A full house, engaging discussions, and a truly insightful exchange across the institutions — we were delighted to host and support the “Breaking the Mold: Arbitrator Appointments in Multi-Party & Asymmetrical Arbitrations – Institutional Approaches” panel discussion organised by IFCAI.

As arbitration cases grow more complex and involve multiple parties, it was particularly interesting to hear the perspectives of leading international arbitral institutions how they deal with arbitrator appointments under the rules and in practice: Vivekananda Neelakantan of SIAC, Julia Simon of Swiss Arbitration Centre, and Silvia Pachikoski of CAM-CCBC shared how the institutions are adapting their approaches to increasingly intricate party structures.

Niamh Leinwather, Secretary General VIAC and Secretary Treasurer at IFCAI, presented IFCAI’s Statistical Transparency and Reporting Standards (STARS) for Arbitral Institutions, adding an important aspect to the discussion on transparency and best practices.

Patrizia Netal, Co-head of International Arbitration Practice at KNOETZL and Vice President of VIAC, welcomed the participants, followed by the lively moderation of the panel by Ismail Selim, President of IFCAI and newly elected president of African Arbitration Association.

The discussions continued well beyond the event itself, reflecting both the relevance of the topic and the energy in the room. It was a real pleasure to host such an engaged audience and to take part in a conversation with representatives of leading arbitral institutions.