TRAINING
ROAP EMEA – 2023 EDITION





Please meet the ROAP EMEA 2023 Co-Chairs, Faculty and Convenors, comprising leading international arbitration counsel based across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Washington D.C., who also regularly sit as arbitrators and senior quantum experts:
From left to right and top to bottom, we are honoured to have Prof. Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Assen Alexiev, Maxime Berlingin, Ruth Byrne KC, Anthony Charlton, Nikki Coles, Barbara Concolino, Soraya Corm-Bakhos, Sandy Cowan, Chris Drewe, Philip Dunham, Tunde Fagbohunlu SAN, Andrew Flower, Alexis Foucard, Jaime Gallego, Jacob Grierson, Roula Harfouche, Dr. Maria Hauser-Morel, Sara Koleilat-Aranjo, Michael Kotrly, Bartosz Krużewski, Anina Lebkind, Sofia Martins, Dr. Anke Meier, Dr. Maja Menard, Reza Mohtashami KC, Vlad Movshovich, Patrizia Netal, Edmond Richards, Christina Schuetz, Shai Sharvit, Małgorzata Surdek, Sami Tannous, Anthony Theau-Laurent, Hilde van der Baan, and Roelien van den Berg. Their short bios are set out below.
Philip Dunham has concentrated his practice in international arbitration since 1992. His principal activity has been acting as counsel in numerous commercial and investment treaty arbitrations, whether ad hoc (including under the UNCITRAL Rules), or under the rules of the ICC, the LCIA, the SCC, or ICSID. Mr. Dunham has particular experience advising on construction and engineering disputes covering a broad range of commercial, industrial and infrastructure projects. Mr. Dunham also has extensive experience handling joint venture, oil & gas, energy, and military procurement disputes in respect of which he has regularly acted for and against state entities. Mr. Dunham has also served as arbitrator (including as an emergency arbitrator) in several significant arbitrations.
Mr. Dunham is a regular speaker at various conferences and seminars on international arbitration in Europe, Asia, and the United States. He has also published numerous articles on international arbitration. Mr. Dunham is admitted to England and Wales Bar and registered as a Foreign Lawyer at the Paris Bar. He is fluent in English and French.
Mr. Dunham is a member of the ROAP Steering Committee. He was part of the faculty for the inaugural ROAP edition in 2020.
Małgorzata Anna Surdek is a partner and head of dispute resolution at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang in Poland. She has over 20 years of experience in resolving disputes in the construction, energy, mining, telecommunications, banking and insurance sectors. Małgorzata regularly acts as counsel in international commercial arbitrations and international investment arbitrations. She occasionally acts as an arbitrator in arbitrations administered by the ICC, the Arbitration Court at the Polish Chamber of Commerce, the Lewiatan Arbitration Court and in ad hoc arbitrations under the UNCITRAL Rules.
Małgorzata is the Vice-President of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She is also a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, the Arbitration Commission at ICC Poland and the Arbitration Commission of the Polish Bar Council.
The international legal directories The Legal 500, Chambers Global and Chambers Europe recommend Malgorzata as a leading specialist in the field of dispute resolution and insurance. According to Chambers, clients are impressed with “the way she leads the case and her team, as well as the way she formulates her argumentation”. They admire the fact that “she focused on the right things and devised a strong strategy for the hearings”, praise her as “perfect in negotiations”, and commend her “business-oriented attitude”. Małgorzata speaks fluent Polish, English and French.
Małgorzata is a member of the ROAP Steering Committee. She was part of the faculty for the inaugural ROAP edition in 2020.
Professor Dr. Mohamed S. Abdel Wahab, C.Arb, FCIArb is Founding Partner & Head of International Arbitration, Construction and Energy, Zulficar & Partners, Egypt; Professor of International Arbitration, Private International Law and English Contract Law, Cairo University; Member of the Governing Board, ICCA; Vice-Chair of the ICC Governing Body for Dispute Resolution Services; Vice President Global of the CIArb; President Elect of the CIArb (2025); Dean of the Africa Arbitration Academy; Chair of the International Expert Committee of the Permanent Forum for China Construction Law; Member of the International Commercial Expert Committee, China International Commercial Court; Co- Chair, IBA Arab Regional Forum; Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee of the CRCICA; Member of the Advisory Board of the MIAC; Member of the LACIAC Court of Arbitration; Member of the ITA Academic Council; Member of the Court, PCA, and Member of the Board of Trustees of the CIArb. He is a fellow of the National Centre for Technology and Dispute Resolution at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA; and associate fellow of the Centre for Private International Law and Centre for Commercial Law at Aberdeen University (UK).
He served as ‘Arbitrator’, ‘Legal Expert’ and ‘Counsel’ in more than 255 cases, involving parties from the Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the United States, and is recognized as a world-leading arbitrator and arbitration practitioner in international investment and international commercial arbitration, construction law & practice, Energy law and infrastructure disputes, African and Arab Laws, Islamic Shari’a, private international law and online dispute resolution. He was shortlisted among the top five arbitrators for the GAR award for the best prepared and responsive arbitrator (2021).
He received the LAW Magazine 2022 Most Influential Legal Academic Award, the 2021 and 2020 Client Choice International Award, the 2019 AYA Hall-of-Fame African Arbitrator Award, the 2018 ASA International Arbitration Advocacy Prize, and the LAW Magazine 2017 Best Legal Practitioner Award. He is listed in Who’s Who Global Elite Thought Leaders: International Arbitration; selected among the Legal500 Africa Powerlist and the AYA’s Africa's Top 30 Powerlist. He is the co-editor (with Prof Maxi Scherer and Ms. Niuscha Bassiri) of the first ever book on COVID-19 and international arbitration under the title “International Arbitration and the COVID-19 Revolution” (2020). He is also the co-editor (with Prof Ethan Katsh and Mr. Daniel Rainey) of “Online Dispute Resolution: Theory and Practice” (2011 and 2021). He is the author of the Abdel Wahab Pandemic Pathway to Virtual/Remote Hearings (2020); Co-author (with Dr. Kabir Duggal) of the first book dedicated to comparing the OIC and UAIA Treaties under the title “The Resurgence of the Unified Arab Investment Agreement and the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation Investment Agreement” Brill (2022).
WWL: Arbitration & Global Elite Thought Leaders (2023) says “‘He is an amazing practitioner and one of the hardest working people’ ‘His sharp mind never ceases to amaze’ ‘He is one of a kind!’”. Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (2022) says: “He is academically brilliant”, “One of the best minds on arbitration issues” and “Extremely impressive”. Chambers & Partners Global (2021) says “Peers regard Mohamed Abdel Wahab as “an absolute star in arbitration”. Legal 500 (2021) says: ‘Mohamed Abdel Wahab is a brilliant practitioner who is at the top of the international arbitration field globally. His understanding of and experience in international arbitration are matched by few’; and ‘Importantly, he is one of the most hardworking individuals in the field. His working ethos and common sense approach to complex legal problems are outstanding’.
He was part of the faculty for the first ROAP EMEA edition in 2021.
Assen Alexiev is arbitrator and counsel in arbitration proceedings before the ICC, BCCI and KRIB, and in ad hoc proceedings under the UNCITRAL Rules, counsel in court proceedings for the enforcement and setting aside of arbitral awards in Bulgaria.
He is a neutral, domain name panelist and adjudicator at WIPO, the ICC Center for Expertise, the Czech Arbitration Court, the Asian International Arbitration Centre, ADNDRC, South China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (Schenzen).
Assen is attorney-at-law and legal expert practicing in the fields of commercial law, IP, IT, M&A, unfair competition, international private law.
He is a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration (2008 - 2015) and member of the ICC Task Force on National rules of procedure for recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards pursuant to the New York Convention of 1958.
Assen is vice-Chairman of the KRIB Court of Arbitration, Sofia, Bulgaria and Country Reporter for Bulgaria, Institute of Transnational Arbitration, Dallas.
He is a member of the International Arbitration Institute, the LCIA European Users' Council, the Bulgarian Association for International Law, International Law Association, International Bar Association, the Bulgarian Association of Construction Law.
Maxime Berlingin is a partner in the Dispute Resolution department of Fieldfisher in Brussels.
He has extensive experience in domestic and international arbitration both as counsel and arbitrator.
His experience includes representing clients in contract disputes, shareholders' disputes and construction matters. He is also active in sports arbitration and is on the list of arbitrators of the C-SAR, the Belgian Centre for Sports Arbitration, and of the CBAS, the Belgian Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Maxime also handles enforcement proceedings of domestic and international arbitral awards before Belgian courts, as well as setting aside proceedings. In this context, he has advised international clients seeking to enforce international arbitral awards in Belgium or opposing such enforcements.
Maxime is member of the Board of CEPANI, the Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation Centre, and of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR. He is also a member of the experts working group in charge of drafting the forthcoming amendment of the sixth part of the Belgian Judicial Code relating to arbitration and have recently been appointed Chair of the Benelux Arbitration and ADR Group which gathers the main arbitration institutions and associations of the BeNeLux area.
Maxime is a professor in contract law and ADR at Saint-Louis University - Brussels and regularly publishes articles in the field of arbitration.
Ruth Byrne KC specialises in international commercial and investment disputes, with a particular focus on energy, life sciences, fraud and enforcement.
Ruth has advised clients on disputes arising in multiple jurisdictions and has appeared as counsel in 100+ arbitrations as well sitting regularly as arbitrator. She also appears frequently in the English High Court, in particular in proceedings in support of arbitration, as well as more generally in international commercial litigation. Recognised in several legal directories over the years, Ruth is described as “superb”, “an exceptional litigator”, “an excellent advocate wise beyond her years” and “a persistent, credible case builder”. Clients note her “ability to marshal enormous doses of information, retain key facts, be diligent and patient, and follow through as if it were her personal matter – her analysis is always based on facts, the law and the cultural sensibilities of the jurisdictions involved” and that she is “very strategic in her thinking and able to pare down arguments to what's important”.
Ruth was part of the faculty for the inaugural ROAP edition in 2020.
Anthony Charlton is a Chartered Accountant with close to 30 years of professional experience. He has been appointed as an expert in matters of forensic accounting and the assessment of economic loss on over 50 occasions.
Anthony Charlton is recognised among peers as a top name in France for handling damages claims pertaining to arbitration proceedings
Anthony has testified in both English and in French for matters before the French and Belgian domestic courts and for numerous investment and commercial arbitration matters. He has acted in disputes ranging from $3 million to over $25 billion.
Anthony has specialised in dispute-type work since 1996, after first gaining professional experience in many auditing and insolvency related assignments. His experience is global and covers a variety of industries including technology media and telecoms, oil and gas, energy, resources, construction, real estate, mining, aviation, infrastructure, hotel & leisure, banking, media, materials.
Anthony’s expertise ranges from the quantification of damages claims in international commercial and investment treaty disputes, contentious valuations and expert determinations to shareholder and joint-venture disputes, financial and fraud investigations, and other types of forensic accounting assignments. He is also frequently instructed to prepare preliminary assessments of loss by claimants and law firms in contemplation of launching formal dispute proceedings.
Anthony is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a member of their specialist valuation group. He is widely recognised by WWL as a Global Elite Thought Leader and Thought Leader in their quantum of damages, arbitration and investigations – forensic experts’ research.
Barbara is a partner in the International Arbitration Department of BonelliErede. She has extensive experience in inter-state arbitration and international commercial arbitration. She regularly assists clients in disputes concerning M&A and post-M&A disputes, construction projects, commercial contracts and the gas industry.
Before joining BonelliErede, Barbara worked for several years as a Legal Adviser at the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal in The Hague.
Barbara has been listed by Who’s Who Legal as a Future Leader in International Arbitration and as a National Leader for Italy – Arbitration and is described as “a favourite of peers and clients who report that she delivers ‘competence and specialist knowledge’ and has ‘an impressive reputation in the space’”.
Barbara is fluent in Italian, English and Spanish. She graduated summa cum laude from the “Roma Tre” University and has a PhD in International and European Law from the University of Teramo.
Soraya Corm-Bakhos is an experienced disputes lawyer and arbitration practitioner with almost 20 years’ experience, including over 13 years in the UAE. Prior to joining Watson Farley & Williams (Middle East) LLP as Counsel, she practiced in the Dispute Resolution teams of Baker McKenzie Habib Al Mulla and DWF (Middle East) LLP. She has wide-ranging experience in all types of international commercial arbitrations, having acted as advising counsel under major institutional arbitration rules (including ICC, LCIA, SCC, former DIFC-LCIA, CRCICA and DIAC) and ad hoc in arbitrations seated in Europe and the Middle East in relation to a wide variety of industry sectors, including real estate/construction, oil & gas and banking and finance. Before coming to the UAE in 2008, she practised in Paris in the law firm of J.P. Karsenty & Associés where she gained extensive experience advising on all types of civil, commercial and corporate transactions and representing clients before the French Courts in a variety of commercial disputes.
She is recognized by The Legal500 as ‘exceptionally hard-working, bright, and will go the extra mile to ensure the best possible service for their clients’.
Mrs Corm-Bakhos regularly sits as arbitrator (sole, co-arbitrator and chair) in arbitrations mainly related to real estate, sale and purchase disputes and commercial disputes.
Mrs Corm-Bakhos has authored several publications in the field of arbitration. She is fluent in French, English and Arabic. Mrs Corm-Bakhos was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2003 and holds a Masters in Private Law and a DEA in Private International Law and International Trade Law from Assas University in Paris, France.
Mrs Corm-Bakhos was part of the faculty for the first ROAP EMEA edition in 2021.
Sandy Cowan is a Partner in the Forensic and Investigation Services team at Mazars LLP. He is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He is an experienced forensic accountant who has worked in the context of a wide range of dispute resolution, investigation and other forensic accounting cases.
Sandy is experienced in claimant, defence and advisory work in both litigation and international arbitration, having worked in the context of instructions in the High Court (the Commercial Division), arbitral proceedings in many jurisdictions (under ICC, ICSID, DWT, Ad hoc and LCIA) and in Expert Determinations (in particular those arising from M&A disputes). He has worked on assignments across multiple jurisdictions including Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and in a variety of sectors including energy and natural resources, construction, and technology media and telecoms. He has been involved in claims ranging from £1 million to £500 million.
Sandy’s dispute resolution experience includes breach of contract claims, bilateral investment treaty disputes, post-acquisition warranty claims, loss of profits claims and contentious valuations.
Who's Who Legal describes Sandy as being lauded by clients and "a personable expert who is analytical, knowledgeable and full of creative ideas"
Sandy is also an accredited coach of people working in large complex organisations with a particular focus on career development.
Recent experience includes acting in:
Instructed as Expert witness for the Respondent in an International Arbitration (ICC) in relation to alleged breaches of a Pre-Sale Agreement in the retail construction sector in Eastern Europe. Sandy was instructed to value the consideration the sellers would have received had the transaction proceeded and the value of the assets following the abortion of the transaction.
Instructed as Expert witness for the Respondent in an International Arbitration (ICSID) in relation to alleged breaches of a BIT due to the imposition of certain measures against the Claimant’s investment in the agriculture sector. Sandy was instructed to value the entity and associate assets at the valuation date.
Expert assignment for the Claimant in Commercial Court litigation in relation to alleged breaches of warranty arising from the acquisition of a renewable power plant in the UK. Instructed to value the power plant under a variety of scenarios in ‘as warranted’ and ‘as was’ states.
Christopher is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and Head of the Forensic and Investigations team at Mazars. Christopher has worked in the context of a wide range of dispute resolution, investigation and other forensic accounting cases. He has taken instructions as a Party Appointed Expert and as a Single Joint Expert and he has given oral testimony before Courts and Tribunals on many occasions, both in the UK and overseas.
Christopher has been instructed as Expert in cases in the High Court (the Commercial Division and the Technology and Construction Court), arbitral proceedings in many jurisdictions (under ICC, LCIA, LMAA, CEPANI, UNCITRAL, SIAC and ad hoc rules), the Iran-US Claims Tribunal, the United States Bankruptcy Court, the United States District Court (Southern District of New York), the Dubai International Financial Centre Court, the Criminal Courts, the High Court of Justice of the Isle of Man and Tax Tribunals.
Christopher’s dispute resolution experience includes warranty claims, breach of contract claims, quantum assessments and accounting disputes. He also provides assistance to Mazars’ audit teams in instances where accounting irregularities are suspected or identified.
Recent cases in which Christopher was instructed include:
- Expert in an ICC arbitration (Sao Paulo), instructed in the context of a dispute between two listed international pharmaceutical groups. The dispute related to the disposal of a division of the respondent’s business for circa $200 million.
- A number of Expert assignments in the US-Iran Claims Tribunal.
- Expert in ad hoc arbitration proceedings in Delhi, instructed by a joint venture between a major construction conglomerate and an international energy group.
- Expert in an LCIA Arbitration in the context of a dispute between two international private equity funds and a state-owned telecoms company in Eastern Europe. The dispute related to an investment by the Claimant in a large telecoms operator in that country.
- Expert in an ICC arbitration (London), instructed in the context of a dispute between a global brand and its franchisor in Bangladesh relating to the alleged unlawful termination of the franchise agreement by the franchisor.
Tunde Fagbohunlu SAN heads Aluko & Oyebode’s dispute resolution and maritime practice groups, and specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration; with particular emphasis on complex commercial matters. He regularly represents Nigerian, foreign and multi-national clients in high-profile proceedings before the ICC International Court of Arbitration and the London Court of International Arbitration.
Tunde is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association; International Bar Association; London Court of International Arbitration; and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Tunde was part of the faculty for the first ROAP EMEA edition in 2021.
Andrew Flower is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal Disputes and Investigations in Paris. He has more than 25 years of experience in forensic accounting and in providing expert evidence in international arbitration (commercial and investor state). He has been listed as a leading expert witnesses in international arbitration in Europe by “Who’s Who Legal,” since inception of the list and is equally recognised as a Thought Leader in International Arbitration.
Mr. Flower has provided expert evidence in arbitrations conducted under the auspices of institutions including ICC, ICDR, ICSID, DIAC, NAI, DIS, and under UNCITRAL rules. He has provided written evidence in over 150 disputes, and has testified and been cross-examined on his evidence before tribunals in New York, Washington DC, London, Paris, Stockholm, The Hague, Geneva, Zurich, Dubai, Singapore and Brisbane.
Throughout his career, Mr. Flower has also provided advice to parties in post transaction disputes, both in connection with arbitrations and in the context of expert determinations. He acted both as an advisor to one of the parties and as the appointed determining expert.
Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Flower was the global head of the disputes practice in one of the Big Four accounting firms working out of their Paris, New York and London offices. Mr. Flower has also been appointed as an independent expert by the ICC Centre of Expertise and as a tribunal appointed expert in an ICC arbitration. Mr. Flower has also acted as mediator in a royalty dispute.
In addition to his work in arbitration, Mr. Flower assisted Vivendi as a defendant in their long running class action suit in the New York Courts and has provided written expert evidence in matters before the English High Court. He was also one of the senior advisors to the Kuwait Government in the assessment of corporate claims for damages arising from the First Gulf War.
Mr. Flower earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of York. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and is a native English and fluent French speaker.
Mr. Flower is a member of the ROAP Steering Committee and was part of the faculty for the inaugural ROAP edition in 2020.
Alexis Foucard is Counsel at Clifford Chance and he is admitted to the New York and Paris Bars. His practice focuses on international arbitration and cross-border litigation. He has acted as both counsel and arbitrator.
His track record encompasses a range of business sectors such as aviation, banking, construction, energy, mining, and telecommunications. Alexis is also recognized for his dispute resolution expertise in Africa, having worked on numerous commercial and investment cases relating to the African continent. He is Clifford Chance's Africa Practice Leader for Mining.
Alexis is also a lecturer at Sciences Po Law School and regularly writes and speak about arbitration and international law worldwide.
He is a graduate of Columbia Law School (LL.M., 2011) and Sciences Po - University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne (Master in Global Business Law - Magister Degree in Business Law, 2009).
Jaime Gallego exclusively practises in the fields of international commercial arbitration and international investment arbitration since 2004 with a particular focus on Latin America and Spain. He has acted in some thirty arbitrations primarily in the energy (including oil & gas), mining, telecommunications, arms, transport, real estate and infrastructure/construction sectors. These were conducted under ICSID, UNCITRAL, ICC, SCAI/Swiss, LCIA and CIAC rules, among others, and the applicable laws, both substantively and procedurally, originated from common law and civil law traditions. He acts both as counsel and arbitrator.
Jaime Gallego is dual-qualified as an English Solicitor and a Spanish Abogado and continuously handles arbitrations in both English and Spanish, both of which are his native languages. He is also fully professionally proficient in French. He is a former president of the Swiss Chapter of the Club Español de Arbitraje (CEA) and a member of the executive committee of the Section of Lawyers from Foreign Bars of the Geneva Bar Association. He is also a member of various arbitration associations.
Before joining LALIVE, Jaime Gallego worked at Dechert LLP in Paris in the international arbitration team (2004-2009) and at SJ Berwin LLP in London where he trained and qualified into the corporate department (2000-2003).
He holds an LL.M. in International Dispute Resolution (with honours), University College London, England (2003-2004) as well as a Degree in Law and a Master in Tax Law, both from ESADE, Spain (1994-1999).
Jacob Grierson heads Asafo & Co.‘s international arbitration practice and is based in the Firm’s Paris office. His practice is focused on representing clients in relation to a wide range of arbitrations, including disputes arising out of the oil and gas, mining, power, construction, telecom and pharmaceutical industries. Jacob has represented clients in matters involving foreign investment disputes, joint venture disputes, post-merger and acquisition disputes, licensing disputes and distribution and franchising disputes, among others.
A graduate of Balliol College, Oxford University and the College of Europe in Bruges, and a qualified English barrister and French avocat, Mr Grierson has extensive experience in arbitrations under the ICC Rules of Arbitration, as well as in many other types of arbitrations (ad hoc, ICSID, HKIAC and LCIA). He has acted as arbitrator (sole arbitrator, president and co-arbitrator) in a number of arbitrations. Additionally, he is a CEDR qualified mediator.
Mr Grierson is Vice-President of the Casablanca International Mediation and Arbitration Center (CIMAC), a Council Member of the ICC Institute of World Business Law and a Member of the ICC Arbitration Commission and sits on the editorial board of the IBA Arbitration Committee’s Newsletter. He is also the co-author of the book “Arbitrating under the 2012 ICC Rules: An Introductory User's Guide”, published by Kluwer Law International. He teaches at a number of universities, including the College of Europe.
Mr Grierson is fluent in English and French. He was part of the faculty for the inaugural ROAP edition in 2020.
Roula Harfouche is a partner with HKA in London. She specialises in the assessment of damages and complex valuation issues in litigation and international arbitration contexts. She is experienced in matters involving breaches of contract, investment treaty claims, transaction-related disputes and intellectual property infringements. She has been valuing companies, listed and unlisted securities, and IP rights in commercial and contentious contexts since 2000, and has provided valuation or damages assessment services in more than 80 disputes.
Roula was part of the faculty for the first ROAP EMEA edition in 2021.
Maria Hauser-Morel is based in the Paris office of HANEFELD, a top tier international dispute resolution boutique firm with offices in Germany and France. She acts as counsel and arbitrator in international arbitration proceedings, focusing on construction & engineering (specifically FIDIC model contracts) disputes, energy disputes and disputes involving states and state entities.
Maria is a Polish qualified lawyer. She is also admitted to practice as avocat in France (Directive 98/5/EC). Maria holds a doctorate of law from the University of Wroclaw (Poland) and a Master of European and International Business Law of the University of Saint Gallen.
Prior to joining HANEFELD, Maria worked in a reputable Polish and international law firms as well as at the Secretariat of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. There, she headed the Case Management Team that primarily handles matters from Central and Eastern Europe, often involving sovereign States or State related entities.
Maria was part of the faculty for the first ROAP EMEA edition in 2021.
Sara Koleilat-Aranjo is a partner in the Dubai office of Al Tamimi & Company.
Ms Aranjo regularly advises and represents clients in arbitration and arbitration-related court proceedings arising from inbound and outbound investments relating to the MENA region across a broad range of sectors, including real estate, construction, energy, technology, M&A, distribution and financial services. She also sits as an arbitrator and acts in mediation proceedings.
Ms Aranjo is a member of several professional organizations. Ms Aranjo is a Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration and serves as a as an expert member of the DIFC Courts’ Arbitration Division Working Group and co-chairs the In-house Counsel Group of the IBA Arbitration Committee.
Ms Aranjo is recognized in Who’s Who Legal for her experience in arbitration. She has been listed as one of the 50 Super Lawyers in the MENA region by Thomson Reuters’ Asia Legal Business in 2022 and has been selected as the recipient of the Middle East Rising Star Lawyer of the Year Award by The Association of Corporate Counsel, the American Lawyer and the Legal Week (UK) in 2019.
Ms Aranjo is admitted to the New York, Paris and Beirut Bars and registered as a foreign legal consultant in the Emirate of Dubai. She holds an LL.B. from Saint Joseph University, an M.A. in International Business Law from the University of Paris, an M.S. in Finance and Strategic Management from the ESSEC Business School and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School. She speaks English, French and Arabic.
Michael Kotrly is a barrister at One Essex Court in London. He has a broad practice spanning commercial litigation, arbitration (both investor-state and commercial) and advisory work.
Michael’s legal career has spanned three continents, having practiced in Toronto, Dubai, and London. His advocacy experience spans commercial and investment treaty arbitral tribunals as well as courts in England and Ontario (Canada). Prior to being called to the English Bar and completing pupillage, Michael was a Senior Associate in the International Arbitration Group at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in London.
Michael has been listed as a Future Leader in International Arbitration by Who’s Who Legal since 2018, and most recently was listed as a “Most highly regarded” Future Leader in International Arbitration among Non-Partners in EMEA with referees describing him as a “spectacular advocate and brilliant intellect”.
Michael was part of the faculty for the first ROAP EMEA edition in 2021.
Bartosz Krużewski, head of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice in Continental Europe at Clifford Chance and a partner in Warsaw, specialises in international arbitration. His experience includes advising renewable energy, financial, oil and gas and transportation clients in commercial and investment treaty arbitrations. For the past six years, Bartosz has been the President of the Arbitration Committee at ICC Poland and a member of the Board of ICC Poland. Bartosz is a member of the ICC and the ICC Commission and an arbitrator in institutional and ad hoc arbitration proceedings.
Bartosz is recognised by independent legal directories, including Chambers Global, Chambers Europe and Legal 500 EMEA, as one of the market leaders in both litigation and arbitration.
Bartosz was part of the faculty for the inaugural ROAP edition in 2020.
“The ‘outstanding’ Anina Liebkind draws widespread praise for her impressive track-record handling arbitration proceedings under a variety of institutional rules and is highly sought after by clients in the energy, construction, automotive and technology industries.” Who’s Who Legal, 2023
“Anina is excellent, a visionary practitioner” Who’s Who Legal, 2023
“She is an outstanding advocate” Who’s Who Legal, 2023
“Anina is a star of her generation and a true leader in her market” Who’s Who Legal, 2022
“She is top class in all respects” Who’s Who Legal, 2022
Anina Liebkind is a partner at Norburg & Scherp. Anina has more than a decade of experience with dispute resolution and is a specialist in the energy, finance, insurance and technology & telecommunications industries. Anina's practice focuses on international arbitration and litigation.
Anina has advised and represented clients in more than 30 international arbitration proceedings in Stockholm, Geneva and Paris. She has experience in international arbitration proceedings under ad hoc and institutional rules (including ICC, ICSID, SCC, FAI, DIS and UNCITRAL) governed by a multiplicity of procedural and substantive laws. Anina has also acted as counsel in litigation proceedings before the courts in both Sweden and Finland, and regularly advises clients on the recognition, enforcement and setting aside of arbitral awards, and acts as counsel in such litigation proceedings before local courts. Anina is dual-qualified in both Sweden and Finland, and holds an LL.M. degree in International Dispute Settlement from the Geneva Center for International Dispute Settlement (MIDS).
Anina is recognized by Who’s Who Legal 2022 as a National Leader in Sweden and as a Global Future Leader in the field of arbitration. Anina frequently publishes and lectures on arbitration topics, including acting as a visiting lecturer for the Master of Laws in International Commercial
Arbitration (ICAL) program at the University of Stockholm. She is an international member of the Finnish Arbitration Institute’s Board and served as the Co-Chair of the IBA Arb 40 Subcommittee 2020-2021.
Sofia Martins heads the disputes practice at Miranda & Associados.
Sofia sits on the board of the Portuguese Arbitration Association since 2014. She has also been an officer of the IBA Arbitration Committee and co-editor of the IBA International Arbitration Guide since March 2017 and is a member of the ICC Arbitration and ADR Committee. In July 2020 she was appointed to chair the board of the arbitration Center of Concórdia. Previously she was one of the co-chairs for CEA-40 and APASub40, having also sat on the board of the Arbitration Centre of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2012 – 2019).
Sofia represents clients in a wide range of civil, commercial and investment disputes, ranging from construction to energy, in Portugal and abroad, also acting as arbitrator, both in domestic and international disputes.
Sofia is a member of the ROAP Steering Committee and was part of the faculty for the inaugural ROAP edition in 2020.
Dr. Anke Meier, partner in the Frankfurt office of Noerr, co-heads the firm-wide Litigation and heads the Arbitration Practice. She is admitted to practice as an attorney in Germany and New York and has practiced in the U.S., the Netherlands and Germany.
She has broad experience in commercial and investment arbitration with a particular focus on disputes in the energy sector, including Energy Charter Treaty investment arbitration. Her practice comprises primarily large and complex international cases with a regional focus on the U.S. and Eastern Europe; however, she also has experience with disputes involving Asian and African parties. She is frequently involved in post-M&A disputes, construction/infrastructure disputes and disputes arising out of supply contracts in different industries.
Dr. Maja Ménard is managing partner and head of dispute resolution at the Fatur Menard Law Firm in Slovenia. After acquiring her PhD in public international law at the University of Paris-West, Maja has acquired almost 15 years of experience in resolving disputes in domestic and international fora and particular in arbitration, regularly acting as counsel in international disputes. She represents clients before the European Commission, the General Court, and the Court of Justice of the EU, as well as before the European Court of Human Rights. She has significant experience in advising and representing clients and acting as arbitrator in arbitration proceedings under the auspices of different arbitral institutions and rules of arbitration, including the Ljubljana Arbitration Centre, the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, the London Court of International Arbitration, the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, UNCITRAL and ICSID.
Maja is a member of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris and a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, as well as London Court of International Arbitration and the International Law Association. She is admitted to the Paris Bar (France) and the Slovenian Bar. She regularly lectures and publishes works on issues in her areas of expertise.
Maja’s native languages are Slovenian and Croatian, and she is fluent in Serbian, English and French and proficient in German and Italian.
Reza Mohtashami KC is a partner in the London office of Three Crowns. He has represented clients as counsel and advocate in more than 80 arbitrations conducted under a variety of arbitration rules in many different jurisdictions. Reza has particular expertise in disputes arising in emerging markets with a focus on the telecoms, energy and infrastructure sectors. Prior to Three Crowns he worked in the arbitration practice of a leading international arbitration firm where he established and led the firm’s global arbitration practice in the Middle East. Reza is a Vice-Chair of the IBA Arbitration Committee, trustee of the DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre, a trustee of the BCDR-AAA, and editorial board member of the ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin and Global Arbitration Review. He is the immediate past president of the LCIA Arab Users’ Council. Reza is a qualified English solicitor-advocate and was appointed Queen’s Counsel [now King's Counsel] in recognition of his advocacy skills in 2018. He is recognised as a Thought Leader in arbitration by Who Who’s Legal with Chambers and Partners describing him as “very capable, intelligent and hard-working” and the “real deal.” He speaks English, French and Farsi.
Reza is the Chair of the ROAP Steering Committee. He was part of the faculty for the inaugural ROAP edition in 2020.
Vlad Movshovich is a partner and practice leader in Dispute Resolution in Webber Wentzel, Johannesburg.
Vlad has acted as lead counsel for various public and private sector clients in high value international arbitrations and dozens of precedent-setting cases in constitutional, corporate, commercial, administrative and international law.
Vlad is a director of the African Arbitration Association (AfAA), where he heads the Standards Committee, is a member of the AFSA International Advisory Board and is on the Board of Reporters of the Centre for American and International Law. Vlad has lectured extensively on a variety of legal subjects, to business leaders, judges, practitioners and students, on the African continent and beyond. Vlad also acts as an arbitrator in international arbitrations, a Judge of the High Court of South Africa, in Johannesburg and Pretoria, and member and chair of dispute tribunals. Vlad is recognised as an expert in arbitration by Legal 500, Chambers Global, Best Lawyers, Who's Who Legal: Arbitration and Legal 500 African Arbitration Powerlist 2021 and heads the team which won the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year Award at the African Legal Awards in 2020 and 2022.
Vlad graduated from the Universities of the Witwatersrand and Oxford, and is an attorney of the High Court in South Africa and solicitor of the Senior Courts in England and Wales - with Higher Rights of Audience (Civil Advocacy).
Patrizia Netal, is a co-founder and partner at KNOETZL, a leading Austrian firm specialized in arbitration, litigation, alternative dispute resolution and business crime. Patrizia has extensive experience in ad hoc and institutional arbitration proceedings under the DIS, ICC, VIAC and UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. She acts both as counsel and arbitrator in international arbitrations and has been involved in numerous large-scale projects across the SEE and CEE region, with a substantial focus on construction and engineering, post-M&A disputes, aviation, distributorship and international sales contracts.
Since January 2020, Patrizia is a member of the Board of VIAC (Vienna International Arbitral Centre). She is Co-Director of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, the world’s largest international arbitration event that annually brings more than 4,000 international arbitration practitioners to Vienna. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in this year’s cancellation of the event in Vienna, in April 2020, she organized the first Virtual Vis Moot with 560 remote hearings conducted in 6 days. Patrizia is Austria’s Steering Committee member of the Pledge for Equal Representation in Arbitration (ERA – The Pledge) and she also lectures on arbitration subjects at the Austrian Arbitration Academy of the University of Vienna. Patrizia is co-author of the Vienna Protocol – A Practical Checklist for Remote Hearings (VIAC; edition 2020) and of the VIAC Handbook Vienna Rules, A Practitioner’s Guide (edition 2019).
Patrizia was part of the faculty for the inaugural ROAP edition in 2020.
Edmond Richards is a partner at Accuracy. Since 2010, Edmond has specialised in the assessment of damages arising from treaty and contract breaches, in both arbitration and litigation contexts.
Edmond has been appointed as an expert witness in arbitrations under ICSID, LCIA, ICC and SAC rules, and is recognised as one of the leading damages experts by Who’s Who Legal. Edmond has a broad range of sector experience, including metals & mining, manufacturing, TMT, automotive, consumer goods and hospitality.
Edmond has also given expert advice in the context of transactions, investigations and non-contentious valuations, as well as performing preliminary claim assessments for corporates, their legal advisors and third-party funders.
Edmond is a qualified accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He holds a first class honours degree in Physics from Imperial College London. He is a native English speaker, with intermediate knowledge of French and Spanish.
Christina Schuetz is a Senior Associate in the arbitration team at Clifford Chance LLP in London, with over 13 years' experience in investment treaty and commercial arbitration, acting as counsel, tribunal secretary and arbitrator. She is admitted to practice in England & Wales and New York State.
A fluent speaker of Russian and German, with good knowledge of Polish and French, her practice focuses on disputes relating to business interests in Eastern and Central Europe. She also represents litigants in heavily contested English High Court claims relating to interests in Russian companies and offshore structures.
Having begun her career at Shearman & Sterling LLP in New York and Frankfurt, since moving to London in 2009, she has spent 1.5 years on secondment to Clifford Chance CIS Limited in Moscow. Christina is the founder and was the first Secretary of the Russian and CIS Arbitration Network.
Already as a student, Christina was keen to gain advocacy experience. In the Vis Moot Court, she was a member of the Columbia Law School team that finished third in the Vienna competition in 2006 (and she won an honourable mention as an individual speaker). In the Jessup Moot Court, she was a member of the Humboldt University team that won the German preliminaries in 2003 and she also won the Best Speaker award in the German rounds.
Christina was part of the faculty for the first ROAP EMEA edition in 2021.
Shai Sharvit is a partner at the law firm of Gornitzky & Co. in Tel-Aviv, Israel. His practice focuses mainly on international arbitration and complex commercial disputes, which have cross-border or multi-jurisdictional aspects, in various areas, including construction, insurance, technology and IP, shareholders disputes, D&O liability, class actions, real-estate, professional negligence, product liability.
Shai advised and represented clients in international arbitration, under the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Rules and advised on international arbitration matters under the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) rules, the ICC Rules, the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) rules, UNCITRAL Arbitration rules and the American Arbitration Association (AAA) rules, and also sits as arbitrator in commercial disputes.
Shai is a member of the Court of the LCIA, is a member of UNCITRAL experts group on high tech disputes, the commission on arbitration and ADR of ICC (Paris), the task force on emergency arbitrator of the ICC, and serves as an ambassador of the ICC Commission on the Belt & Road Initiative.
Shai was part of the faculty for the first ROAP EMEA edition in 2021.
Sami Tannous is an international arbitration specialist focusing on international commercial arbitration and investor-State arbitration. He has represented clients in arbitrations under all major arbitration rules and also regularly sits as arbitrator.
Sami has particular expertise of disputes involving the Middle East and North Africa. His experience includes advising clients on a broad range of commercial disputes including joint venture and shareholder agreements, SPAs, production sharing agreements and distribution/agency agreements, in various sectors including oil and gas, banking, real-estate, telecoms, defence, travel, media, and construction.
Sami is also Vice-President of the LCIA Arab Users’ Council and a member of the LCIA Court.
Sami has been based in Dubai since 2012. Before relocating to Dubai, Sami worked in Freshfields’ Paris office, and in London.
Anthony Theau Laurent is a partner at Accuracy. He provides advice and independent expertise on business, valuation and accounting matters in the context of disputes, transactions and frauds.
Anthony has been appointed as expert witness in commercial and investment treaty arbitrations and in English High Court proceedings. He is listed among the leading expert witnesses for quantum of damages by Who’s Who Legal, according to which he “is frequently appointed on large-scale arbitrations for the strength of his oral testimony in proceedings” and “is praised for his hands-on approach and exceptional ability to identify and address sophisticated financial issues”. He is able to testify in English and French.
Anthony also advises organisations seeking to acquire or divest businesses and leads financial investigations in relation to allegations of fraud.
He regularly contributes to publications and gives presentations on issues pertaining to valuation, damage assessment, and mergers and acquisitions.
Hilde specialises in international arbitration and corporate and commercial litigation, with a particular focus on projects, energy and construction arbitration. Her practice covers the full range of dispute resolution, with an emphasis on contractual liability, (financial) product liability and M&A-related disputes. She has represented clients in numerous national and international arbitrations under various institutional rules. In addition she also has extensive experience in court litigation across a wide range of sectors.
Hilde was a member of the committee responsible for drafting the new NAI Arbitration Rules, which became effective from 1 January 2015, and is currently a member of a committee that is working on a new arbitration appointment mechanism under the NAI Rules. She is a member of the Executive Board of the Dutch Arbitration Association, as well as a member of the Advisory Board of the Dutch Arbitration Institute. She is recognised by Who’s Who Legal Arbitration as a Future Leader (previously in the non-partner category), and by Chambers Global 2020 as an “Up and Coming” Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Counsel in the Netherlands.
In addition to acting as arbitration counsel, she also acts as arbitrator. Hilde regularly speaks and lectures on arbitration and litigation including, for example training on climate change litigation and on dispute resolution in the construction and energy sectors. She is also a lecturer at the National and International Contracting specialization course of Grotius Academy.
Lawyer since 2006, with a two-year interlude in the world of litigation finance.
Litigates before the Dutch courts and in international arbitrations (for example at the ICC, NAI, LCIA, DIS). Acts as an international arbitrator.
Specialized in solving international and complex disputes. Assists large, multinational and medium-sized companies and entrepreneurs, especially in the energy, civil engineering, FMCG and (impact) investment sectors. Extensive experience in post-M&A and shareholder disputes, as well as in international debt collection and fraud cases. Also acts in collective redress practice (proceedings about mass damages).
Board member of the Dutch Arbitration Association (DAA) and member of the ICC Netherlands Commission on Arbitration and ADR. Member of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) and the Dutch Association for Procedural law (NVvP).
Board member of the Goois Nature Reserve in Hilversum.
Roelien is Dutch. She works in Dutch and English, and also reads French and German.