SIAC Congress 2014
The inaugural SIAC Congress 2014 was held in Singapore on 6 June 2014. The Congress was attended by over 350 delegates, of which 45% were from outside Singapore including the UK, USA, Australia, India, China, Indonesia, Korea, Japan and Hong Kong. Delegates comprised of practising lawyers, arbitrators, in-house counsel, members of the judiciary, public sector officials, industry service providers and business associations.
The theme of this year’s Congress was ‘Dispute Resolution Asia – Innovation and Change in an Age of Opportunity – A View from the Lion City’. The key-note address was given by Mr K. Shanmugam SC, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law. Professor Michael Pryles, Founder President, SIAC Court of Arbitration, moderated a question and answer session with Mr K. Shanmugam which focused on Singapore’s plans to build on its rise as an arbitral centre and the success of the SIAC with a view to developing Singapore into a dispute resolution hub. The topics discussed in other panel sessions included current issues in international arbitration, third party funding, enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, new areas for international arbitration and investment treaty arbitration in Asia. Panel members included leading arbitration practitioners, arbitrators, general counsel and academics.
The Congress was followed by a Gala Dinner with an address by Indranee Rajah, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Education at which the SIAC Training Video was officially launched. The SIAC Training Video is a unique and innovative tool that takes viewers through the various stages of an arbitral process. SIAC decided to produce the Video to demystify international arbitration. Given the confidential nature of arbitral proceedings it is useful for those who have never experienced an international arbitration before to have a visual guide to take them through the various stages of an arbitral process.
The Video will be a useful learning and teaching tool for arbitrators, practitioners, in-house counsel, judges and university students. In addition to being an educational tool, it will promote Singapore as a neutral seat and a convenient location for international arbitration. It will also show existing and potential users the workings of SIAC as a leading arbitral institution and it will showcase Maxwell Chambers as a world class hearing facility.
The SIAC Congress 2014 would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors. SIAC would like to thank:
| • | Our Platinum sponsor – Rajah & Tann | ||||||||||||||||||
| • | Our Gold sponsor – Holman Fenwick & Willan | ||||||||||||||||||
| • | Our Silver sponsors – Jones Day and Wong Partnership | ||||||||||||||||||
| • | Our Bronze sponsors: | ||||||||||||||||||
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| • | Freshfields - Luncheon | ||||||||||||
| • | Nabarro - Pre-Gala Dinner Cocktail Reception | ||||||||||||
| • | Clifford Chance - Gala dinner | ||||||||||||
| • | Product sponsors: | ||||||||||||
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| • | CIArb |
| • | Centre for International Law (CIL) |
| • | Maxwell Chambers |
| • | Ministry of Law Singapore |
| • | Singapore Academy of Law |
| • | Singapore Corporate Counsel Association (SCCA) |
| • | SIArb |
| • | Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) |
| • | The Law Society of Singapore |
| • | WIPO | ADR Arbitration and Mediation Centre |
