This will be conducted in English and according to Nairobi local time. 

With the success of our inaugural event in Nairobi last September, Legal Plus is proud to annouce the return of the event.  The Africa: 2nd International Arbitration & ADR Summit — Nairobi iwill take place on Thursday 10 September 2026 at Nairobi Safari Club by Swiss-Belhotel.  

This event will be presented by a group of local and international speakers at the summit whom will be sharing on various topics in relations to international arbitration and ADR  as well as provide the latest update and outlook for 2026-2027.   It will also be an excellent platform to mingle with fellow legal professionals in the region.  For more information, please refer to the flyer. Download

Registration is now open.  We are offering each company one complimentary seat to the event but only applicable to in-house counsel not associated with law, consulting, advisory, or risk management firms.  If you are not applicable for a complimentary seat or have multiple people joining from the same firm, please refer to the below registration details or contact us at  legalpluseventsasia@legalplus-asia.com.

If you are interested to sponsor or speak at the event, contact Jason at jason.sinclair@legalplus-asia.com for package details.  For registrations details, contact Bettina at legalpluseventsasia@legalplus-asia.com.

Program
The organiser reserves the right to change the program without prior notice.

• Welcome Message by Chairman
  Prof Dennis Davis, Newmans Row
• Welcome Address by Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration (NCIA)
  Dr. Henry Kinyanjui Murigi, Registrar & CEO, Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration (NCIA)
• Keynote Session: Impact of Armed Conflicts and Political Interferences on Arbitration
  Hamid Gharavi, Partner, Derains & Gharavi
• Keynote Session
  The Hon. Mr. Justice Aleem Visram, Judge, High Court of Kenya, Kenya Judiciary
• Investor State Dispute Settlement
  
• 1st Grand Panel: Interim Relief in Cross-Border Disputes: Freezing Assets, Preserving Evidence, Securing Leverage — Legal Strategies, Tactical Timing and Enforcement Realities
  Moderator: Leonora Riesenburg, Independent Chartered Arbitrator and Accredited Mediator, INTADR DMCC
  Panellists:
  • Paul Ngotho HSC, Chartered Arbitrator, Independent   Arbitrator; Adjunct Lecturer, University of Nairobi
  • Jackie Oyuyo, Managing Partner, Umsizi LLP; Arbitrator, Mediator and Dispute Board Member
• Managing Cross-border M&A & JV Disputes in the Region
  
• Assessing Damages in Emerging and Evolving Industries
  Dr. Zawadi Lemayian, Partner, Econic Partners
• 2nd Grand Panel: Construction Disputes in Africa & The Region: Cross-border & Supply Chain Issues
  Moderator: TBC
  Panellists:
  • Sadaff Habib, Independent Arbitrator, Equanimity Arbitration
  • Daniel S. Cherono, Director, Planning Research and Compliance, Kenya National Highways Authority
• 3rd Grand Panel: Mediation and Hybrid ADR Models — Is Dispute Avoidance the Lawyer’s New Value Proposition?
  Moderator: TBC
  Panellists:
  • Prof. Kenneth Wyne, Chairman, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Kenya)
  • Hamid Gharavi, Co-Founder, Derains & Gharavi
  
• 4th Grand Panel: Energy Disputes in The Current Climate — Brave New World!
  Moderator:• Victor Leginsky, Independent Arbitrator, Arbitralis
  Panellists:
  • Marcus Khoury, Counsel, ICD Technologies
  • Tania Siciliano, Partner, Fasken
  • Winny Rop, Legal Expert, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority
  
• Cyber Crime & Data Breaches in Africa: Protecting Your Company in 2026!
  Satyajit Turumella, Regional Director – Advisory, Grant Thornton Kenya
  
• 5th Grand Panel: Why is Arbitration Often so Slow? — Answers to Speeding Up the Process in Arbitration: Are Expedited & Emergency Arbitration the Answers? If not, what is the Question?
  Moderator: TBC
  Panellists:
  • Marcus Khoury, Chief Legal Officer, ICD Technologies

Speakers

Prof Dennis Davis, Chairman

Newmans Row

At the end of 1975 to 1977 a legal advisor at South Africa’s largest insurance company Old Mutual. Form 1977 until 1998 he was mainly in the academic community having been elevated to a person chair in the Faculty of Law, University of Cape Town in 1989; thereafter the Director of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) at the University of Witwatersrand from 1991 to 1998. In 1998 he was elevated to the High Court of South Africa having being appointed to a position by President Nelson Mandela. In 2000 appointed as the Judge President of the Competition Appeal Court of South Africa a post held until 2020 upon retirement. In addition served (the longest servicing member thereof) of Labour Appeal Court from 2000 to 2020 as well as om the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2019 and 2020. Has written more than 200 reported judgments. As a member of the Bar since 1997 practice included labour law, constitutional law, tax law and administrative law. In 2023 appointed Chair of the Companies Tribunal of South Africa, a body that adjudicates on all manner of company law disputes. He has Published more than 200 articles in refereed journals and twelve books. In 2023 appointed as a judge of the Appellate Court of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement Appellate BodyDrafter of the 2008 Companies Act and 1998 Competition Act of South Africa. He also advised government on trade law, intellectual property law, insurance law and taxation of which he was the chair of the Davis Tax Commission appointed to investigate the structure of South African tax and prior thereto Deputy Chair of the Katz Commission, appointed by President Mandela after democracy to the reconstitute the tax system for South Africa. Has been invited and conducted training for judges throughout Africa and has on three separate occasions addressed the OECD on issues dealing with competition – anti trust law.

Biography

Dr. Henry Kinyanjui Murigi, Welcome Address

Registrar & CEO, Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration (NCIA)

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 anti-corruption 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 University-Africa, 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 Faith-Based 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.

Biography

Hamid Gharavi, Keynote Speaker

Partner, Derains & Gharavi

Dr. Hamid Gharavi acts as counsel and arbitrator in commercial, investment and sport disputes.He has acted as arbitrator or counsel in over 200 commercial institutional and/or ad hoc arbitrations as well as in over 50 investment arbitrations under foreign investment laws and/or bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, arising from a broad spectrum of issues and industries, including oil and gas, mining, military ordnance and defense, telecommunications, media, aviation, agency agreements, shareholder agreements, partnerships, distribution, sales, mergers and acquisitions, construction (including all types of design contracts and engineering projects), gambling, art, publicity, gaming, duty free, hospitality, real estate, cryptocurrency, advertisement, wood and derived products, pharmaceutical, waste management, utilities, water treatment plants, sanctions as well as sport related disputes involving commercial, disciplinary, and doping aspects. He has been appointed as a member of the ICC Court (since 2024), as member of the Court of the Istanbul Arbitration Centre (ISTAC since 2015), as member of the Court of the LCIA (from 2008-2012), as the President of the Board of the Tehran Regional Arbitration Centre (TRAC) as well as on all major panels, including SIAC, HKIAC, DIAC, ADCCAC, APIAC, Arbitrate AD, CAS, CAfA, and ICSID (by the Kingdom of Cambodia). Before founding Derains & Gharavi, Dr. Gharavi was a partner at Salans (now Dentons) in Paris after having started his career at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP in New York.

Biography

The Hon. Mr. Justice Aleem Visram , Keynote Speaker

Judge, High Court of Kenya, Kenya Judiciary

The Hon. Mr. Justice Aleem Visram, FCIArb was appointed as Judge of the High Court on 7th December 2022. He is presently attached to the Commercial and Tax Division, Nairobi, Milimani. Prior to his appointment to the Bench, Judge Aleem Visram was the founder and principal lawyer at Visram & Co. Advocates. Judge Aleem Visram qualified as an advocate of the High Court in Kenya in the year 2009 and as a Barrister and Solicitor in Canada in 2014. He is a London and Kenya based accredited Tutor at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and was a Court Annexed Mediator of the Kenya Judiciary. Prior to his appointment, Judge Aleem Visram was also an adjunct lecturer at the Strathmore School of Law, where he founded and taught a module on International Commercial Arbitration. Judge Aleem Visram is the former Chairperson of the Arbitration and ADR Commission, ICC Kenya; Nominations Commission for ICC Kenya; and is presently the Chairperson of the Mediation Committee in the Commercial and Tax Division, High Court of Kenya.

Biography

Leonora Riesenburg, Moderator - 1st Grand Panel

Independent Chartered Arbitrator and Accredited Mediator, INTADR DMCC

Leonora Riesenburg is an Independent Chartered Arbitrator and Accredited Mediator at INTADR DMCC, Dubai, and an International Tenant at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square in London. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), a Fellow of Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution (AIADR), and stands as a leading figure in international arbitration, mediation and ADR in Middle East, Asia, and the UK. Leonora specialises in complex disputes across key sectors, notably in investment, infrastructure, construction, real estate, joint ventures, banking and finance, and receives routine Chairmanship appointments. Her affiliations with prestigious arbitral institutions—among them the ICC, LCIA, SIAC, DIAC, ADCCAC, SCCA, MIAC, AIADR—further solidify her standing as a leading figure in international arbitration. Leonora’s leadership is reflected in her previous roles as Branch Chair of CIArb UAE, as an Elected Member of the Board of Management for CIArb London, and member of DIFC Courts Arbitration Division Working Group. She is a member of LCIA Arabs Users’ Council and a member of the Swiss Arbitration Association. Leonora is a highly in demand faculty member for the CIArb globally and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in the MENA Region and in the UK, playing a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of dispute resolution practitioners. Her global influence extends through her service with leading institutions worldwide, including in Asia, the Governing Council of the Hyderabad Arbitration Centre (HAC) in India as well as the Global Advisory Panel for Musaliha International Centre for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution (MICADR) in Pakistan.

Biography

Victor Leginsky Moderator - 4th Grand Panel

Independent Arbitrator, Arbitralis

Victor P. Leginsky, Canadian citizen, is an experienced international arbitrator and mediator resident in the United Arab Emirates since 2007. Victor has earned the internationally-recognized designations of Chartered Arbitrator and Fellow from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is appointed to the CIArb Panel of Arbitrators. Victor is a CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, London) accredited mediator and mediation experience as Chair, Manufactured Home Park Dispute Resolution Committee (Attorney General of British Columbia, Canada, appointment) and in mediations. Victor is appointed to the panels or lists of arbitrators in a number of international centres and is a committee member of the International Court of Arbitration (ICC) Canada. He has instructed and assessed in respect of Mediation though the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the CIArb. He is the past Middle East Regional Director of the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN). He is a member in good standing of the Law Society of British Columbia, Canada.

Biography

Tania Siciliano

Partner, Fasken

Tania is a leading commercial litigator in South Africa with a particular focus on technical disputes within the areas of construction and engineering, insolvency and business rescue, company law, product liability and life sciences. Tania acts for local and international construction companies as well as companies providing ancillary services to the construction industry. She has experience in litigation, arbitration, and dispute adjudication on bespoke contracts as well as on all the standard form contracts, including the FIDIC Suite of Contracts, NEC, the JBCC Contract and the MBSA Domestic Sub-contract Agreement and has arbitrated in terms of both AFSA and the Association of Arbitrators Rules as well as the ICC and UNCITRAL Rules for arbitration. She has acted on behalf of creditors in applications for liquidation and in respect of companies placed under supervision in business rescue as well as on behalf of third parties in exercising reservation of ownership clauses and executing contracts concluded with companies prior to being placed under supervision in business rescue. She has also acted on behalf of various financial institutions, employers and main contractors in major infrastructure projects in the enforcement of rights under performance bonds and guarantees where insolvency or business rescue is imminent. Tania also represents international pharmaceutical companies in product liability cases relating to medicines, including anesthetics, antiretrovirals and other medicines, as well as medical devices. She is admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa and as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales. Tania does her own appearances and has appeared before various Dispute Adjudication Boards and Arbitral Tribunals (including both sole and three—member panels), in domestic as well as international proceedings in the United Kingdom and Rwanda.

Biography

Satyajit Turumella

Regional Director – Advisory, Grant Thornton Kenya

Satyajit has over 18 years of experience in providing IT advisory, and cyber services to clients covering diverse sectors of the economy. He is the Regional Director at Grant Thornton leading the IT Advisory and Cyber practice in East Africa. He has a wealth of experience to do with Information Systems Audits, data analytics and Information Security Audits, Software development, feasibility studies, Data Governance and Privacy consulting and IT Due diligence as part of Financial and Tax due diligences among others. He has led several engagements with clients from a broad spectrum of industry sectors within Africa, India and Europe, ensuring client satisfaction and extensive collaboration to understand demands and meet professional standards. He has led engagements and acted as a quality reviewer on engagements which include but are not limited to: Infosec advisory, IT internal audits, Cybersecurity services, cyber forensic investigations, project management, Product monetisation consulting, IT Consultancy and IT Audit and Assurance engagements. He is passionate about building sustainable enterprises using technology as an enabler of services and handles the start up advisory wing for Grant Thornton as part of the digital transformation initiative. He is currently a Journal reviewer for ISACA International, has also been part of the Risk IT framework Development taskforce for ISACA International and the CISA Manual (28th Edition) Subject Matter Expert Reviewer in the domain of IT Audit and Assurance.

Biography

Dr. Zawadi Lemayian

Partner, Econic Partners

Dr. Zawadi Lemayian is a Partner at Econic Partners and a finance expert who provides economic analysis and expert testimony on damages / quantum, valuation, and other financial issues arising in commercial and investment arbitration disputes, litigation, and regulatory proceedings. Her experience includes arbitration matters conducted under the ICC, LCIA, ICSID, UNCITRAL, PCA, and AAA rules, involving claims related to breach of contract, mergers and acquisitions, valuation disputes, investor-state claims, and other complex commercial matters. She has advised clients across a wide range of industries, including natural resources, public utilities, telecommunications, technology, financial services, media, and consumer products. Prior to joining Econic Partners, Dr. Lemayian was a Vice President at Charles River Associates and an Assistant Professor at Washington University in St. Louis. She holds a Ph.D. in Management Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a frequent speaker on valuation, quantum, and expert evidence in international arbitration.

Biography

Prof. Kenneth Wyne

Chairman, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Kenya)

Prof. Kenneth Wyne Mutuma is a distinguished legal and governance expert with over 23 years of professional experience. He holds a Doctorate and Master’s in Law, an LLB, and a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the University of Nairobi. A Chartered Arbitrator (CIArb – London), he is also a Certified Professional Mediator, Fellow Certified Secretary, and Certified Governance Auditor. Prof. Wyne is the current Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Kenya) and is an active member of several professional bodies including the Law Society of Kenya, the Architectural Association of Kenya, the East African Law Society, the Institute of Certified Secretaries (ICS), and the Mediation Accreditation Committee. He is accredited by international arbitration panels such as the NCIA, LCIA, AFSA, KIAC, LIAC, and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. An accomplished academic, Prof. Wyne was named Law Teacher of the Year in 2024. He has published widely in International Law, ADR, and corporate governance, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Eastern Africa Journal on International Humanitarian Law and the Corporate Governance Journal (ICS), and Associate Editor-in-Chief of the ADR Journal.

Biography

Marcus Khoury

Chief Legal Officer, ICD Technologies

Marcus has been working as an inhouse legal counsel in the construction industry in the GCC, in particular in Saudi Arabia and in the UAE, for the past 20 years. He is both German and Lebanese and has graduated at the Sorbonne in Paris and the Universities of Cologne and Munich. In his spare time Marcus loves to hike and considers having walked more than 1000 km to the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela as one of his greatest experiences.

Biography

Sadaff Habib

Independent Arbitrator, Equanimity Arbitration

Sadaff Habib is an independent arbitrator. Born and raised in Kenya with Indian roots, she is qualified as an attorney in New York. Sadaff has extensive experience in international arbitration, including disputes involving construction, infrastructure, property, commercial, desalination plants, and solar power projects. Prior to going independent, Sadaff worked with international law firms such as Beale & Co and Fenwick Elliott. Sadaff is recognized as a Future Leader by Who’s Who Legal and is also ranked in Who’s Who Legal as a Global Elite Thought Leader. She also holds a ranking in the Legal 500 Middle East Construction, where she is acknowledged for building a reputable presence in international arbitration as an arbitrator.

Biography

Jackie Oyuyo

Managing Partner, Umsizi LLP; Arbitrator, Mediator and Dispute Board Member

Jackie is the Managing Partner at Umsizi LLP, and has considerable experience in a broad range of corporate, commercial and family matters from her 25 years’ practice. She has been recognised in the Leaders in Law (Corporate Law, Kenya) and Legal 500 Arbitration Power List (Africa) global awards, and has contributed to various publications including the International and Comparative Legal Guide’s annual publication on Litigation and ADR, and the Handbook on Arbitration in Kenya (2025, LawAfrica). A Chartered Arbitrator, Jackie continues to serve as Non-Executive Director on various Boards in diverse sectors including the Strathmore Dispute Resolution Centre, financial services, real estate, nonprofits, and State Corporations, and is the immediate past Chairperson of the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration. She is a regular speaker and tutor on matters compliance, corporate governance, arbitration and mediation.

Biography

Paul Ngotho HSC,

Chartered Arbitrator, Independent Arbitrator; Adjunct Lecturer, University of Nairobi

Paul Ngotho is a Chartered Arbitrator, arbitration practitioner, scholar and author. He holds an LL.M in International Dispute Resolution from the University of London and is an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Nairobi. He is active in domestic and international arbitrations as an arbitrator, expert witness and party representative, especially on quantification of damages. He is on the ICDR and CIETAC arbitrator panels. He has arbitrated commercial, real estate, construction, marine, insurance and general disputes under various institutional rules. Paul has presided over a 5-member arbitral tribunal. One of his recent engagements was as a co-arbitrator appointed by an international arbitral institution in an infrastructure dispute under an amended FIDIC contract and UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules in a Central African state. He is a prolific and versatile author, having written on arbitration law, arbitrator integrity and contemporary issues like technology and diversity in 6 books and about 100 articles. Many of his writings have been published in peer-reviewed journals and cited in various academic works locally and abroad. Chambers & Partners has ranked Paul among international arbitrators for six consecutive years. Its 2020 ranking describes him as “…a very detailed person who is very passionate about anything that he does.”

Biography

Daniel S. Cherono

Director, Planning Research and Compliance, Kenya National Highways Authority

With over 20 years of experience primarily in Kenya’s public road infrastructure sector, Daniel Sacho Cherono is a distinguished civil engineer and alternative dispute resolution expert. He specializes in the full project lifecycle of large-scale highway developments, spanning planning, design, procurement, financing, supervision, and evaluation. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of Laws in Construction Law, Arbitration and Adjudication. He is adept in construction claims management, Dispute Boards, adjudication, and arbitration. He is a recognized speaker at national and international conferences and forums. He is a licensed Consulting Engineer with the Engineers’ Board of Kenya, a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a Member of the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation. Currently, he serves as the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation Representative for Kenya.

Biography

Winny Rop

Legal Expert, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority

Ms. Winny Rop is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Managing Legal Services at the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). She leads the Authority’s legal function, providing strategic legal advice on regulatory, commercial, procurement and governance matters, while overseeing complex litigation involving energy law, public procurement and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). She serves on EPRA’s Power Purchase Committee and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), Kenya Branch, and the Institute of Certified Secretaries (ICS), Kenya. Her expertise spans energy and regulatory law, public procurement, dispute resolution, commercial transactions, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance. Ms. Rop is passionate about strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks that advance sustainable infrastructure, institutional excellence, and good governance. Under her stewardship, EPRA’s Legal Services Unit was recognized as the Best Public Sector In-House Legal Department of the Year at the 2025 Nairobi Legal Awards.

Biography

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Registration Details

Complimentary Registration for in-house counsel

Complimentary Registration - Click Here

If you would like to apply for an in-house counsel complimentary ticket, please click here and fill in your details. Complimentary seat is applicable to in-house counsel not associated with law, consulting, advisory, or risk management firms. One complimentary seat per company, first-come-first-served. Results are based on the organiser’s discretion and applicants will be notified by email.