Swiss Arbitration Conferences and Gala Dinner 2022

Dr Xavier Favre-Bulle is President of the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre and a partner at Lenz & Staehelin in Geneva, where he heads the Arbitration group. He is vice-chair of the IBA Arbitration Committee and has been involved in some 250 arbitrations, in more than 25 years of experience. He is the author of some 75 books and articles and has lectured at several universities (Switzerland, France).

Gisela Knuts is Head of the Helsinki office and she also heads Roschier’s Dispute Resolution practice in Finland. Gisela is specialized in commercial dispute resolution, including international and domestic arbitration, complex cross-border litigation, and ADR. She also acts as counsel in white collar crime matters. The main part of Gisela’s practice focuses on counsel work in commercial disputes. She has acted as lead counsel and advised clients in multi-million euro disputes in fields such as post-M&A, construction (on and off shore), engineering, projects & energy, distribution, sale of goods, insolvency, tax, financial instruments, corporate law and shareholder relations, director’s liability, ICT, and competition damages. In addition to her counsel work, Gisela also regularly sits as arbitrator in international commercial arbitrations mainly seated in the Nordic region and continental Europe. Her arbitrator experience comprises of more than thirty cases, most of which as chair or sole arbitrator. In addition to her dispute resolution practice, Gisela takes a special interest in risk management and is frequently sought out for boardroom and C-suite advice on legal and strategic issues by both corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Gisela holds an LL.D. from the University of Helsinki and has been a visiting scholar at the University of Uppsala (2004). In addition, Gisela graduated from the Swedish Arbitration Association’s Training Programme for Arbitrators in 2011.

Christian Oetiker is one of our proven specialists in litigation and arbitration. He represents businesses in proceedings before national courts throughout Switzerland, as well as before national and foreign arbitral tribunals. He also acts as arbitrator. Christian studied at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and the London School of Economics, and he has an in-depth understanding of economic issues. He regularly represents both national and international companies from the chemical industry and aviation industry. He also acts as counsel in proceedings on claims based on derivative agreements which are governed by the ISDA Master Agreement. In addition to dispute resolution, he advises on private international law and unfair competition law. Christian publishes and speaks regularly on litigation and arbitration matters as well as other selected topics. He is a member of the Board of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) and of the Swiss Commission of Arbitration and ADR of the ICC. From 2008 until 2019, he was a member of the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Chambers' Arbitration Institution.

Alexander Foerster is a German and Swedish attorney with extensive experience in international commercial arbitration from many years as partner of one of Scandinavia’s leading law firms. He acted as counsel and arbitrator in a great number of cross border disputes in a variety of sectors including mergers & acquisitions, infrastructure and construction, automotive, waste management, finance and energy. Alexander is member of the DIS Council and teaches arbitration at the Frankfurt University of Applied Science.

Donata advises and represents companies on complex matters under civil law in national and international arbitration proceedings as well as before German courts. She has successfully represented her clients in a number of arbitration proceedings, inter alia, under ICC, DIS, CEAC, UNCITRAL rules as well as in ad-hoc proceedings at different places of arbitration and in accordance with varying legal systems. Donata regularly sits as an arbitrator.

Noor is an international arbitration and art law specialist with over 12 years' experience. She is a Solicitor Advocate of the English Courts. Her focus areas are investment and commercial arbitration, public international law, and art law. She was previously a Deputy Counsel at the ICC and a case assessor at Vannin Capital. Her representative experience includes advising investors and States in ICSID and UNCITRAL arbitrations, and acting for corporations and individuals in ICC, LCIA, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA and ADCACC arbitrations, as well as litigation in the English courts and DIFC courts. Her academic work has included partnering with the US Department of Commerce, corporations, and universities worldwide, on legal drafting courses and art law and arbitration programmes she has engineered and led.

Gabrielle Nater-Bass is a partner at Homburger in Zurich. With over 20 years of experience, she has acted as party counsel and arbitrator in numerous international arbitration proceedings. She is a board member of the Swiss Arbitration Centre, ASA and the LCIA Court as well as co-chair of the ICCA-ASIL Task Force on Damages in International Arbitration.

James Rogers is an international arbitration lawyer based in London. His experience extends across a broad range of industry sectors and includes corporate and commercial, technology, M&A, licensing and joint venture disputes. He has particular experience of the energy, infrastructure and construction sectors and significant recent experience in arbitration matters involving states and state-controlled entities. James has a uniquely international practice, serving clients' needs across multiple jurisdictions and tailored to the relevant project, dispute and/or seat of arbitration. He has practiced law in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan and the UK; has advised clients on projects and investments in numerous jurisdictions across the Americas, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia; and regularly acts as lead counsel and as advocate before all the major arbitral institutions. Chambers & Partners, 2019 note that "sources describe him as 'flexible and extremely efficient', adding that 'he is excellent at what he does.'" James was also recognised in The Legal 500, 2019 where he is described as "thorough, with an incisive understanding of international arbitration law and practice." James also accepts arbitrator appointments.

Genevieve Poirier joined LALIVE’s London office in 2021. She is an arbitration and litigation specialist, advising on the resolution of high-value international commercial disputes. Her experience covers a broad range of commercial matters, including cross-border disputes in the telecommunications, oil and gas, insurance, shipping and financial services sectors, as well as shareholder and joint venture disputes. Genevieve is experienced with the major institutional rules, including ICC, LCIA and AAA, and a variety of arbitral seats including London, Stockholm, New York, and Vienna. She is also a solicitor advocate with rights of audience in the English High Court. She has worked extensively on India-seated and India-related disputes, and CIS-client and CIS-related disputes. She has acted in some of the world’s largest and most complex arbitrations and was recognised as a ‘Future Leader – Arbitration’ by Who’s Who Legal in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Prior to joining LALIVE as partner, Genevieve was Counsel at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. She graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand in 2003 (LLB First Class Honours).

Paolo Marzolini “has a great legal mind and his attention to detail is remarkable”; he is “very competent and professional”; he “is the most enthusiastic and driven colleague I have ever worked with. He is very hardworking and responsive and has one of the sharpest minds in the business. Despite the highly demanding nature of the work, he is a joy to work with”. “We worked closely with Paolo Marzolini, who is brilliant, meticulous, very hard working and a pleasure to watch in action” (Legal 500 2021).

Christopher Boog is a Vice-Chair of the International Arbitration Practice Group and co-heads the Sports Practice. He represents clients in complex international commercial, investment and sports arbitration matters as well as in setting-aside proceedings before the Swiss Supreme Court. Chris is ranked as one of a small number of Global Elite Thought Leaders by Who's Who Legal Arbitration recognizing lawyers "at the peak of the profession". He is the 2020 recipient of the ASA Prize for Advocacy in International Commercial Arbitration, awarded every two years to international arbitration counsel to recognize exceptional advocacy in international arbitration. Chris is described as "one of the best in the business", “one of the superstars in Switzerland”, and "definitely a leader in the field" (Who's Who Legal). According to clients and peers, he is "outstanding", "just brilliant" and "one of the best advocates I have ever seen" (Who's Who Legal). The same directory remarks that “Chris belongs among the best arbitration counsel of his generation.” Other sources report that he is "brilliant and to-the-point" (Chambers Global) and "has superb analytical and advocacy skills. He is admired for his ability to explain (orally and in writing) complex technical or factual issues in simple terms" (Legal 500).

James is a partner in the International Arbitration Group based in London. He conducts arbitrations, specialising in the energy and finance sectors, but also has experience of insurance, aerospace, telecoms, commodities and steel. James acts in both commercial and investor-State cases and is a former Co-Chair of the LCIA’s Young International Arbitration Group. James is now on the Steering Committee of CPR Y-ADR. He also sits as an arbitrator.

Eva is an elegant arbitrator, picking up on issues that go straight into the heart of a dispute and diving into them gently and cleverly

Melanie van Leeuwen joined Derains & Gharavi as a partner in 2011. Who’s Who Legal describes Melanie as “a Dutch superstar in Paris, who is lauded as an outstanding professional and great personality”, noting that “she is the best of the best”. Chambers Europe ranks Melanie in the category of Most in Demand Arbitrators, describing her as “a real powerhouse with a very strong presence and a sharp sound legal mind.” Legal 500 lists Melanie as “an excellent strategist who has a profound knowledge of investment law and impresses by the outstanding quality of her written and oral pleadings.” Since 1996, Melanie has been practising international arbitration exclusively. She has solid experience as counsel and arbitrator in both commercial and investment arbitration, conducted under all major sets of arbitration rules (ICC, LCIA, LCIA-MIAC, ICSID, SCC, ICDR, UNCITRAL, PCA, DIAC, NAI, CEPANI and Swiss Rules) and governed by various procedural and substantive laws. She has handled over 100 arbitrations as counsel and arbitrator concerning disputes arising out of international commercial contracts, cross-border investment, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, construction projects and investment protection under international law. She has been particularly active in the sectors of energy, mining, media, information and communication technology, construction and engineering, real estate, aviation and infrastructural and defence projects. She also regularly represents clients in annulment, enforcement and consolidation proceedings before the Netherlands state courts. Melanie has been appointed to the ICSID panel of arbitrators by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. At present, she is serving as chair of the ICC Commission on Arbitration, as co-chair of the ICCA-IBA Joint Task Force on Data Protection in International Arbitration, as a member of the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Chambers’ Arbitration Institution, as a member of the board of Paris, the Home of International Arbitration and as a board member of the Swiss Arbitration Association.

Ola Ø. Nisja is a Partner at Wikborg Rein's Oslo office and is Global Head of Disputes. He has substantial experience in litigation and dispute resolution and is admitted to the Supreme Court. Nisja is recommended and referred to within his practice areas by inter alia Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, Legal 500, International Financial Law Review (IFLR) and Finansavisen. Nisja is regularly involved in oil and gas disputes.

Gisela Knuts is Head of the Helsinki office and she also heads Roschier’s Dispute Resolution practice in Finland. Gisela is specialized in commercial dispute resolution, including international and domestic arbitration, complex cross-border litigation, and ADR. She also acts as counsel in white collar crime matters. The main part of Gisela’s practice focuses on counsel work in commercial disputes. She has acted as lead counsel and advised clients in multi-million euro disputes in fields such as post-M&A, construction (on and off shore), engineering, projects & energy, distribution, sale of goods, insolvency, tax, financial instruments, corporate law and shareholder relations, director’s liability, ICT, and competition damages. In addition to her counsel work, Gisela also regularly sits as arbitrator in international commercial arbitrations mainly seated in the Nordic region and continental Europe. Her arbitrator experience comprises of more than thirty cases, most of which as chair or sole arbitrator. In addition to her dispute resolution practice, Gisela takes a special interest in risk management and is frequently sought out for boardroom and C-suite advice on legal and strategic issues by both corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Gisela holds an LL.D. from the University of Helsinki and has been a visiting scholar at the University of Uppsala (2004). In addition, Gisela graduated from the Swedish Arbitration Association’s Training Programme for Arbitrators in 2011.

Christian Oetiker is one of our proven specialists in litigation and arbitration. He represents businesses in proceedings before national courts throughout Switzerland, as well as before national and foreign arbitral tribunals. He also acts as arbitrator. Christian studied at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and the London School of Economics, and he has an in-depth understanding of economic issues. He regularly represents both national and international companies from the chemical industry and aviation industry. He also acts as counsel in proceedings on claims based on derivative agreements which are governed by the ISDA Master Agreement. In addition to dispute resolution, he advises on private international law and unfair competition law. Christian publishes and speaks regularly on litigation and arbitration matters as well as other selected topics. He is a member of the Board of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) and of the Swiss Commission of Arbitration and ADR of the ICC. From 2008 until 2019, he was a member of the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Chambers' Arbitration Institution.

Korinna joined ASA and the Swiss Arbitration Centre as Executive Director in 2021. Prior to her appointment by the ASA Board, she worked in different international arbitration institutions - the German Arbitration Institute (DIS), Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), and the secretariat of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).