Speakers
Dr Dalia Hussein
Director of CRCICA, the Chair of the CIArb Egypt Branch and Lecturer at the Commercial and Maritime Law Department
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Abena Osei is a Senior Associate at Werksmans Attorneys in the Dispute Resolution practice, specialising in international arbitration, investment treaty arbitration and cross-border disputes. She represents multinational corporations and investors in complex, high-value disputes across multiple jurisdictions.
Her experience includes acting in proceedings before the Permanent Court of Arbitration and she also regularly advises on commercial litigation in the High Court including alternative dispute resolution.
She holds an LLB (with distinction) from the University of Pretoria and is an active member of Young AFSA, contributing to the development of the next generation of arbitration practitioners.
Aisha is a Partner at ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna where she heads the regional Dispute Resolution department. She has substantial experience in complex, high value cross border disputes and is dual qualified as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Solicitor of England and Wales.
Aisha is recognised as one of the leading arbitration practitioners and has been appointed as arbitrator by leading international centres. She is the only Kenyan arbitrator on the Court of Arbitration for Sport General Panel and was also appointed to the governing body of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) in 2025. In July 2025 Aisha was appointed as the chair of the international arbitration committee of the International Association for Defense Counsel (IADC).
Aisha is highly regarded by both Chambers Global and Legal 500 for disputes.
Overview
Attorney-at-Law in Mauritius focusing on litigation and dispute resolution across civil, commercial, employment, family, and cross-border contexts. Akshav represents clients before all levels of the Mauritian courts and acts in domestic and international arbitration matters, with particular experience in enforcement of foreign judgments and cross-border insolvency issues. His practice spans advisory work, trial strategy, and emergency relief applications. He also acts as chairperson in disciplinary committees, bringing a balanced, pragmatic approach to decision-making. His experience extends to representing multinational corporations, financial institutions, and high-net-worth individuals, delivering commercially practical solutions and strategic dispute management. Akshav has acted for corporate, institutional, and private clients in contentious matters and arbitration proceedings, with experience in complex commercial disputes, enforcement actions, employment investigations, and family proceedings. His work regularly involves urgent court applications, cross-border elements, and multi-party litigation.
Area of expertise
Litigation and Arbitration Qualifications
Education
LLB, University of Hertfordshire. Law Practitioners Vocational Course.
Experience
Akshav’s experience includes:
Expert activity:
Prepared expert opinions on the application of Belarusian law for submission in cases considered in:
the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus and minor Belarussian economic courts;
the High Court of Justice Business and Property Courts of England and Wales (London, UK);
the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (Washington, USA);
the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (Austria);
the Tribunal Arbitral de Barcelona (Spain).
Key areas of expertise:
Sales of goods, IT disputes, sanctions.
Alexandre Vagenheim is VP of Global Legal Data at Jus Mundi where he leads the company’s data strategy and global relations.
Alexandre is a French qualified international arbitration lawyer. Prior to joining Jus Mundi, Alexandre has represented clients in a wide range of matters involving international commercial arbitration, international investment disputes and French court litigation at the former arbitration practice of Castaldi Mourre & Partners in Paris. In addition to his experience as counsel, Alexandre has acted as secretary to arbitral tribunals in international arbitrations as research assistant to the late Prof. Martin Hunter at Essex Court Chambers, London.
Alexandre was appointed lecturer in international commercial arbitration, investment arbitration and private international law within the LL M program of King’s College and at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and is the author of numerous publications in the field of international business law and arbitration law.
Andile Nikani is a seasoned legal, corporate governance, and strategy professional with over 20 years of experience. An admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa and an accredited mediator, he serves as CEO of the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA), managing multiple branches nationwide.
Formerly Executive Head of the Takeover Regulation Panel, he issued over 1,000 rulings, including 50 landmark decisions shaping South African company law and public M&A regulation. His expertise spans complex commercial contracts, corporate and competition law, and mergers and acquisitions.
Andile holds a BA and an LLB from the University of Cape Town, an LLM from the University of Liverpool, and an MPhil in Corporate Strategy from GIBS. Currently a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Pretoria, he has presented research at the London Stock Exchange, UK Takeover Panel, and Hong Kong Takeover Panel.
Bobedi Seleke is Managing Counsel at the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA), with over a decade of experience in commercial, regulatory, and competition law. She previously worked at the Competition Tribunal of South Africa and brings deep insight into complex legal and regulatory frameworks. Prior to this, she was a Director at Fluxmans Attorneys, where she specialised in mergers, regulatory compliance, and commercial litigation across sectors including telecommunications, energy, and finance. Bobedi holds an LLB from the University of the Witwatersrand and an LLM in Mercantile Law from the University of Pretoria. She is passionate about advancing efficient dispute resolution.
Overview
Brian Mambosho is an accomplished lawyer with extensive experience in commercial litigation. Over his career, he has developed a robust practice representing clients in a wide range of complex commercial disputes including construction, mining, regulatory compliance, and contract disputes. Brian has also been involved in defending major aviation claims and procurement disputes. He has experience bringing and opposing ship arrests in Tanzania, and advising ship owners, charterers and their marine insurers in a variety of shipping and commodity related matters. He is known for his client-centric approach, ensuring that each client’s unique business objectives and concerns are at the forefront of his litigation strategy. Brian successfully represented numerous clients in high-stakes contract disputes, achieving favorable outcomes through strategic litigation and effective negotiation. His ability to identify key leverage issues has been instrumental in securing significant settlements and judgements. His meticulous approach to fact-finding and evidence presentation has resulted in numerous successful verdicts and settlements for his clients. In handling disputes, Brian is vastly employing ADR techniques to resolve commercial disputes outside the court room. His ability to navigate ADR processes has often resulted in quicker, cost-effective resolutions for his clients.
Area of expertise
Qualifications
Education:
Professional Memberships
Experience
Recently Brian has acted for:
Awards
Burton Meyer is a Director in our Dispute Resolution practice. He specialises in commercial litigation, with a specific focus on property law, mining law, and corporate recoveries. Burton is experienced in Superior Court litigation, arbitrations and mediation, and has assisted large multinational corporations in corporate litigation and corporate recoveries.
Chandni specialises in complex corporate and commercial dispute resolution. She has experience in high profile and high value domestic and international arbitration, court litigation and regulatory proceedings.
Chandni advises a range of local and international clients including major corporates, investors and multi-national organisations in local and cross-border matters.She has developed expertise in numerous sectors, including energy, construction, project finance, retail, ESG and private equity.
Chandni contributes to leading annual review publications and has numerous widely publicised articles in the fields of private international law, ESG, energy and natural resources, trade and international arbitration.
Chandni spent a year at the Constitutional Court of the Republic of South Africa, clerking for Justice Edwin Cameron.
She holds a BCom (Law) and an LLB (cum laude) degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, an LLM in Public Interest Law & Policy (magna cum laude) from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a Fulbright Scholar.
Overview
Clement Mkiva is a partner and the co-head of our Litigation Practice Group in South Africa. He specialises in all areas of dispute resolution, including local and transnational litigation, arbitration and mediation. His expertise extend to contractual disputes, judicial reviews, damages claims, class actions, shareholder disputes, interdicts/injunction applications, banking and funding disputes, cross-border securities fraud, insolvency, construction disputes, defamation claims, employee benefits, property related disputes and mining litigation. Clement has successfully assisted clients in various fields, including mining houses, banks, telecommunications companies, fund managers, pharmaceutical companies, provident funds, product manufacturers, health services companies, constitutional entities, municipal entities and parastatals. During his studies in Switzerland he received specialised training in international commercial and investment arbitration as well as common disputes mechanisms.
Area of expertise
Qualifications
Education
Clement has an LLB from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University as well as a Masters in International Dispute Settlement, a joint LLM program of the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. During his studies in Switzerland he received specialised training in international commercial and investment arbitration as well as the dispute mechanisms in major.
Experience
Awards
Clive Rumsey is a Director in the Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Inc (CDH) Dispute Resolution practice and focuses on construction and engineering law. Clive is the Sector Head for Construction and Engineering.His experience spans over 30 years, in which he has been involved in both the non-contentious and contentious areas of construction and engineering law. He has been involved in boththe drafting and reviewing of construction contracts, including FIDIC, NEC, JBCC and GCC Conditions of Contract, and the resolution of disputes in terms of those forms of contracts.Clive has conducted arbitrations in accordance with ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL and AFSA Rules.
About Clive
Clive was admitted as an attorney in February 1990 and has been a Director of CDH since December 2020.
Credentials
Education
Experience
Recognition
Dr. Dalia Hussein is the Director of CRCICA, the Chair of the CIArb Egypt Branch and Lecturer at the Commercial and Maritime Law Department at the Faculty of Law, Zagazig University.
Dr. Hussein has over 24 years of experience in international commercial and investment arbitration. Before joining CRCICA in 2014, she worked as an Administrative Prosecutor and was seconded at the Department of International Cooperation at the Egyptian Ministry of Justice where she worked on a number of investment cases involving Egypt, in addition to issues of international judicial cooperation in civil, commercial and criminal matters. After her resignation, she joined an international arbitration law firm based in Cairo where she represented states and private parties in commercial and investment disputes before many institutions including CRCICA, ICC, ICSID and DIAC. She taught business and contract Law at the French and British universities in Egypt, commercial and investment arbitration at the Institut de Droit des Affaires Internationales at Cairo University and at the French Law Section at Ain Shams University. She also worked as an external legal expert for Arab and Islamic Laws at the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law.
Dr. Hussein serves as arbitrator and regularly participates as speaker in international conferences. She also published a number of articles and book chapters in Arabic, English and French.
She holds a Maîtrise en Droit from Paris I-Pantheon-Sorbonne University, an LL.B. from Cairo University (2000), an LL.M. in International Law from Paris II-Pantheon-Assas University (2001), an LL.M in Private Law from Cairo University (2003), and a PHD in international arbitration from Cairo University (2008). She also hold a Masters of Arts in Arabic Studies from the American University in Cairo (2019). She was a visiting scholar at Lyon III University (2005).
Denise Durand is a Director in the Dispute Resolution practice with experience across a wide range of complex commercial disputes. Her work spans High Court litigation and arbitration, with a particular focus on matters arising in regulated and resource-intensive industries. She advises clients on contentious commercial, contractual and regulatory issues, often in matters with significant operational, financial and reputational implications. She has particular expertise in mining-related disputes, including matters under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, challenges to mining rights, illegal mining, encroachments on mining areas, and engagements with traditional councils and government authorities in relation to community land. In addition to dispute resolution, Denise advises on regulatory compliance, statutory interpretation and risk management, and is frequently involved in crisis response and reputation-sensitive matters.
Denise began her career as a mineral rights manager in an investment group before pursuing law. Denise joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr as an Associate in 2017 and became a Senior Associate in 2019. Denise was promoted to Director in 2024. Denise acts for blue-chip clients across sectors including mining, financial services, pharmaceuticals, property, agriculture, education, tourism and infrastructure. Her experience includes contract enforcement and damages claims, shareholder and eviction disputes, business rescue and insolvency litigation, foreclosure proceedings, interdicts and review applications.
Des Williams was with Werksmans Attorneys for 52 years, as a Director, Head of litigation, Chairman and Consultant. He is a former Chairman of the Litigation Committee of the International Bar Association. He was the South African Member of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce from 2011 to 2018. He is the Chairman of AFSA’s SADC Division and now practices as an independent arbitrator in both domestic and international arbitrations.”
Diamana Diawara brings 15 years of experience in international litigation and arbitration, including over a decade at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the world’s leading institution for dispute resolution. Her unique expertise is applied daily in arbitration proceedings where she serves as counsel and an arbitrator, providing strategic and pragmatic insights to meet the needs of her clients and the stakeholders involved in cases where she sits as arbitrator.
A lawyer admitted to the Paris Bar, Diamana stands out particularly in the area of litigation involving state parties in Africa. She has facilitated the resolution of over a thousand ICC arbitration cases, covering complex disputes between parties from the Middle East, Africa, and French-speaking Europe.
With an in-depth knowledge of international investments in Africa, Diamana Diawara excels in managing disputes arising from these investments. As the Africa Director of Dispute Resolution Services at the ICC, she played a key role in training African public and private sector stakeholders, enhancing their understanding of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods. Simultaneously, she worked to improve the inclusion of African practitioners in international arbitration proceedings.
Through TALEX INTERNATIONAL, her boutique focused on arbitration and dispute resolution, Diamana leverages her expertise in complex arbitration procedures, guided by core values of rigor, excellence, and humanity. She is committed to offering innovative, pragmatic solutions to the challenges her clients face.
Throughout her career, Diamana Diawara has been recognized by her peers and received numerous awards. Notably, she was named Rising Star of the Month by Africa Arbitration in September 2019. She has also been listed in Who’s Who Legal’s Future Leaders of International Arbitration rankings from 2021 to 2023. In 2024, she was honored with a nomination in the Global Elite Thought Leaders of Arbitration category by Lexology, a testament to her recognized excellence in the field.
Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was Liberia’s and Africa’s first democratically elected female Head of State. Internationally known as “Africa’s Iron Lady,” President Johnson Sirleaf is a leading promoter of freedom, peace, justice, women’s empowerment, and democratic rule. She led Liberia through reconciliation and recovery following the nation’s two decade-long civil war as well as through its Ebola crisis, winning international acclaim for achieving economic, social, and political change.
Recognized as a global leader for women’s empowerment, President Johnson Sirleaf was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 201. A recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian award, and the Grand Croix of the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest public distinction. She has been awarded honors by other countries and universities around Africa and beyond. And in 2017, former President Sirleaf as the first female recipient was awarded the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, which celebrates excellence in African leadership.
In May 2012, she was appointed co-chair of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, tasked with crafting a roadmap for global recovery and sustainable development – the Sustainable Development Goals. In June 2016, she was elected the first female Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and was appointed by the Secretary-General appointed her Co-Chair the High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism and later in 2020, the Director-General of WHO appointed her Co-chair along with Helen Clark on the Independent Panel for Pandemic Response to investigate the spread and origin of COVID-19 and recommendation. Madam President is a member of several Boards including The Elders, Mastercard Foundation, Mo Ibrahim Foundation Prize Member, African Women Leadership Network, Climate Governance Commission, Africa Europe Foundation and many others.
In 2023, she was honored with a TIME 100 Impact Award at the inaugural Africa Summit for a leadership legacy marked by the relentless pursuit of justice, equality and peace and the Reach Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her work to improve healthcare systems in Africa and around the world.
Post Presidency and in the wake of COVID-19, on March 8, 2020, she launched the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development which aims to create a network of accomplished women across Africa, facilitating an open and honest exchange of ideas and creating opportunities for them to develop new skills for public service leadership.
She has written widely on financial, development, and human rights issues, and in 2008 she published her critically acclaimed memoir, This Child Will Be Great.
She was the proud mother of 4 sons and grandmother of 12.In 2022, she lost her eldest son James and in June 2024, her second son Charles passed away.
Overview
Gerhard represents and advises clients on a wide range of contentious and risk management issues. He is typically mandated in civil litigation, arbitration proceedings and investigations in South Africa, across the African continent and beyond, representing clients in complex transactional, public law and regulatory disputes and enforcement proceedings. Gerhard has established a truly international practice over more than 25 years. His sector expertise covers mining, energy, and infrastructure, financial services as well as restructuring and insolvency. Gerhard has been ranked as a leading dispute resolution lawyer in legal directories for almost two decades. He is also regarded as one of the leading construction law specialists in South Africa and is consistently recognised for his work in insolvency and restructuring.
Area of expertise
Qualifications
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Henk Louw is an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa and an Acting Judge of the High Court, holding Chambers in Sandton with the Rivonia Group of Advocates. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), where he serves as Chairperson of the South African Branch, the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa) and Prime Dispute (UK), he maintains an extensive international arbitration practice spanning panel appointments at AFSA, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, the Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, the Russian Arbitration Centre, and a number of other institutional bodies across Africa, Asia, and Europe. Accredited as a mediator with the Society of Mediators (London), the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa), and ADR Network SA, he has presided over numerous arbitral disputes, commercial mediations and adjudicates with many reported cases. He is also admitted to practise in the Kingdom of Lesotho, where he serves as an arbitrator with the Law Society of Lesotho and as a member of the Arbitrators Association of Lesotho. In addition to his dispute resolution practice, Henk has contributed to the development of arbitral rules and procedure, including as author of the AFSA Remote Hearing Protocol, a contributor to the Russian Arbitration Centre Dispute Board Rules and the Commercial Court Directive to fast-track arbitral disputes in the High Court.
Dr. Henry Kinyanjui Murigi is a distinguished legal professional, academic, and thought leader with over a decade of experience in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), mediation, arbitration, and litigation. As the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration (NCIA), Dr. Murigi brings a wealth of expertise in managing complex legal disputes, fostering international collaboration, and promoting access to justice.
With a robust background in anti-corruption investigations, economic crimes prosecution, and academic instruction, Dr. Murigi has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership in both the public and private sectors. His career includes significant roles such as Principal Prosecution Counsel at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), where he led high-profile anticorruption cases, and as a Partner at Daniel Henry & Company Advocates, specializing in ADR, mediation, and arbitration.
Dr. Murigi holds a PhD in International Relations from the United States International UniversityAfrica, an MA in Peace and Conflict Studies from Kenyatta University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law. His academic contributions include the publication of FaithBased Access to Justice in Kenya (2023) and numerous peer-reviewed articles on prosecutorial powers, corporate crime, and arbitration.
As a member of the Chartered institute of Arbitrators and the Law Society of Kenya, Dr. Murigi is deeply committed to advancing the field of arbitration both locally and internationally. His vision for the NCIA is to position Nairobi as a leading hub for international arbitration, fostering sustainable development, peace, and justice through innovative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Murigi is actively engaged in community service, serving as a mentor, board chairman, and volunteer teacher.
Under Dr. Murigi’s leadership, the NCIA is poised to expand its global footprint, enhance its service offerings, and contribute to the growth of international arbitration in Africa and beyond.
Jackwell Feris is a Director and the Head of the Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade Sector at CDH. As Sector Head, he leads the firm’s advisory work in emerging and futurefacing industries, including green hydrogen and energytransition sectors that rely on critical minerals. With more than 16 years of experience, Jackwell advises governments, stateowned entities, multinational corporates, and investors across the Oil & Gas, Mining & Minerals, Energy, Infrastructure, and Transport sectors. His work spans complex policy, regulatory, governance, and commercial risk issues affecting major mining and energy projects, including transactional structuring, licensing, regulatory compliance, project implementation, and the design and execution of PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) and Private Sector Participation (PSP) frameworks.
Jackwell is recognised as a leading expert in domestic and international arbitration commercial, investment, and public international law and has represented clients in highvalue disputes across Africa and globally. He also advises on dispute avoidance, strategic regulatory engagement, and judicial review of state and regulatory decisions impacting mining, energy, infrastructure, and PPPdriven projects. Jackwell’s expertise covers administrative and constitutional law, public procurement and public finance law, public international law, international investment law, specialised natural resources law (including mining and oil & gas), infrastructure regulation, and the legal design of PPP and PSP models for complex projects.
Jamsheed is an arbitrator, an arbitration counsel and a dual-qualified barrister practising at the Bar of England and Wales and at the Mauritian Bar with rights of audience before the courts of the AIFC and DIFC.
He holds a PhD in international arbitration law from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne and started his career in the arbitration group of a magic-circle law firm in Paris where he was part of the team advising UNCITRAL on the revision of its Arbitration Rules.
Jamsheed has worked on numerous high-profile arbitrations under various institutional rules across several continents. He has been described on Legal 500 as “first-rate” and on Chambers & Partners as “a very well-respected arbitration practitioner internationally” and “a seasoned specialist … advising on a broad range of commercial and investor-state arbitrations”.
His practice covers various areas ranging from commercial, corporate and financial disputes, to energy, mining, infrastructure and transport.
In addition to his international practice, Jamsheed currently serves as the Secretary-General of the African Society of International Law and as Co-Chair of the COMBAR Africa Committee.
Overview
John Kawana is a partner in our Zambian practice. He specialises in commercial litigation and dispute resolution and has acted on some of the country’s most complex and high-profile matters, from competition and tax disputes to class-action cases involving wrongful discharge. His expertise extends to commercial claims, debt recoveries, and administrative and judicial proceedings, including responding to claims, conducting and managing pre-trial discovery and trial work, and negotiating settlements. He has acted for clients in the aviation, banking, energy, financial services, logistics and mining sectors in matters before the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, the Zambia Revenue Authority Tax Appeals Tribunal, and the superior and subordinate courts of Zambia.
Area of expertise
Qualifications
Dr John Nyanje is a legal practitioner and academic specialising in international law, international arbitration, and cross-border finance. He currently serves as a legal consultant to the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce through the LawCom Institute, where he supports institutional collaboration under the African-German Arbitration Cooperation (AfGAC) initiative.
He holds an LL.M. from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Geneva) and has a PhD from the Leibniz University Hannover, where he also researches and teaches international law. His academic work focuses on international dispute settlement, climate litigation, and the role of African institutions in the development of international law.
In addition to his academic and advisory work, Dr Nyanje has experience in international litigation and dispute resolution and is actively involved in structuring complex cross-border transactions in emerging markets. He regularly contributes to capacity building and professional training programmes for legal practitioners and arbitral institutions across Africa.
Overview
Commercially minded and practical solutions are key drivers in Jonathan’s disputes practice. He strives to find the most cost-effective and sensible resolutions for his clients and firmly believes that a firm grasp of each client’s aims, paired with a good working relationship form a strong foundation for developing appropriate dispute resolution strategies and achieving results. This could entail seeking a commercial settlement through negotiation and mediation or opting for a more formal resolution by way of litigation or arbitration. There is no fixed agenda and each matter is assessed on its own merits and with each client’s strategic goals and objectives in mind. In this regard, Jonathan’s dispute resolution expertise and offering is broad. He is a qualified mediator with South African and United Kingdom qualifications who also specialises in High Court litigation and private arbitration, both internationally and domestically. He has expertise in transactional disputes, contractual claims, mining-related litigation, class action lawsuits and urgent High Court proceedings. He has also worked on arbitrations seated in Johannesburg, Paris, London and Mauritius facing tribunals convened under the auspices of the ICC, the LCIA and AFSA. Working alongside colleagues as local counsel to an International Law Firm, Jonathan received the following feedback: ‘He provided a timely, well considered, clearly presented, excellent memo on a question of South African contract law. He was also a delight to interact with.’- Elliot Friedman (Partner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, New York). An international client has also described working with Jonathan in the following terms: ‘Jonathan is diligent and proactive in his approach to work. His drafting is very clear and he is obviously able to grasp complex issues quickly.’ Currently, Jonathan is representing a multinational vehicle manufacturer in its ongoing class action lawsuit, which is breaking new ground in South Africa. Jonathan has also recently been working on cross-border matters in Mauritius, Germany and the UAE, either as lead counsel or as local counsel instructed by international law firms. Jonathan joined the firm straight out of university. He became a partner in 2022.
Area of expertise
Qualifications
Education
Awards
Kudakwashe Chitanga (“Kuda”) currently serves as the Regional Manager, Legal, Corporate Services at First Quantum Minerals covering a broad range of areas including legal services, government relations and corporate services.
Having spent 5 years with a corporate commercial law firm before joining the mining sector in 2017, Kuda’s experience and expertise is centred around executive strategy and risk mitigation in the mining area with a key focus on long term projects. During this time at FQM, Kuda has been responsible for a number of key capital projects in influencing key investment decisions and has led teams responsible for strategic sourcing. Kuda is currently part of the core internal FQM team championing the implementation of the Local Content Regulations.
From an academic standpoint, Kuda is a qualified Barrister (Zambia) and holds a Bachelors in Law from the University of Zambia, a Masters in Law from Salford University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Organisational Leadership from Oxford University as well as Executive Finance Certificate from Said Business School, Oxford University. He is currently pursuing a Global Executive MBA from the Alliance Business School at the University of Manchester.
Lele Modise is an accomplished legal executive with extensive experience in corporate law, governance, regulatory affairs, and financial markets. She has served as Group Chief Legal and Regulatory Affairs Officer (CLRO) of MTN Group since February 2022, having previously held the position of Group Chief Legal Counsel from August 2019.
In her role, Lele leads MTN’s Legal and Regulatory Affairs function across Africa and the Middle East, providing strategic counsel on major corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, investments, and complex regulatory matters.
She oversees key areas including corporate finance and restructuring, dispute resolution, compliance, and public policy engagement, ensuring that MTN’s operations align with evolving legal and regulatory frameworks across its markets.
Before joining MTN, Lele held senior legal and advisory positions within the banking and corporate sectors, where she developed deep expertise in securities law, banking regulation, and financial markets. Her leadership is instrumental in supporting MTN’s strategic ambitions through robust governance, regulatory stewardship, and legal innovation.
Lele holds a BProc (LLB Exemption) from the University of Pretoria, as well as certificates in Securities Law and Banking Law and Financial Markets. She also holds a Master’s degree in Banking Law from the University of South Africa (UNISA).
Leslie is an attorneyof the High Courtof South Africa. He is a director and one of the founders of Mkhabela Huntley Attorneys Inc. He holds a B.Iuris and LLB degrees from the University of Limpopo. Leslie has been practicing law forover 29 years. His main areas of practice encompass dispute resolution in commercial, constitutional and administrative law and regulated industries.
He is member of the board of directors of AFSA. He recently served as a member of the board of directors Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd until his retirement in November 2025.
Leslie hasrepresented numerous large clients across the public and private sectors in a variety of complex matters, both in arbitrations and court litigation, several of which have been precedent setting. Leslie also serves as an arbitrator from time to time.
Lise Bosman is based at the Peace Palace in The Hague, as Senior Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) and Executive Director of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA). She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and has published and spoken widely in the field of international arbitration. Lise is the General Editor of the ‘ICCA International Handbook on Commercial Arbitration’ (a seven-volume loose-leaf collection of arbitration-related legislation and commentary on over 80 jurisdictions; Kluwer Law International, published since 1984) and the General Editor and contributing author of ‘Arbitration in Africa: A Practitioner’s Guide’ (Second Edition, Kluwer Law International, 2021). Her areas of specialization are international commercial arbitration law and practice; the practice and development of international arbitration in Africa; international investment law; investor-State arbitration; and State-State arbitration.
Judge Margie Victor is a distinguished legal practitioner and jurist with a career spanning over four decades, marked by a strong commitment to justice, transformation, and alternative dispute resolution.
Her professional journey began as a qualified social worker, before she transitioned into law, first as an attorney and then as an advocate at the Johannesburg Bar. Over 25 years of advocacy, her practice encompassed environmental law, commercial litigation, and family law.
Judge Victor was the first woman elected to the Johannesburg Bar Council, where she championed gender and racial transformation in the legal profession. In 2008, she was appointed as a Judge of the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court of South Africa (Johannesburg). Her judicial career included serving on the Competition Appeal Court, where she acted as Judge President, and as an Acting Justice of both the Supreme Court of Appeal (2016) and the Constitutional Court (2019-2021). She was instrumental in the landmark Sylvia Mahlangu v Minister of Labour judgment, which extended workplace injury insurance to domestic workers, integrating constitutional jurisprudence with intersectional considerations of race, gender, and social origin.
Through formal mentorship programmes and training workshops, she has mentored countless aspiring judges, legal practitioners, and students locally and internationally. Judge Victor has also served on the Board of the Institute of African Women Lawyers, promoting gender equality across the continent.
After retiring from the judiciary, she continued her dedication to dispute resolution as the Ombud for the Long- and Short-Term Insurance industry. Her enduring passion for Alternative Dispute Resolution makes her an invaluable presenter in the AFSA ADR Programme, where she brings her wealth of experience in mediation, arbitration, and judicial excellence.
Adv Michael Kuper is a Senior Advocate at the Johannesburg Bar and one of South Africa’s most prominent arbitration specialists. His practice is focused on complex arbitration matters, including corporate, shareholder, partnership, and broader commercial and investment disputes. He is a recognised authority in both domestic and international arbitration.
A seasoned leader in the legal profession, Michael has served three terms as Chairman of the Johannesburg Bar and held the position of Vice-Chairman of
the General Council of the Bar. He has also acted as a Judge of the High Court on several occasions, bringing judicial insight to his extensive arbitration and mediation work.
Michael’s arbitration career spans decades and crosses borders. He has acted as counsel, arbitrator, or mediator in numerous domestic, regional (SADC), and
international proceedings. His regional engagements have included cross-border disputes across Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. Internationally, he has appeared, or presided, in arbitrations seated in the United Kingdom, France, Nigeria, and the United States of America.
He has been appointed to panels by prestigious institutions, including the
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). He acted as lead counsel for South Africa before the Permanent Court of Arbitration and has served as Country Rapporteur for South Africa.
Michael also holds panel appointments with multiple international arbitration centres, including:
• Hainan Arbitration Commission
• Shanghai International Arbitration Centre
• Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration
• Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA)
• China-Africa Joint Arbitration Centre (CAJAC)
• BIAC International Arbitration Centre)
He has held an appointment of Research Fellow of the Institute for Belt and Road Initiative and Research Fellow of the Institute of BRICS Leading Studies, East China University of Political Science and Law. He is a member of the Executive Council of ICDPASO.
He currently serves as Chairman of both AFSA and CAJAC Johannesburg, continuing to shape arbitration practice and policy across Africa and globally.
As a presenter in the AFSA ADR Programme, Michael brings unparalleled insight, international perspective, and thought leadership, allowing participants to learn from one of the foremost figures in the African arbitration landscape.
Michael Schottler is the head of the global disputes portfolio for Anglo American plc, and is also the Head of Group Legal in South Africa.
Anglo American is a global diversified mining company, listed on both the London and South African stock exchanges. The Group’s mining portfolio includes bulk commodities (including iron ore, manganese, and metallurgical coal), base metals (including copper and nickel), and precious metals and minerals (including diamonds). The Group has operations in Africa, Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Australia. The Group directly employs approximately 43 000 people across its operations, and recorded revenue of US$ 18.5bn, and EBITDA earnings of US$6.4 bn for the 2025 annual financial year.
The Group is currently engaged in extensive corporate activity, which includes the transaction to combine Anglo American and Teck through a merger of equals to form Anglo Teck – a global mining leader and one of the world’s largest copper producers, which will also entail further listings on the Canadian and New York stock exchanges. In parallel, the Group continues its strategy of portfolio transformation, which included demerging the PGMs business (Anglo American Platinum, now Valterra Platinum) in May 2025. The Group is also moving ahead with its strategy to sell its Steelmaking Coal business, and is working towards completion of the sale of its Nickel business, while the separation of its diamond business (De Beers) is progressing.
As the lead legal counsel responsible for the disputes portfolio, Michael is directly responsible for the management and execution of significant litigation matters affecting the Group globally. These matters include international arbitrations (ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL, LCIA etc), class actions, regulatory and commercial disputes. In addition, Michael works in collaboration with the in-house legal specialists employed in the Group’s geographic jurisdictions to manage the arbitration and litigation challenges faced by the Group.
Michael has held his current role since 2012. Michael joined the Group in 2008 as senior legal counsel for Kumba Iron Ore Ltd. Prior to joining the Group, Michael was in private practice for 13 years after being admitted as an attorney in 1995.
Neil specialises in complex cross-border disputes, with a particular focus on international arbitration and related court proceedings. Neil has acted in both investment and commercial arbitrations with sector experience including oil and gas, chemicals and financial services. He also regularly works as part of a team with the firm’s transactional specialists, assisting clients to mitigate contentious risk and avoid disputes before they arise. A Russian speaker, Neil previously spent seven years in our Moscow office, and has particular expertise in disputes connected with the CIS region.
Earlier in his career, Neil spent time on secondment to the London litigation team of a major investment bank.
Prior to his legal studies, Neil read physics at St John’s College, University of Oxford.
Nick has considerable expertise in all aspects of dispute resolution with significant experience in international arbitration and class actions, having acted in many of the most significant class action disputes in South Africa.
He has advised clients across a wide range of sectors, in particular, the mining, resources and telecommunications sectors. His practice regularly involves complex cross-border and multi-national disputes.
Nick is a member of the Management Committee of the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa and sits on AFSA’s International Committee. He is also Chairperson of the ICC National Committee for South Africa.
Nick’s expertise has been recognised by a number of leading international research organisations including Chambers Global, Legal 500, Best Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal, Lexology Index and Global Arbitration Review.
He was the Client Choice Award 2026 winner for South Africa in the category of Arbitration and has been recognised by Lexology Index and Global Arbitration Review as a Highly Recommended Arbitration Practitioner in South Africa.
Nick holds B.Com and LLB degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Prianka specialises in dispute resolution, including litigation and arbitration, across a broad range of matters. She has extensive experience in class actions, having represented large multinational clients in some of South Africa’s most prominent class action cases. She has acted in very substantial disputes in the mining and telecommunications sectors, in particular, and regularly works on high-value, complex, cross-border and multi-jurisdictional matters.Her experience also includes contractual and general commercial litigation, with expertise in both domestic and international arbitration.
Roman Zykov specializes in international arbitration with a particular emphasis on M&A, shareholders’, construction, energy, mining, oil and gas, and international trade-related disputes.
Roman has represented clients in arbitrations under the Rules of most major arbitration centres around the world.
Roman regularly receives appointments as arbitrator, law expert and as a member of Dispute Adjudication Boards under FIDIC.
Roman also advises on international litigation matters across the globe, including Russia and the CIS, EU, USA, Canada, BVI, and others.
Roman Zykov is recognized by The Legal 500 (International Arbitration Powerlist Russia), Expert Guide (World’s Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration), GAR Who is Who in Arbitration – Future Leaders, and other.
Since 2013 Roman has acted as the Secretary-General of the Russian Arbitration Association and in this capacity, leads several working groups including the working group on the application of the New York Convention in Russia and the working group on the Impact of Unilateral Sanctions on International Arbitration.
Roman is a lecturer at Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, Institute of Mining and Energy Law.
Sarah McKenzie specialises in complex, high-value, and high-stakes international and domestic commercial and treaty arbitration, as well as high profile regulatory, international trade and commercial litigation. Sarah has represented parties in many domestic and international arbitrations, including under the auspices of the ICC, ICSID, AFSA, as well as under the UNCITRAL and other ad hoc arbitration rules. She has acted for listed and non-listed entities, state-owned enterprises, statutory bodies and non-governmental organisations in a variety of fields, including energy, private equity, healthcare, retail, construction and infrastructure, transport, tourism, manufacturing, mining, finance and auditing. Sarah has presented at international arbitration conferences and has published a number of articles in the field of international arbitration. Her expertise has been recognised by various international research organisations, including Chambers Global, Legal 500 and Best Lawyers. Sarah holds a BA and an LLB degree (with distinction) from the University of the Witwatersrand. She also has an LLM degree, and her LLM research was focused on international investment law dispute resolution.
Specialization
Stanislav Karandasov is a partner in our Dispute Resolution practice. He specializes in international arbitration and litigation.
Stanislav has extensive experience in representing and advising clients on the protection of Russian investments in foreign assets, recognition and enforcement of court and arbitration decisions, complex corporate disputes and cross-border bankruptcy.
Expert activities
Arbitrator of the Arbitration Center under the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.
Arbitrator in a dispute resolution under the rules of the Russian Arbitration Center, the International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, and the Russian Arbitration Center.
Susan Mutangadura is a Swiss, UK and Zimbabwean trained Arbitrator, Legal Practitioner, Conveyancer, and Notary Public, practicing as an independent international arbitrator. She is on the AFSA International and SADC Panel of Arbitrators and the Commercial Arbitration Centre in Harare.
Susan is a member of the SADC Committee of the AFSA Board, promoting the development of arbitral institutions in the region. An alumni of ICC Advanced Arbitration Academy for Africa, Susan holds an LLB Hons (Zim); MBA (Merit) (UK); LLM (Distinction) (Wales) and a CAS in Arbitration from Switzerland. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors Zimbabwe.
Susan has represented and advised corporates across various sectors on commercial contracts and transactions. She worked as Company Secretary/Legal advisor for the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and as Managing Director / Country Manager for Aon Zimbabwe. Susan has over 25 years professional experience with broad industry exposure having worked with listed, non-listed, multinational and state-owned entities as a non-executive director in various industries including cement manufacturing, banking, insurance, telecommunications, real estate and not-for-profit organisations. She has served as Board Chairman of Zimbabwe’s second largest telecoms operator, and of the Institute of Directors Zimbabwe.
Adv. Svetlana Vasileva is the Secretary-General of AFSA and an experienced international dispute resolution specialist with over 28 years of legal experience across Europe and Africa. Her work focuses on international arbitration, cross-border commercial law, and the development of arbitration institutions and frameworks, particularly within the African context.
She has extensive expertise in international investment and commercial arbitration, cross-border transactions, commodities and trade finance, financial services, and shipping and logistics. She has advised on legislative reform, institutional development, and regional legal harmonisation, working closely with governments, regulators, and international organisations.
Adv. Vasileva is actively involved in shaping arbitration practice through institutional leadership, rule reform, and capacity-building initiatives. She is recognised for bridging diverse legal systems and strengthening the role of African institutions in global dispute resolution.
She holds dual LL.M. degrees, is admitted as an advocate in Bulgaria/EU, and is a certified mediator and ISO lead auditor. She is actively engaged in leading international arbitration organisations and initiatives.
Professor Sylvia Papadopoulos is an internationally recognised expert in Law, Technology and AI, and a full-time Associate Professor in the Department of Private Law at the University of Pretoria (UP), where she also served as Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Law (2021–2024). She holds a BLC, LLB, LLM (cum laude), and LLD from UP and is an advocate of the High Court of South Africa.
Her advisory roles include the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on POPIA, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority’s Consumer Advisory Panel (AI and Financial Services sub-group), and the SA Law Reform Commission’s Advisory Committee on Electronic Wills. She chairs the New Technologies and the Law Working Group for the Law Schools Global League and has participated in UNCITRAL Working Group IV sessions.
Professor Papadopoulos is the author and editor of the leading text Cyberlaw@SA: The Law of the Internet in South Africa (4th ed., 2022; 5th ed. forthcoming 2026). She has published widely, presented internationally, and made regular media appearances. Notable engagements include teaching at an LLM Summer School at King’s College London and hosting 17 US State Attorneys General at a workshop on AI and the Future of Law (2023). She received the Hellenic Society of South Africa’s Outstanding Academic Achievement Award (2023) and UP’s Best Lecturer Award (2024).
Trevor is a specialist in arbitrations, corporate and commercial litigation, and the case management of complex disputes. He has over 30 years’ experience and his expertise includes international and domestic commercial arbitrations, company law, contractual, constitutional, administrative law matters, and pensions law. He advises a range of local and international clients including major banks, mining companies and corporates. He also specialises in the resolution of disputes in the financial services sector. Trevor has been responsible for the case management of a number of complex and high-profile disputes and has provided litigation support in various mergers and acquisitions, forensic investigations and in the restructuring of distressed businesses.
His expertise has been recognised by international research organisations including Chambers Global, Legal 500, Best Lawyers and Who’s Who Legal and has been included in Legal 500’s Africa Arbitration Powerlist.
Vivien Chaplin is a Director in our Corporate & Commercial practice and Head of the Mining & Minerals sector. She brings over 25 years of experience advising on local and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, company law and corporate governance issues, and the drafting of specialised commercial contracts.
Vivien is an accomplished corporate and commercial lawyer with over 25 years of experience, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and all aspects of corporate law. She has extensive expertise advising on both local and cross-border M&A transactions, corporate governance, and company law matters, as well as drafting and negotiating specialised commercial contracts. Before joining Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, Vivien was the head of the Corporate Commercial Team at Hogan Lovells in Johannesburg. Before that, she served as a Corporate Partner at ENSafrica, further cementing her reputation as a trusted advisor in the field. Vivien is a recognised thought leader in the mining industry and its intersection with the logistics which support mining in South Africa.