Traditionally, the infrastructure and energy sectors have been central in generating disputes going to ICC arbitration. While they remain the leading industry sectors in the region, telecommunications and other specialized technologies have also consolidated their place as important dispute-generating industries. This afternoon session will present an opportunity to hear from practitioners in the traditional dispute-generating industries in the region on the contemporary challenges posed by such disputes, alongside experts in new technologies who will debate how these emerging trends and technologies have been reshaping the landscape of international arbitration in the MENA.
    [14.30-15.15]Infrastructure and Energy: old questions and new
    This panel will share their expertise to address topical questions of liability in construction and engineering disputes in the region, and discuss the status of energy disputes triggered by the downturn experienced lately in this sector.
    In so doing, the panel will also discuss the role of MENA states and state entities in infrastructure and energy disputes. In the same context, speakers will shed light on situations where infrastructure or energy-related projects give rise to claims under both investor-state treaties and contractual arrangements.
    The discussion will extend to the renewable energies and other and alternative energy solutions, namely how new technologies (storage technologies/smart grids etc.) revolutionize the infrastructure and energy sectors and generate new business/partnership models and what types of disputes are likely to arise in these sectors in the future?
    Mahmoud Reza Firoozmand, former Legal Director NIOC
    Joseph Huse, Founding Partner, Newton Legal Group, Bahrain
    Michelle Nelson, Partner, Reed Smith, Dubai, UAE
    Chair

    Amani Khalifa, Principal, Khalifa, Egypt

    15.15-15.45Discussion
    15.45-16.15Coffee break
    16.15-17.00Telecommunications related disputes and the impact of new technologies and IoT (Internet of Things)
    Given the high-value investments undertaken normally by telecommunication operators, arbitration appears increasingly as a preferred dispute resolution method in this sector. In this heavily regulated industry, the arbitrability of disputes is being accepted in many countries. The panel will shed light on the different forms of disputes that arise in this sector whether inter–operator disputes, disputes between operators and business partners or between foreign operators, regulators and hosting state entities. Furthermore, panelists will discuss the disruptive impact of new technologies and IoT (Internet of Things) on the infrastructure partnership agreements and the arising disputes in this sector.
    Nadim Bardawil, Senior Associate, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates LLP, Dubai, UAE
    Joseph Kisrwani, Senior Legal Counsel, Etisalat Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE
    Simel Sarialioglu, Counsel, Paksoy, Turkey
    Chair

    Aysha Mutaywea, Resident Partner, Mena Chambers Bahrain, Bahrain

    17.00-17.30Discussion
    17.30-18.00Closing Speech: An outlook on the future of international institutional arbitration with special focus on the Mena Region
    The closing speech will address the following two perspectives: first, the importance of good governance in arbitral institutions and the relevance to the MENA region of having institutions with robust and progressive governance frameworks featuring transparency, neutrality and fair process. And second, the hot question of what impact, if any, the 4th industrial (technological) revolution has had or will have on international arbitration. Will artificial intelligence, blockchain and smart contracts change the way arbitration users and arbitral institutions operate in the near or more distant future?
    Michael Black QC, XXIV Barristers' Chambers, United Kingdom
    Introductory remarks

    Hassan Saeed, Managing Partner, ICLO, Abu Dhabi, UAE

    18.00-18-15Concluding remarks
    Sami Houerbi, Director for Eastern Mediterranean, Middel East & Africa, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Abu Dhabi/Tunis
    18.30Cocktail Reception


    Conference Speakers

    Keynote speaker
    Yas BanifatemiPartner and Deputy practice leader,  International Arbitration Practice, Shearman & Sterling, France; Vice-President, ICC International Court of Arbitration
    ICC Representatives
    Alexis MourrePresident, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris
    Alexander G. FessasSecretary General, ICC International Court of Arbitration; Director, ICC Dispute Resolution Services, Paris
    Sami HouerbiDirector for Eastern Mediterranean, Middle-East & Africa, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Abu Dhabi/Tunis
    Asli YilmazCounsel, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris
    Speakers
    Ali Al AidarousManaging Attorney, Al Aidarous Advocates & Legal Consultants; Chairman, ICC UAE Commission on Arbitration and ADR
    Nedim BardawiSenior Associate, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates LLP, Dubai, UAE
    Michael Black QCXXIV Barristers' Chambers, United Kingdom
    José FerisPartner, Squire Patton Boggs, France; former Deputy Secretary General, ICC International Court of Arbitration
    Samaa HaridiVice Chair, Arbitration Committee, IBA; Partner, Hogan Lovells US LLP, United States
    Linda Fitz-AlanRegistrar and Chief Executive, Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts, United Arab Emirates
    Simon GreenbergPartner, Clifford Chance, France; former Deputy Secretary General; Court Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris
    Joseph HuseFounding Partner, Newton Legal Group, Kingdom of Bahrain
    Amani KhalifaPrincipal, Khalifa, Egypt
    Joseph KirswaniSenior Legal Counsel, Etisalat Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE
    Aysha MutayweaResident Partner, Mena Chambers Bahrain, Kingdom of Bahrain
    Michelle NelsonPartner, Reed Smith, United Arab Emirates
    Leonora ReisenburgBranch Chair, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UAE Branch
    Mahmoud Reza FiroozmandFormer Legal Director, NIOC
    Hassan SaeedManaging Partner, International Consultant Law Office (ICLO), United Arab Emirates
    Simel Sarialioglu, FCIArbCounsel, Paksoy, Turkey
    Ismail SelimSecretary Treasurer, International Federation of Commercial Arbitration Institutions (IFCAI)
    Anke C. SesslerMember, ICCA Governing Board; Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Germany



    Training Programme

    Sunday 3 March 2019
    09.00-09.15Welcoming address, introduction and presentation of the seminar
    Michael Schneider
    Patricia Peterson
    09.15-10.00Should arbitrators act as settlement facilitators?
    – The arbitrator's role: decision maker v facilitator
    – The parties' expectations
    – Settlement facilitation v mediation
    – An emergency transnational standard?
    Michael Schneider, Partner, Lalive, Switzerland
    Sana Belaid, Senior Counsel, CISCO, United Arab Emirates
    10.00-10.30Q&A
    10.30-10.45Coffee break
    10.45-11.30Indirect Settlement Facilitation by Arbitrators
    – The "Arbitrator's role continuum"
    – General timing issues
    – Specific techniques and their potential impact on settlement
    Nagla Nassar, Partner, Nassar Law, Egypt
    11.30-12.30Q&A and case scenarios
    12.30-13.30Lunch
    13.30-14.15Direct Settlement Facilitation by Arbitrators
    – General timing issues
    – Specific techniques
    – The impact of failed settlement discussions on arbitral proceedings
    – Introduction to the settlement conference technique
    Catherine Kessedjian, Arbitrator and Mediator; Director of a Master programme in European Law; Deputy Director of the European College of Paris and Professor of European Business Law, Private International Law, Internatioal Dispute Resolution and International Commercial Arbitration at the University of Panthéon-Assas, Paris II, France
    Peter Thorp, Independent Arbitrator, Thorp Arbitration, France
    14.15-15.15Simulation of a settlement conference – Q&A
    15.15 – 15.35Coffee break
    15.35 – 16.20Drafting an Award by Consent: ICC practice
    – The arbitral tribunal's powers in relation to consent awards
    – Procedure
    – Contents
    – Public policy and enforcement issues
    Patricia Peterson, Chartered Arbitrator, France; Member, ICC Institute of World Business Law
    Asli Yilmaz, Counsel, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris
    16.20 – 17.20Q&A and case scenarios
    17.20 – 17.30Closing remarks


    Training Speakers

    CO-CHAIRS OF THE SEMINAR
    Patricia PetersonChartered Arbitrator, France; Member, ICC Institute of World Business Law
    Michael SchneiderPartner, Lalive, Switzerland
    SPEAKERS
    Sana BelaidSenior Counsel, CISCO, United Arad Emirates
    Nadia DarwaezhPartner, Clyde & Co, France
    Catherine KassedjianArbitrator and Mediator; Professor emerita, University of Panthéon-Assas, Paris II, France
    Nagla NassarPartner, Nassar Law, Egypt
    Peter ThropIndependent Arbitrator, Thorp Arbitration, France
    Asli YilmazCounsel, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris


    Registration

    Please use the following code ARE-5456 when registering

    Register Now

    Early-bird until 31 January 2019
    €489 (around AED 2 038)*
    ICC member
    €569 (around AED 2 371)*
    Non-member €712 (around AED 2 967)*
    Advanced Seminar: Amicable settlement of disputes
    Early-bird until 31 January 2019
    €515 (around AED 2 146)*
    ICC member
    €599 (around AED 2 496)*
    Non-member
    €749 (around AED 3 122)*
    Package: Seminar and Conference (20% discount)



    Logistical Notes

    Dates and venueDates: 3-4 March 2019
    Venues:
    Conference: ADGM Auditorium
    ADGM Authorities Building
    Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
    Seminar: Zayed hearing room
    ADGM Auditorium Centre, Level 20, Al Maqam Tower
    Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE
    Registration fees7th ICC MENA Conference
    Early bird until 31 January 2019: 489€ (513.45€ incl. VAT, around 2 134 AED)
    ICC members: 569€ (597.45€ incl. VAT), around 2 483 AED)
    Non-members: 712€ (747.60€ incl. VAT, around 3 107 AED)
    ICC Institute Advanced Level Seminar
    Early bird until 31 January 2019: 515€ (540.75 incl. VAT, around 2 247 AED)
    ICC members: 599€ (628.95€ incl. VAT, around 2 614 AED)
    Non-members: 749€ (786.45€ incl. VAT, around 3 268 AED)
    Package: Seminar and Conference (20% discount)
    Early bird until  31 January 2019: 836€ (877.80€ incl. VAT, around 3 648 AED)
    ICC members: 973€ (1 021.65 incl. VAT, around 4 246 AED)
    Non-members: 1 217€ (1 277.85€ incl. VAT, around 5 310 AED)
    5% VAT will be applied to these rates. Registration fees include all conference documentation, coffee breaks, lunches and a cocktail reception (for the conference).
    Special discountsGroup rates: Register 5 persons from the same company and pay for four.
    In-house Counsel, full time Academics and Government representatives may benefit from a 30% discount.
    Please contact events@iccwbo.org for more details.
    Travel and accommodation Travel and hotel expenses are not included in the registration fees. Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements and hotel reservations.
    ICC UAE has however secured a room block at the Four Seasons Hotel with preferential rates. A link will be sent upon registration enabling participants to make their reservations directly.
    VisaVisa applications for entry into the UAE can take several weeks to process. If travelers from your country of citizenship require a visa to enter the UAE we highly recommend that you begin the visa application process well in advance.
    Working languageArabic & English
    Cancellation policy50% of the registration fees will be refunded if notice of cancellation is received in writing before Friday 1 February 2019. Cancellations after this date are not refundable.
    Subject to agreement from ICC UAE prior to the event, the registration may be transferred to another person from the same company or organization at no extra charge.
    Updated registration information will be required. Please be informed that any formation of cancellation will incur a cancellation fee of 5€ + 2.75% of the registration fee which must be covered by the participant.
    Please note that ICC UAE reserves the right to cancel this event or to make minor alterations to the content and timing of the programme or to the identity of the speakers. In the unlikely event of cancellation, delegates will be offered a full refund. ICC UAE will not, however, be held responsible for any related expenses incurred by the participant.
    DisclaimerThe photos and audiovisual recordings taken at this meeting/event may be used and published by ICC, its subsidiaries or affiliates, for information or promotional purposes in printed materials or online including on ICC websites and social media. Participation in the meeting/event implies agreement to such use of photos or audiovisual recordings in which the participant may appear unless ICC receives written notification to the contrary.


    Sponsorship Opportunities

    This conference offers you an unrivalled opportunity to maximize your visibility to practicing lawyers, corporate counsel, business professionals, and academics coming from or doing business in the MENA region.

    Click here to learn about ICC MENA Conference sponsorship opportunities.