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

Kicking off 2026 willl be the Thailand & SE Asia: 7th International Arbitration Summit scheduled on Wednesday 25 February 2026 Bangkok office. 

The event will bring together a group of arbitration expertise to share their knowledge and give tips to on arbitration and lookout for 2026. Through presentations and discussions, you will be able to interact with speakers and fellow legal professionals to enhance and update your knowledge.   It will be an excellent opportunity to ask questions to legal household names in the region, network and create business opportunities, meet & greet and make some new friends!

Registration is now open.  Contact us today or view the latest flyer for registration and program details. Download

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

• Opening Message by Chairman
  Victor Leginsky, Independent Arbitrator, Arbitralis
• Welcome Address from Tilleke & Gibbins
  John Frangos, Partner and Director, Dispute Resolution, Tilleke & Gibbins
• Keynote Session: Update in Global Arbitration 2026 and Its Effects for Parties in SE Asia
  John Bishop, International Arbitrator, Mediator and Dispute Board Member
• 1st Grand Panel: Enforcement & Invalidity of Awards: Understanding Arbitration Clauses & Monetising an Award — Geopolitical Risks & Regional Issues to Consider
  Moderator: TBC
  Panellist:
  • Marcus Khoury, Head of Legal, Averda
• Growth of Tech Related Disputes in SE Asia: Playing Catch Up
  
• Cross-border Shareholders, Stakeholders & Director Disputes with Thai & Foreign Companies — Best Practices and Tips
  Walter Silvester, Managing Director, Silvester Legal
• 2nd Grand Panel: Art of Negotiation: Tactical Issues in Why Arbitration, Why Mediation and Why Not? Increase in ADR Methods in Thailand & Abroad
  Moderator: Leonora Riesenburg, Independent Chartered Arbitrator and Accredited Mediator, INTADR DMCC
  Panellists:
  • Kevin Warburton, Partner, HFW
  • Edmund Kronenburg, Managing Partner, Braddell Brothers LLP
  • Dr Vanina Sucharitkul, Chair, CIArb Thailand, Branch Chair
• 3rd Grand Panel: Rise of M&A & Joint Venture Disputes in SE Asia: Expectations in 2026!
  Moderator: Byron Phillips, Partner, Hogan Lovells
  Panellists:
  • Joel Woodward, Associate Director, BRG
  • Sarocha Thongperm, Partner & Head of Litigation and Arbitration, The Capital Law Office
  • Desmond Hughes, Senior Partner, Hughes Krupica
• New Era of Cryptocurrency Regulation: Emerging Case Law — Importance & Threats of AI in Asia
  
• 4th Grand Panel: Construction & Energy Disputes: Tariff Issues, Expert Witness & Damages
  Moderator: TBC
  Panellists:
  • Marcus Khoury, Head of Legal, Averda
  • Pongpalin Chantrapirom, Senior Associate, Tilleke & Gibbins
  • Iain Potter, Executive Vice President, J.S. Held
• Cross-Border Data Breach: Managing the Situation & Compliance Issues
  
• 5th Grand Panel: Corporate Fraud & Digital Asset Tracing in 2026: AML & FCPA Updates & Managing Cross-Border Investigations
  Moderator: Owen Hawkes, Partner, KPMG Forensic
  Panellists:
  • Moses W. Park, Barrister, Liberty Chambers
  • Chitchai Punsan, Partner, Tilleke & Gibbins

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.

Speakers

Victor Leginsky, Chairman

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

John Frangos, Welcome Message

Partner and Director, Dispute Resolution, Tilleke & Gibbins

John Frangos is a partner and regional practice head of Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution and litigation group. Based in Bangkok, he works with clients and the firm’s disputes teams on complex cases in Thailand, Vietnam, and across Southeast Asia. He is especially active in leading the firm’s compliance and investigations practice and aviation industry group. John’s experience includes guiding foreign investors on cross-border litigation and arbitration, construction and infrastructure disputes, aircraft repossessions and aviation-related lease disputes, internal and government investigations, and bankruptcy matters. With nearly two decades of living and working in Thailand and Vietnam, John brings strong knowledge of local business practices and customs. He also has a deep understanding of the region’s political and economic landscapes that shape the legal environment that investors must navigate. John is ranked as a leading practitioner by Chambers Asia-Pacific, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Benchmark Litigation, and Asialaw Profiles. Clients have described him as “super responsive, incredibly knowledgeable, and really focused on getting the best outcome as quickly as possible” (Chambers Asia-Pacific). John, who is qualified in New York, serves as the Thailand chapter head for the New York State Bar Association. He is also an active member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand and the International Bar Association. He regularly presents and writes on topics related to disputes in Southeast Asia.

Biography

John Bishop, Keynote Speaker

International Arbitrator, Mediator and Dispute Board Member

John Bishop is a member of Arbitration Chambers, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and New York. Arbitration Chambers has amongst its members many of the world’s leading arbitrators. John has more than 50 years’ experience as a construction lawyer and since 2015 has practiced as an Arbitrator, Mediator & Dispute Board Member. He is a panel member of many leading arbitration institutions. John has been selected by the main legal directories for his expertise in arbitration, mediation and construction, including as a Global Elite Thought Leader, as a Highly Recommended Arbitrator and as the Experts’ Expert. Comments in the directories include for arbitration “Bright, very knowledgeable and hardworking with a good overall grip- first class “, “One of the world’s pre-eminent construction experts” and “One of the top 30 construction lawyers in the world”. John is a Member of the International Court of the Arbitration Foundation of Soth Africa, Committee Member of the Society of Construction Arbitrators, Member Emeritus of the International Construction Arbitrators Association, Member of DB Chambers, Fellow of the International Academy of Construction Lawyers, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, Fellow of the International Construction Law Association, Grade A Accredited Professional of IBEC, Fellow of the Faculty of Building, Member of the Hong Kong ICC Committee, Member of ICCA. He has been Chairman, then President of TeCSA, Vice Chairman of the Academy of Experts, Dean of the Faculty of Mediation & ADR, Board Member of the Civil Mediation Council, Chairman of the LCIA consultative committee.

Biography

Leonora Riesenburg Moderator — 2nd 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

Byron Phillips, Moderator — 3rd Grand Panel

Partner, Hogan Lovells

Byron is an International Arbitration partner in Hogan Lovells’ Hong Kong office, with over fifteen years of experience advising clients on complex, high‑value, cross‑border commercial disputes. His practice spans the technology, energy, sport, financial services, and life sciences sectors. Byron leads cross‑border arbitration matters involving multiple jurisdictions and governing laws, and has acted in proceedings under all major institutional and ad hoc rules, including ICC, HKIAC, SIAC, LCIA, CIETAC, and UNCITRAL. He also regularly appears before national courts in relation to all stages of the arbitration process, including jurisdictional challenges, applications for injunctions, and the enforcement of awards. Byron sits on Hogan Lovells’ global technology risks leadership team and leads the firm’s Asia Pacific Pro Bono Practice, reflecting his strong commitment to community investment. He is also a member of the Hogan Lovells Crisis Leadership Team — the firm’s global, multidisciplinary crisis management practice — and holds senior positions within HL Inclusion initiatives.

Biography

Owen Hawkes, Moderator - 5th Grand Panel

Partner, KPMG Forensic

Owen Hawkes is a Partner in KPMG Forensic with 25 years of litigation and investigation experience. Owen has practiced both in accounting and law, joining KPMG Forensic in 2007. Prior to joining KPMG, Owen practised as a barrister for eight years, including six at the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office. He is listed in Who’s Who Legal as a leading expert in Forensic Accounting, Forensics & Litigation Consulting, Asset Recovery and Economic Consulting, which notes that he is “an impressive practitioner who draws widespread praise from peers this year and is listed as a Global Elite Thought Leader.”

Biography

Chitchai Punsan

Partner, Tilleke & Gibbins

Chitchai Punsan is a litigator in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group. With his proactive and outcome-driven approach, Chitchai has successfully concluded various disputes for multinational corporations, not-for-profit entities, and individuals throughout Thailand and overseas. Chitchai handles a wide spectrum of cases concerning customs violations, economic crime and investigations, product liability, and other complex civil and criminal litigation. With prior experience in Singapore serving as in-house counsel to multinational corporations, Chitchai provides clients with business-minded and holistic advice in line with the clients’ business interests. Chitchai is a regular speaker on product liability, compliance, and employment, as well as a frequent contributor to a number of World Bank research projects. He is a member of the Lawyers Council of Thailand and the Thai Bar Association.

Biography

Pongpalin Chantrapirom

Senior Associate, Tilleke & Gibbins

Pongpalin Chantrapirom is a senior associate in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution department, based in Bangkok. His core area of expertise is financial litigation, which includes banking, securities, insurance, payment systems, and other financial products. He also has extensive experience in litigating consumer protection, labor and employment, breach of contract, tort, bankruptcy, administrative, and criminal lawsuits. Pongpalin is a proficient litigator in both court and arbitration proceedings. He is also familiar with overseas litigation, especially those commenced in the United States and the United Kingdom. Pongpalin is committed to providing business-driven legal solutions to his clients, and blends practical and proactive commerciality with an in-depth understanding of contract negotiations and drafting, the genesis of most legal transactions, to provide well-rounded and practicable advice when it comes to dispute resolution. Pongpalin holds an LLB and an LLM from Thammasat University, as well as an LLM from the University of Pennsylvania, where he also completed the Wharton Business and Law Certificate program. He has also completed the constitutional and administrative law training program organized by Tilleke & Gibbins and led by esteemed academics, former judges, and other accomplished legal practitioners in Thailand. Pongpalin has fulfilled the barrister-at-law requirements of the Thai Bar under the Royal Patronage, and is a member of the Lawyers Council of Thailand.

Biography

Jacintha Gopal

Managing Director, JG Law Chambers LLC

Jacintha Gopal is the Managing Director of JG Law Chambers LLC and a formidable litigator specializing in commercial disputes, arbitration and white-collar criminal defense. Her career spans international, boutique, and “Big 4” law firms, giving her a unique perspective on complex mandates. Notable highlights include acting for an MNC in a US$13.5 million SIAC international arbitration and advising a global cryptocurrency exchange in regulatory investigations. Recently, as lead counsel, she successfully obtained interim injunctions in the High Court against a global brand to protect her client’s critical intellectual property. In the white-collar arena, she regularly defends directors against breaches of director’s duties notably represented a defendant in Singapore’s largest-ever money laundering case. Jacintha is recognized as a confident, strategic advocate for clients facing high-pressure legal challenges.

Biography

Walter Silvester

Managing Director, Silvester Legal

Walter Silvester is the Managing Director of Silvester Legal, an award-winning law firm specialising in commercial disputes and shareholder advisory. With a career honed at leading Singaporean law firms, Walter has developed a reputation for delivering practical and cost-effective strategies in complex shareholder and stakeholder disputes. Recognised for his expertise, Walter was named one of Asia’s Super 50 Disputes Lawyers by Asian Legal Business and is listed among Singapore’s Top-Rated Lawyers 2025 by The Straits Times for Alternative Dispute Resolution. He is also a finalist for Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year at the ALB SE Asia Law Awards 2025. Walter frequently shares his insights at regional industry events, including summits across Southeast Asia, and has lectured on commercial law topics at the London School of Business and Finance.

Biography

Kevin Warburton

Partner, HFW

Kevin Warburton is a Partner in HFW’s disputes practice, based in the Hong Kong office. Kevin is an arbitration specialist, with a broad practice which also includes commercial litigation, regulatory/internal investigations and privacy/cyber related matters. He is experienced in advising clients in Hong Kong and overseas, including private and listed companies, financial institutions, high net worth individuals, entrepreneurs and multinational organisations. Kevin is admitted to practice in Hong Kong, England & Wales and the British Virgin Islands.

Biography

Edmund Kronenburg

Managing Partner, Braddell Brothers LLP

With over 25 years’ experience in dispute resolution, litigation, and arbitration, Edmund regularly appears as lead counsel in cases before the Singapore High Court and Court of Appeal, as well as in international arbitrations. His diverse practice includes commercial and corporate disputes, energy and natural resources, media and telecommunications, breach of confidence, defamation, employment, medical and healthcare disputes as well as pre-emptive relief and injunctions including Worldwide Freezing / Mareva Injunctions. Edmund also actively sits as an arbitrator, and has conducted arbitrations seated in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brunei, as sole arbitrator, tribunal chairman / presiding arbitrator and tribunal member. He is a fellow of CIArb, SIArb, MIArb, AMINZ, HKIArb, PIArb and ACICA. He is also admitted to the panels / lists of, among others, the AIAC (Malaysia, formerly KLCRA), AIFC (Kazakhstan), BANI (Indonesia), BDAC (Brunei), BVIIAC (British Virgin Islands), CAA (Taiwan), HKIAC (Hong Kong), KCAB (Korea), IIAM (India), MIAC (Maldives), NCAC (Cambodia), PIAC (Vietnam), PDRC (Philippines), IMA (Russia), SCCA (Saudi Arabia), SHIAC (Shanghai), TIAC (Uzbekistan), TAI (Thailand), VIAC (Vietnam) and VLCAC (Vietnam). Of note, Edmund’s commercial disputes expertise extends well beyond Singapore to the ASEAN region, in particular Indonesia. In the course of his career, Edmund has acted for a variety of prominent Indonesian private clients and major corporations in international disputes. His achievements for Indonesian clients include obtaining a USD 35 million ICC Jakarta-seated arbitral award against PT Pertamina (Persero) and PT Pertamina EP, as well as defeating the enforcement of 99.7% of a USD 130 million SIAC award obtained by the Astro Group against First Media (a Lippo Group company). Edmund has received wide recognition in the Legal 500, Chambers & Partners, Best Lawyers, Benchmark Litigation, Asialaw and Who’s Who Legal guides.

Biography

Joel Woodward

Associate Director, BRG

Joel Woodward is an associate director in BRG’s Asia-Pacific Disputes and International Arbitration practice, based in Bangkok. In addition to helping develop BRG’s presence in Thailand, Mr. Woodward works closely with BRG’s Singapore and Hong Kong offices. Mr. Woodward specializes in valuation and the assessment of complex damages in cases of international arbitration and litigation. He has managed and supported the preparation of expert reports on financial and economic issues across a wide range of industries, including financial services, energy, mining, agriculture and cryptocurrency. He has been involved in arbitration matters under SIAC, HKIAC and ICC rules, as well as in litigation before courts of the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Australia.

Biography

Iain Potter

Executive Vice President, J.S. Held

Iain Potter is an Executive Vice President at J.S. Held, specialising in the assessment of economic damages and disputed business valuations. A Chartered Accountant in both the UK and Singapore, he has over 20 years’ experience advising clients across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. He has been appointed as an expert in more than 100 matters and has provided oral testimony before courts and arbitral tribunals in Singapore, England, Dubai, Thailand, Malaysia, New Zealand and Nepal. Recognised by Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) as a leading expert in international arbitration and commercial litigation and ranked in Band 1 by Chambers and Partners, Iain is praised by clients for his attention to detail and performance under cross-examination. He is a Fellow of CIArb and SIArb, has been appointed as an arbitrator and admitted to panels of SIAC, THAC and SIArb.

Biography

Desmond Hughes

Senior Partner, Hughes Krupica

Desmond is an equity partner and co-founder of Hughes Krupica, a small sized niche law firm which has operated for 13 years. Prior to that Desmond was a founder and senior equity partner at a regional firm based in Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, for 10 years. Desmond specialises in dispute resolution with his firm acting as counsel and with Desmond’s involvement in more than 100 cases in recent years, ICC, Thai Arbitration Centre (THAC), Thai Arbitration Institute (TAI) and the Board of Trade amongst others. He is a registered arbitrator on the panel of the Thai Arbitration Institute, the former Chair of the ICC Thailand ADR and Arbitration Commission 2020-2023, the ex-officio National Head of the ICC Thailand ADR Arbitration Commission, a former Commission Member globally and also for Thailand, and the former Vice-Chair of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Thailand Branch 2019-2021. Desmond is also registered on the List of Arbitrators for Thailand for the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators having served as the Vice-Chair to the Thailand Branch of CIARB 2019-2021. Desmond and his firm also specialise in joint ventures including along the Easter Economic Corridor manufacturing belt of Thailand, real estate investment large/medium and small scale, hospitality management and asset sale and purchase; and commercial matters mostly involving joint ventures and dispute resolution in all of those sectors. Desmond qualified as a solicitor of England and Wales, completed the Overseas Lawyers Qualification Examination in Hong Kong, and is a Masters Degree alumni of King’s College London for the International Corporate and Commercial Law LLM. Desmond enjoys playing Padel Tennis including participating in tournaments, recreational trail hiking in Phuket and overseas when he is travelling.

Biography

Marcus Khoury

Head of Legal, Averda

Marcus Antoine Khoury is Head of Legal at Averda. 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

Moses W. Park

Barrister, Liberty Chambers

Moses W. Park is a dispute resolution lawyer practicing as a barrister (trial advocate) based in Hong Kong. His practice mainly focuses on conduct and resolution of cross-border and international commercial arbitration and litigation. He has handled a broad spectrum of commercial work with an emphasis on civil fraud, assettracing /recovery, enforcement of foreign arbitral awards/judgments, and amily office as well as shareholder disputes. Moses has expertise concerning recovery strategies and emergency relief measures related to fraud including Mareva injunctions, Norwich Pharmacal orders and asset tracing proceedings. He is well versed in the enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards process in Hong Kong. His clients have included multi-national corporations and usinesses as well as high and ultra-high net worth individuals. Moses specialises in multi-jurisdictional financial crime and regulatory matters. He advises financial institutions on cross-border fraud and asset recovery related issues and has particular expertise in conducting complex multi-jurisdictional asset tracing. His experience spans a wide range of industry sectors, particularly, financial services, family offices and private equity funds. His work extends to egulatory fields (providing advice on matters governed by securities and banking legislation). Lately, he has been advising international clients on regulatory issues relating to overnance and regulation of family offices.

Biography

Dr Vanina Sucharitkul

Chair, CIArb Thailand, Branch Chair

Dr. Vanina Sucharitkul, FCIArb is Foreign Counsel at Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP and R&T Asia (Thailand) Limited. Atop being a specialist in international arbitration, Vanina regularly advises clients on a diverse range of cross-border disputes involving commercial contracts, corporate investigations and anticorruption, joint ventures, insurance and reinsurance, oil and gas, construction and infrastructure, and investment treaty arbitration. Vanina has acted as counsel and advocate in proceedings spanning multiple jurisdictions under the auspices of institutions including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (HKIAC), the Singapore International Arbitration Center (SIAC), the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the Thailand Arbitration Institute (TAI). She also sits as arbitrator in cases under the Rules of the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA), the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, and TAI. Admitted to the California Bar and practiced at international law firms in San Francisco, Bangkok, Paris and Hong Kong, Vanina served for 9 years as a Court Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, as Board Member of ArbitralWomen for 2 terms and is the cofounder of Young Thailand Arbitration Center (YTHAC) and currently the Chair of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrator (CIArb) Thailand Branch.

Biography

Sarocha Thongperm

Partner & Head of Litigation and Arbitration, The Capital Law Office

Sarocha Thongperm is a Partner and Head of the Litigation and Arbitration practice group at The Capital Law Office in Bangkok, Thailand. Sarocha has extensive experience in domestic and cross-border litigation. She has a wealth of experience in arbitration proceedings administered by major arbitration institutions including the ICC, SIAC, HKIAC and TAI. Overall, she has over 15 years of experience advising clients on complex civil and criminal proceedings, competition law, business rehabilitation and administrative law disputes with wide ranging sector coverage, including oil and gas, renewable energy, real estate and construction, insurance, hospitality, consumer goods and services, and transportation. Her experience is also extended to the role of arbitrator in which she has been appointed by the Thailand Arbitration Institute as a sole arbitrator. She has been recognized as one of the 40 Under 40 legal professionals in Asia, Asian Legal Business in 2022. She is also enlisted as an arbitrator in the Register of the Thailand Arbitration Institute (TAI) and a member of the Young Singapore International Arbitration Centre (YSIAC) Council APAC Regional Committee.

Biography

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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 from non law / consultancy firm only.  One complimentary seat per company, first-come-first-served. Results are based on the organiser’s discretion and applicants will be notified by email.