Know your Committee: Dr. Zeina Obeid, FCIArb

Q. Tell us about you and how you landed on the CIArb UAE Branch Committee?

A. I am Partner at Obeid & Partners (Dubai, Paris, Beirut) where I practice in the litigation & Arbitration Department. I have acted as counsel in major international arbitration cases across the Middle East and North Africa region and sat as arbitrator in several domestic and international arbitrations, both ad hoc and under international institutional arbitral rules, including those of the ICC, DIAC, LCIA, CRCICA, BCDR-AAA, and DIFC-LCIA. I hold a PhD from the University Panthéon-Assas (Paris II) in France on the topic of “setting-aside arbitral awards in the Arab Countries” and an LLM from Columbia University in New York. 

I have been and continue to be significantly involved in the CIArb activities as fellow and tutor, member of the CIArb Approved Faculty List.  When I moved to Dubai with my firm which opened a branch here, I was keen to join the CIArb UAE Branch Committee and contribute to its continued growth in this jurisdiction.     

Q. How has your experience been so far and what have been your contributions since joining?

A. The CIArb UAE Branch is a very active and dynamic branch. It has been and still is a pleasure to be part of the committee working with a group of professionals coming from different backgrounds, with significant expertise and who are all collectively engaged in supporting the branch and ensuring its continued success at different levels.  

I have been particularly involved in the organization of branch events. We have taken a number of initiatives to involve our members and organized several successful events such as the two flagships CIArb conferences during the Dubai Arbitration Week Conference in 2021 and 2022. We were also keen to build collaborations with other institutions such as DIAC and have accordingly introduced the “how to events” series, which received very positive feedback. We also worked on enhancing our relationship with other CIArb branches by organizing webinars in collaboration with the Iberian Chapter and the CIArb Qatar Branch.  Our events tackle several topics from arbitration, to mediation to other sector-focused topics such as construction, oil & gas, mining, maritime and technology disputes. Our aim is to involve our members as much as possible and tackle all hot topics in the dispute resolution arena. We have many other events in the pipeline during the course of this year and very much encourage you all to follow the CIArb newsletter and upcoming events.

Q. What are you seeking to achieve during your time on the Committee? 

A. In my role as event coordinator, my aim is to promote the CIArb as a leading educational institution in dispute resolution. I am seeking to attract practitioners, who are not yet members, encourage them to join the CIArb community and see the benefit of being part of this great professional network. I am also looking forward to consolidate collaborations with other institutions, participate in spreading education, and ensure that the branch is at the forefront in tackling the latest developments in our field.  

Q. What does the CIArb strategy 2021-2023 represent for you?

A. The CIArb strategy is an important milestone taken by the institution which shows the institution’s will and adaptability to a changing world. The CIArb strategy is a very positive step that reassures its members that they are part of an institution that is adapting to the changes and challenges of the new era, an institution that is innovative and that would not hesitate to the lead in putting into place a plan to remain a competitive and pioneer institution. This also means that each member has a key role to play in pulling together their efforts to help the institution meet its goals. 

Q. What message do you have for others who would like to join the Committee and be more active in helping the CIArb meet its goals.

A. I highly encourage all practitioners and especially young practitioners to join CIArb.  It is a wonderful community, a great opportunity to meet likeminded practitioners, to network and to be part of an evolving institution. In short, don’t hesitate to get involved!  

---

Zeina Obeid is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Event Coordinator of the CIArb UAE Branch. She is a Partner with Obeid & Partners and can be contacted on zeina@obeidpartners.com  

Know your Committee: Kasia Halliday FCIArb

Q. Tell us about you and how you landed on the CIArb UAE Branch Committee?

A. I am an Associate Director at Berkeley Research Group, providing quantum expert assistance to clients and counsel. I am also a CIArb UAE Branch Committee Member and act as the Vice-Chair and Training & Education Officer. 

I started my career as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor in 2004 in the UK. In the early stage of my career, I worked predominately on pre-contract phases of construction projects and often had opportunities to work with legal teams on contract drafting and contract negotiation. The experience gained in the construction phase of projects and the mechanisms available to parties to resolve conflicts became a driving factor in my career. I believe that my passion for delivering complex projects opened up some incredible opportunities, such as moving to UAE and transitioning to contract services, dispute resolution and my current quantum expert role.    

As my career continues to progress, my objectives are now focused on being appointed as a quantum expert witness on a regular basis and undertaking the required learning & development activities to support my career objectives. However, I also believe contributing back to the construction community to be a crucial part of my career progression. Looking back at my career to date, I cannot deny that my drive and determination to succeed have been reinforced by the support of some great mentors who inspired my passion and enthusiasm for this profession further. I want to contribute back to that community, which is one of the key reasons why I decided to run in the election for the Committee. 

My journey with CIArb started in my first year of LLM studies. Since joining the CIArb, I have seen first-hand the outstanding knowledge, resources and support provided by the CIArb community to its members. With my well-rounded experience in quantity surveying and successful transition in to contract services and dispute resolution, I believed I would be able to contribute to the CIArb’s core values of promoting knowledge and use of alternative dispute resolution as well as driving diversity and inclusion of professionals from all backgrounds; including professionals coming from technical backgrounds – like myself.     

Q. How has your experience been so far and what have been your contributions since joining?

A. It has been an incredibly rewarding journey! The reason why I decided to run in the election for the Committee, was to meet and work with likeminded individuals to make a difference in our community. I have been very active on the Committee, taking on roles and tasks where I believed my experience will allow me to make an impact.    

In the first couple of months since being elected to the Committee, I volunteered to take the role of Education and Training Officer. Education and training are fundamental part of each Branch’s service offering. The Institute’s initial objective was and remains, “to promote and facilitate worldwide the determination of disputes by arbitration and alternative means of private dispute resolution other than resolution by the court”. 

It’s a challenging role. Organizing local training courses involves quite a bit of planning, liaising with CIArb’s Headquarters to ensure our courses run in alignment with central assessment dates, liaising with tutors and course administrators, as well as marketing. However, as much as it is challenging, it is rewarding being able to contribute to the Institute’s core values of promoting knowledge and best standards as well as driving diversity in dispute resolution.   

I have also volunteered to contribute to the CIArb quarterly newsletter. For the past year I have been conducting interviews with our local members for the Members’ Profiles section. This section was my suggestion. I wanted to introduce CIArb’s members across different backgrounds and stages of their career to the wider industry. My aim for the interviews was twofold, One – having reviewed the Institute members’ demographics, I wanted to highlight the diversity within the community and how it can benefit the parties in a dispute resolution process and enhance the system overall, and Two – It was to highlight that although career transition can be seen as challenging, with the right drive, commitment and support, it is possible at any point. The Members’ Profiles section was to introduce a form of a passive-mentorship / guidance that would inspire, perhaps encourage other members to pursue their professional goals by reading about career progression and any achievements that led the featured members to their current role and contributed to their professional successes.  

More recently, I decided to stand in the election for the position of the Vice-Chair and have been elected. With my experience in the Committee generally and as the E&T officer, I believe that I can provide valuable support to our newly elected Chair, Robert Sliwinski and local members.    

Q. What are you seeking to achieve during your time on the Committee? 

A. The demographic of the CIArb membership is changing, attracting more women and people like myself, who transitioned from different careers, and for whom English is not the first language. I hope to be able to contribute to CIArb’s continued success of driving gender and demographic diversity in dispute resolution.  

As part of this drive, I am working with the UAE Branch to implement CIArb courses in Arabic. We are planning to deliver ‘Introduction to International Arbitration’ course in Arabic later this year.    

I would also like to see more female tutors on our local Approved Faculty List, and I am glad to say that I have been approached by several female professionals who are interested in training for those roles.  

Q. What does the CIArb strategy 2021-2023 represent for you?

A. The CIArb strategy 2021-2023 ties in with fundamental requirements of a dispute resolution process, allowing parties to be represented by the most suitable person, rather than from a particular gender and / or demographic.  

The work carried out by the UAE Branch in raising and protecting CIArb’s profile whilst promoting diversity through bridging cultural and gender differences reflects my personal values and complements the CIArb’s Strategic Aim to develop an inclusive global community of diverse dispute resolvers. 

Q. What message do you have for others who would like to join the Committee and be more active in helping the CIArb meet its goals.

A. Since joining the Committee, I have had opportunities to meet and work with some great professionals, who continue to inspire my passion and enthusiasm to contribute to this community further. To be part of the Committee and contribute to the Committee’s work, has been an incredible experience and I would wholeheartedly recommend it!  

There are numerous ways to get involved, whether through attending or contributing to any of our events and training courses or as simple as contributing to the newsletter. All Committee Members are very welcoming and open, so reach out, either through the website, LinkedIn page or during any of the events.   

---

Kasia Halliday is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Vice Chair of the CIArb UAE Branch – Dubai and its Education and Training Officer. She is an Associate Director at BRG and can be contacted on KHalliday@thinkbrg.com   

Know your Committee: Faris Shehabi FCIArb LLM

Q. Tell us about you and how you landed on the CIArb UAE Branch Committee?

A. I have always been very active with CIArb, first with the Australia branch then the Malaysian branch during my time in Kuala Lumpur, and onto the East Asia Branch when I relocated to Shanghai. It was only natural when I moved to Dubai that I would look to the UAE Branch as a way to connect with my fellow arbitration practitioners in my new home, and the Branch Committee was the perfect way to continue giving back to an organisation that has given me so much in my career. 

Q. How has your experience been so far and what have been your contributions since joining?

A. Despite the various complications thrown up by Covid, my experience has been overwhelmingly positive. I have had the chance to meet many members of the UAE Branch (as well as numerous foreign branches) and to be involved in what is an extremely active Branch Committee. 

Being part of such an active branch has also given me plenty of chances to contribute in lots of different ways. There is the usual behind the scenes stuff like taking part in meetings and adding your voice, contributing to the newsletter and so forth. But I have also had the privilege of arranging events with local practitioners on topical issues like third party funding and collaborating with branches from other jurisdictions on events here in Dubai. The joint event with the Brazilian branch comes to mind, and we have an event with the Iberian chapter coming up later in the year which I have had the pleasure of arranging also. 

Q. You are retiring from the Committee this year. What is your advice for the new joiners on the Committee, and do you have a parting message? 

A. My advice is to be as involved as you can with the time available to you, don’t feel like you have nothing to offer, every new voice and perspective adds something to the table. This is your opportunity to practice leadership but above all to give back to the organisation that has done and continues to do so much for the ADR community here in the GCC but all over the world. Also be creative! The best initiatives and events are often the most different from what is being done everywhere else. 

As for a parting message, I would just congratulate the UAE Branch on both its participation and inclusivity. The number of people looking to join the Committee is testament to its impact, and the diversity not only in traditional measures like gender and race but also type of expertise and career background is constantly improving. 

Q. What does the CIArb strategy 2021-2023 represent for you?

A. I think a big part of the strategy is working out what the UAE Branch’s role will be in the post Covid ADR landscape, and what the best use of the Branch’s resources will be. Traditionally one of our main functions has been the provision of training services for example, but with the growing popularity of online delivery we need to rethink the model for how training services are delivered, not just in the GCC but globally. Another key factor, which is quite related by the way, is how the UAE Branch can better cater to regional needs, so initiatives like Arabic language training for example and involving local stakeholders will continue to be extremely important. 

Q. What message do you have for others who would like to join the Committee and be more active in helping the CIArb meet its goals.

A. It’s a wonderful thing to take part in something like the UAE Branch Committee; you make new friends, professional connections, and have a great opportunity to give back to the ADR community. Once you have decided to get involved, firstly congratulations, but secondly, don’t think that you need to be a senior recognised arbitration practitioner in order to contribute. The Branch is there for all its members, irrespective of seniority or experience, and often the best or most relevant contributions actually come from the younger or less experienced members. Also, you don’t necessarily need to be on the Committee to be involved. On the contrary there are lots of ways to get involved through trainings, events, the newsletter and so on. I have always found the CIArb UAE Branch to be a particularly open and inclusive group, and all members should feel empowered to contribute. 

---

Faris Shehabi is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Committee Member of the CIArb UAE Branch. He acts as counsel in arbitrations and is a Senior Associate with Dentons & Co. Faris can be contacted at faris.shehabi@dentons.com.  

Know your Committee: Shani-Louise Foad MCIArb

Q. Tell us about you and how you landed on the CIArb UAE Branch Committee?

A. After fueling my interest in the field of dispute resolution in 2016 by completing the CIArb International Arbitration (2017) certification and then the CIArb Mediation (2018) course, I began to learn about the work of the CIArb and was keen to help support the institute in the region. Since I joined the committee in 2018 my primary role has been to lead the CIArb UAE Branch’s mediation courses.  

Q. How has your experience been so far and what have been your contributions since joining?

A. Enlightening. Since joining the committee I have gained a greater understanding of how the CIArb operates, continuously get to witness the strong bond between the members of the committee and the extensive time and effort the members dedicate to keeping the branch alive, evolving and expanding. Also, along the way, I have met a wide range of people from those at the top of their game to those just starting out. One must not forget, and after seeing them in action, unable to forget, being exposed to some extremely talented dispute resolution singers and musicians at the annual Arbitration Week Law of Rock event. My main contribution to the committee has been to set-up and oversee the mediation courses the UAE Branch delivers each year. Mediation is becoming a more prominent arm of dispute resolution in the region and is noticeably receiving a growing level of interest.

Q. What are you seeking to achieve during your time on the Committee?

A. I am looking to continue to raise the profile of the CIArb, its activities and to encourage disputing parties to consider mediation as their first port of call to resolve disagreements.

Q. What does the CIArb strategy 2021-2023 represent for you?

A. The CIArb Strategy for 2021 and 2023 sends out a clear message: it wants to be part of ensuring dispute resolution processes are fair and robust for the parties to resolve disputes in a time/cost effective manner. It is also sending out a clear message that this area has not been as inclusive as it could have been in the past and is now looking to change that by encouraging under-represented demographic groups to come forward and participate in CIArb activities and training.

Q. What message do you have for others who would like to join the Committee and be more active in helping the CIArb meet its goals.

A. Get in contact. We are always looking for new people, from different backgrounds and sectors to bring along fresh ideas.

---

Shani-Louise Foad is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a committee member of the CIArb UAE Branch. She may be contacted on shanifoad@hotmail.com

Know your Committee : Arun Visweswaran, ACIArb

Q. Tell us about you and how you landed on the CIArb UAE Branch Committee?

A. I am a disputes lawyer at Clifford Chance, and I moved to Dubai in 2012. My path to becoming a lawyer was somewhat unusual in that my first degree was engineering, during which time I realised that law was my calling. I then completed my LL.B at King’s College London. Following my law degree, I trained with Clifford Chance in London and Singapore before moving to Dubai. Being in Dubai has given me the exciting opportunity to work on a diverse range of matters, from commercial and construction arbitrations/adjudications to complex litigations. I also co-lead the tech practice for Clifford Chance in the region, ensuring my engineering degree is also put to good use!

My journey with CIArb started in 2016 when I participated in a CIArb YMG debate during Dubai Arbitration Week. That event demonstrated to me the fantastic platform that CIArb provides for young professionals both from a professional development and networking perspective, leading me to enrol with CIArb in 2017. I then got the opportunity to take on the role of vice-chair of the UAE YMG committee in 2019, organising events for the wider CIArb community and also making good friends along the way. When the opportunity arose to take up the role of Chairperson of the UAE YMG Committee earlier this year, I was honoured to take it on and do my small share to deliver to young lawyers the experiences that I have come to enjoy at CIArb.

Q. How has your experience been so far and what have been your contributions since joining?

A. Enriching! I am fortunate in that I am a part of a very able, committed, and diverse YMG Committee who have a lot of ideas to connect meaningfully with the young members of CIArb, including student members. We are planning a host of events. Our flagship event is the CIArb YMG Global Annual Conference on 15 November 2021 in Dubai. The global annual conference is being held in-person (with a virtual option) and is designed for young members of CIArb to hear about key developments in arbitration, and to provide networking opportunities. We are excited to be hosting a live event, allowing many the chance to connect with colleagues and friends, both from UAE and abroad.

Q. What are you seeking to achieve during your time on the Committee?

A. I would like to see greater engagement with the student members of CIArb. We seek to organise events around mentorship, diversity and inclusion and mental health – all of which are also relevant across the broad spectrum of CIArb members.

Q. What does the CIArb strategy 2021-2023 represent for you?

A. CIArb’s strategy on diversity and inclusion represents a real chance to provide opportunities to under-represented groups, attracting diverse talents and perspectives. For both young and student members, the mentoring scheme in the CIArb strategy presents a unique opportunity to work with a senior mentor to develop one’s career. The UAE CIArb Committee is currently organising mentorship schemes and we strongly encourage young members to take up the opportunity.

Q. What message do you have for others who would like to join the Committee and be more active in helping the CIArb meet its goals.

A. CIArb is a platform that provides everyone an opportunity to meet and connect meaningfully with others, and to contribute to our legal society, no matter how young you are. We are stronger and better together, so get involved!

---

Arun Visweswaran is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Chair of the YMG Committee and Committee Member, of the CIArb UAE Branch. He is a Senior Associate with Clifford Chance LLP in Dubai and can be contacted on  arun.visweswaran@cliffordchance.com 

Know your Committee : Sadaff Habib, MCIArb

Q. Tell us about you and how you landed on the CIArb UAE Branch Committee?

A. I am an arbitrator and a New York qualified lawyer working in disputes for over 12 years. I have sat as arbitrator under various institutional rules as well as in ad hoc arbitrations. I have worked in commercial and construction disputes and I am currently with the disputes team at Beale & Co Middle East.

I first got involved with the CIArb in 2010, when I completed the ACIArb, because I wanted a credible affiliation to support my arbitration career. I also wanted to grow my arbitration network and found the CIArb to be a valuable platform that gave me the opportunity as a member to attend talks and events that they regularly organize. As I wanted to get more involved and contribute to the organisation, I went on to serve on the Young Members Group of the CIArb. Thereafter, I was elected to serve on the CIArb UAE Branch Committee.

Q. How has your experience been so far and what have been your contributions since joining?

A. The CIArb has been a great opportunity to grow my network and to work with like-minded individuals to better serve its members. I contributed a chapter on A New York Convention on International Procedural Law for Arbitration: A Thing of the Future? in the CIArb Book A Brand New World: The Evolution and Future of Arbitration which was written by YMG members and was edited by John Tackaberry QC and Rowan Planterose. Since joining the UAE Branch committee I have organized webinars during the pandemic and assisted with promoting the CIArb. I have recently, with my fellow committee member Nebojsa, set up a mentoring programme where experienced practitioners share their wisdom and provide guidance to those practitioners who are either starting out in the field or feel they want to build their knowledge and network. I am a strong believer in sharing knowledge which is what drove me to start this initiative. I am also on the editorial team of the CIARb newsletter and review contributions from our members on recent developments.

Q. What are you seeking to achieve during your time on the Committee?

A. I want the mentoring programme to be a useful tool that together with our courses, will give members a practical sense of what is involved in working in arbitration, how to become an arbitrator, how to network and what skills to develop as an arbitration practitioner. I want our members to have the confidence and the skills to taken on arbitrator appointments and to advance their careers.

Q. What does the CIArb strategy 2021-2023 represent for you?

A. For those who may not be aware, the CIArb strategy 2021-2023 has three strategic aims: (1) To globally promote the constructive resolution of disputes, (2) To be a global, inclusive thought leader and (3) To develop and support an inclusive global community of diverse dispute resolvers.

As an arbitrator and a disputes lawyer, from an ethnic minority background and originating from Kenya, I can fully relate to and appreciate the CIArb vision. The face of international arbitration has long evolved from the white male and is now more female and more colorful!

To me the CIArb’s 2021-2023 strategy ties in closely with my core belief that disputes should be resolved effectively and efficiently and that the best person for the job should be used and this person can be female and/ or of colour. Diversity and inclusion in disputes is fundamental because it properly represents the players in a dispute and it can assist in the efficient and effective resolution of disputes. For example, an African arbitrator in an Africa seated arbitration may be more sensitive to the nuances in the region and may be better equipped to manage the dispute.

Q. What message do you have for others who would like to join the Committee and be more active in helping the CIArb meet its goals.

A. I would say make yourself known. Be seen and be heard. Join us at our events and find out what we do and what we are about and if this is something that excites you join the Committee. The CIArb can only benefit from enthusiastic practitioners who share the same values and beliefs as the organization and who are willing to volunteer to further its aims.

---

Sadaff Habib is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Committee Member of the CIArb UAE Branch. She sits as Arbitrator and is an Associate with Beale & Company Solicitors LLP. Sadaff can be contacted on  S.Habib@beale-law.com  

Committee Members 2021

Iryna Akulenka FCIArb
Chair
iryna.akulenka@gmail.com

---

Fatima Balfaqeeh MCIArb
Vice-Chair
Fatima.balfaqeeh@gmail.com

---

Michael Tonkin FCIArb
Honorary Secretary
MichaelTonkin@hka.com

---

Conrad Bromley FCIArb
Honorary Treasurer
conradbromley@outlook.com

---

Glenn Trueick FCIArb
Membership Secretary & Website Officer
Glenn.Trueick@fticonsulting.com

---

Reshma Oogorah FCIArb
Public Relations Officer
reshma@niyom.legal

---

Katarzyna Halliday MCIArb
Education & Training Officer
KHalliday@thinkbrg.com

---

Arun Visweswaran ACIArb
YMG Representative
Arun.Visweswaran@CliffordChance.com

---

Stuart Allan FCIArb
Committee Member
stuart_allan@me.com

---

Asha Bejoy FCIArb
Committee Member
asha@atblegal.com

---

Joe Durkin FCIArb
Committee Member
jdurkin@lcmfinance.com

---

Mohieldiin Elbana MCIArb
Committee Member
momoelbana@hotmail.com

---

Shani-Louise Foad MCIArb
Committee Member
shanifoad@hotmail.com

---

Sadaff Habib MCIArb
Committee Member
s.habib@beale-law.com

---

Nebojsa Pavlovic FCIArb
Committee Member
nebojsa.pavlovic@adlitteramco.com

---

Faris Shehabi FCIArb
Committee Member
farisshehabi@incegd.com

---

Robert Siliwinski FCIArb
Committee Member
r.sliwinski@alsuwaidi.ae

---

Know your Committee : Fatima Balfaqeeh MCIArb – Vice-Chair

Q. Tell us about you and how you landed on the CIArb UAE Branch Committee?

A. My passion for the legal field has always been there since I can remember. I have always been advocating for something or the other which, with hindsight was not fun for my parents or school administrators. After attaining my Bachelor of Finance and Master’s in International Business, I kept finding myself incorporating aspects of commercial law into my daily work in the field of finance, contract, and procurement. However, despite my many attempts at specialising in law then, it didn’t always pan out for me due to family commitments.

As my career progressed in contracts and procurement, I found myself specialising more in disputes and dispute management, which motivated me to get certified as an arbitrator in 2015. That’s when I started building my career in the arbitration field. Later that year, I made the decision to commit to pursuing my LLB which, I have now done successfully and with honours. After getting exposed to the international ADR field more thoroughly through events in Dubai and speaking to many professionals, I enrolled myself into the CIArb membership to further my knowledge in 2017.

In 2019, I made the decision to participate in the election of Committee Members for the CIArb UAE Branch and have been honoured to be part of the CIArb UAE Branch Committee ever since.

Q. How has your experience been so far and what have been your contributions since joining?

A. I was able to work very closely with the members of the CIArb UAE Branch Committee in addition to members of the CIArb in the UAE and the ADR community as a whole. We conducted some informative and impactful trainings and networking events such as during the Dubai Arbitration Week, amongst many others. In particular, I organised the first Arabic Language Webinar 3-Part Series that was supported by the CIArb UAE Branch, focused on construction disputes, starting from signing of the construction contract all the way to resolving any dispute arising from the construction project.

Q. What are you seeking to achieve during your time on the Committee?

A. I would like really to encourage more UAE nationals to get involved with the CIArb UAE Branch, in addition to launching CIArb’s training in the Arabic language in the UAE.

Q. What does the CIArb strategy 2021-2023 represent for you?

A. CIArb’s strategy for 2021-2023 not only represents what the global ADR community requires, which is diversity and inclusion in all its forms, but also providing thought leadership in an ever-changing market dynamic and evolving legal requirements.

Q. What message do you have for others who would like to join the Committee and be more active in helping the CIArb meet its goals.

A. CIArb UAE Branch Committee Members are a very welcoming and inclusive group of professionals who are eager to engage with the wider membership. Your perspective and contribution are not only welcome but very much needed and valued.

---

Fatima Balfaqeeh is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Vice-Chair of the CIArb UAE Branch. She is the Managing Director of RKAH Legal Consultancy, sits as Arbitrator and Mediator, and can be contacted on info@rkahconsultancy.ae

Know your Committee : Michael Tonkin C.Arb FCIArb Honorary Secretary

Q. Tell us about you and how you landed on the CIArb UAE Branch Committee?

A. My CIArb journey started in 2004 when I first came to Dubai and I became heavily involved in the UAE Branch and its development. Once appointed as a Trustee of the CIArb from 2014-2018 I needed to step down from the Committee. Whilst I enjoyed my time as Trustee and subsequently with the Governance Review Working Party from 2018-2020 and did a lot of good work for the CIArb, I missed being a part of the Committee and the connection to UAE members that flows from that. It was therefore an easy decision for me to stand again for the committee during 2020. Just don’t ask me how I became Honorary Secretary, because it’s a blur!

Q. How has your experience been so far and what have been your contributions since joining?

A. I have been hugely impressed with the enthusiasm and energy of the committee and how together they are driving the branch forward. The diversity of the branch is wonderful. In terms of my contribution, other than increasing the average age, I would like to think that I have added experience and guidance taken from my 17 years of being involved in CIArb committees and working groups. We have a wonderful Chair and Vice Chair in Iryna and Fatima respectively, and it is great to be able to support them in their leadership of the Branch.

Q. What are you seeking to achieve during your time on the Committee?

A. My reason for being involved with the committee has always been about providing opportunities for others to achieve their goals. I have supported aspiring members progress from Associates to Members to Fellows, and sometime also achieve “Chartered Arbitrator” status, organised numerous major conferences and I have recently jointly completed a new CIArb training programme for Fellows. I find all of this extremely rewarding. If I can continue to do that and also support my fellow committee members in achieving their goals, then I will be happy.

Q. What does the CIArb strategy 2021-2023 represent for you?

A. A reflection of what our committee is focused on delivering. Notwithstanding, the voices of the branch members in telling us what they want is fundamental to our success and we encourage you to speak up.

Q. What message do you have for others who would like to join the Committee and be more active in helping the CIArb meet its goals.

A. Get involved! There is something for everyone and you won’t regret it…

---

Michael Tonkin is a Chartered Arbitrator, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Honorary Secretary of the CIArb UAE Branch. He is a Partner with HKA and can be contacted on MichaelTonkin@hka.com