HKIAC is pleased to announce that six new members have been appointed to its Proceedings Committee, Appointments Committee and Council in the last quarter.
Proceedings Committee
HKIAC has appointed Audley Sheppard KC and Edwina Kwan to its Proceedings Committee.
Audley Sheppard KC is the current President of International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) and an Arbitrator at Twenty Essex in London. He is a former Partner and Co-Head of International Arbitration and International Law at Clifford Chance.
Edwina Kwan is General Counsel at the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) in Sydney where she advises on energy transition and related contentious disputes. Prior to her role at ACCR, she was a Partner at an International Law Firm with over 20 years of experience acting as counsel in international commercial and investor-state arbitrations.
The HKIAC Proceedings Committee determines procedural matters arising under the HKIAC Rules, including applications for consolidation, joinder and expedited proceedings, challenges to arbitrators, and decisions on whether arbitrations should proceed on a prima facie basis. It also considers revisions to HKIAC’s rules and practice notes, thereby supporting the effective administration of HKIAC arbitrations.
John Choong, Chair of HKIAC’s Proceedings Committee said: “I am pleased to welcome Audley and Edwina to the Proceedings Committee. Their appointments reflect the HKIAC’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that the Committee is composed of individuals who bring the rigour, independence and deep experience and professional judgment that effective procedural oversight demands. I am confident that their appointments will further strengthen the quality of the decisions made by the Committee.”
Appointments Committee
HKIAC has appointed Jessica Fei and Matthew Hodgson to its Appointments Committee.
Jessica Fei, International Partner at King & Wood in Beijing, has over 30 years of international dispute resolution experience working with international arbitration institutions and leading firms in New York and Asia.
Matthew Hodgson, Partner in Linklaters’ International Arbitration Group in London, specialises in complex disputes arising from cross-border investments and has extensive experience in commercial and investment treaty disputes in Asia and globally.
The HKIAC Appointments Committee is primarily responsible for the appointment and confirmation of arbitrators and emergency arbitrators. It also determines the number of arbitrators where required, fixes arbitration costs, and oversees admission to HKIAC’s Panel and List of Arbitrators, supporting the integrity and quality of HKIAC’s appointment process.
Thomas Walsh, Vice-Chair and Chair of HKIAC’s Appointments Committee, said: “We warmly welcome Jessica and Matthew to the Appointments Committee. Both are highly respected and renowned practitioners in the field of international arbitration. With their extensive experience, the Committee will continue to support the HKIAC Secretariat in the appointment and confirmation of arbitrators with the rigour that is required for such an important function and while also working to broaden and diversify the pool of arbitrators.”
Council
HKIAC has appointed Adrian Lai JP and Andrey Gorlenko to its Council.
Adrian Lai JP is a Barrister at Des Voeux Chambers. He regularly acts as counsel and sits as arbitrator in international commercial arbitrations conducted under various rules and has also participated in investor-State and State-to-State arbitrations.
Adrian commented on his appointment: “I am honoured to be appointed to HKIAC’s Council. I look forward to contributing to an institution that has long been central to Hong Kong’s role as a leading centre for international arbitration, and that plays a pivotal role in the development of arbitration globally.”
Andrey Gorlenko is Head of International Dispute Resolution at Ivanyan & Partners and Senior Resident Partner at Ivanyan & Co, the first registered foreign law firm practising Russian Law in Hong Kong. He has spent close to two decades handling complex commercial and investment disputes in Russia and elsewhere.
Andrey said: “I am pleased to join the HKIAC’s Council. HKIAC has an established role in the global arbitration community, serving a diverse global user community, including parties from Russia and across the region. I look forward to contributing to the Council’s work and further enhancing HKIAC’s long-standing role in resolving Russia-related disputes neutrally and efficiently.”
HKIAC Secretary-General, Joanne Lau stated:
“We are delighted to welcome our new Council and Committee members. The expertise brought by the new members will continue to enhance our institutional strength within the global arbitration community, maintaining HKIAC’s approach in providing quality and efficient case management, and to support HKIAC’s ongoing growth and expansion as a globally recognised arbitral institution.”
About HKIAC, the Council and Committees
HKIAC was established in 1985 to provide independent and efficient dispute resolution services, specialising in arbitration, mediation, adjudication, and domain name dispute resolution. In addition to its headquarters and hearing centre in Hong Kong, HKIAC has offices in Seoul, Shanghai, and Beijing. To date, HKIAC has managed over 13,000 cases involving 120 jurisdictions. According to the 2025 Queen Mary University and White & Case International Arbitration Survey, HKIAC Rules were the second most preferred set of arbitration rules worldwide.
HKIAC is governed by its Council, which is composed of leading businesspeople and professionals from around the world who possess a wide variety of skills and experience. An Executive Committee serves as the principal body directing the activities of HKIAC. Three standing committees operate under the auspices of the Executive Committee. These are the Proceedings, Appointments, and Finance and Administration Committees. These committees deal with matters concerning the business operations of HKIAC as well as the functions entrusted to HKIAC under its arbitration rules and in accordance with its role as appointing authority under the Hong Kong Arbitration Ordinance (Cap 609).
