GAP Symposium 2020 roundtable co-chaired by Jun Bautista (King & Spalding) and Olga Boltenko (Fangda), featuring Aliona Bitkivskaja (SIAC), Mohit Gogia (S&R Associates), Julia (Zhang) Le Roux (AFSA), Susan Munro (Steptoe and Johnson), Rana Sajjad (CIICA), Aji Setiadi (Sovereign Chambers), Brad Wang (CIETAC) as speakers (18 November 2020).
This roundtable provides invaluable input into the various dispute resolution options that are available for resolving disputes that arise along the BRI, from Singapore and Indonesia to South Africa. A group of leading practitioners from the key BRI jurisdictions discussed the role of seats, the applicable law, the institutional rules, and a number of other dispute-related aspects of the BRI.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
Jun Bautista is counsel in King & Spalding’s Singapore office, and is a member of the International Arbitration practice group. He has represented clients across a number of industries in international arbitrations under various rules as well as ad hoc proceedings, with a particular focus on Asia. Legal directories describe Jun as “…very effective, and knows what the client wants…” and “praise his strong technical ability and commercial approach.” Jun is admitted to practice in New York and the Philippines and is familiar with both civil and common law systems. Prior to joining King & Spalding, Jun was based in Hong Kong for almost a decade and worked in the international arbitration groups of two major international law firms. He was also previously the founding director of the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) in Singapore, an associate at a leading Philippine law firm, and a law clerk for Justice Conchita Carpio Morales of the Philippine Supreme Court. In addition to representing clients, Jun has been teaching international arbitration in the Philippines since 2009. He is currently teaching international arbitration at the University of the Philippines College of Law LL.M. program and the Angeles University Foundation School of Law. He has also taught at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law.
Olga Boltenko is Managing Partner and Founder of Boltenko Law. Olga is an English and Russian qualified tax and wealth planning expert with over 22 years of experience in major Anglo-Saxon law firms. By the end of 2016 Olga resigned as partner of Withers LLP to launch her own boutique law firm “Boltenko Law” aiming to add greater value to her clients. Olga achieves this by devoting more of her own time to a select number of clients and by offering effective solutions to problems of wealthy families. Olga is actively engaged in the wider legal profession. She is a member of the International Bar Association (Chair of Individual Tax and Private Client Committee, 2015-2016), the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, and the International Academy of Trust and Estate Lawyers. She organizes and chairs a number of professional events on a regular basis, and is a regular guest speaker at major professional events. Her flagship event is the Russian Wealth Advisors Forum, which she organises and chairs annually in Zurich since 2011. It is the leading event in the international industry and usually attracts around 200 high-calibre participants from over 20 countries. Olga Boltenko also acts as a co-chair of an annual conference called The Future of Russian Business in Cyprus. It is a must-attend event in Cyprus, which Olga runs for over 5 years in collaboration with the law firm Chryssafinis and Polyviou LLC and the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Aliona Bitkivskaja graduated with an LL.M. in International Business Law from the National University of Singapore, specializing in International Arbitration, International Investment Law and Comparative Oil and Gas Law. She also holds a B.A. degree in Anthropology and Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Prior to joining SIAC, Aliona worked at a global financial services provider and completed internships at international law firms in Europe and Asia. Aliona is a New York-qualified lawyer. She is fluent in English, Russian and Lithuanian.
Mohit Gogia is a corporate Partner at S&R Associates, New Delhi with over 15 years of experience (including the last seven years as a Partner) and have been advising and leading transactions in mergers and acquisitions, private equity and foreign investments, data privacy, banking and finance and capital markets across different industries and sectors, including extensive experience in the real estate, TMT and aviation sectors. He is admitted to practice law in India and New York and have previously worked with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in New York on mergers and acquisitions and structured finance matters, including cross-border transactions. He has been recognized as part of Business World Legal’s 40 under 40 elite list of India’s finest lawyers and legal influencers and as one of 50 future legal leaders by Law.asia’s India Business Law Journal. I have also been recognized as a leading lawyer by IFLR1000 for Banking and Finance, Corporate/M&A and Private Equity; RSG India Report for Corporate M&A; and Asialaw for Corporate/M&A and Private Equity.
Julia (Zhang) Le Roux has over 17 years of working experience in the major cities of China. She has obtained a diploma, MBA and LLB. She shall be the first female mainland Chinese attorney in South Africa. Julia has also published several translation works from English to Chinese, which include all the material for the South African pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, 2010. Julia is a sworn translator and Interpreter for the South African government. She has acted as an interpreter, at major international conferences including UN, BRICS and FOCAC conferences.
Susan Munro has advised financial institutions, multinational companies and investment funds on regulatory and investment matters for more than 20 years. She regularly assists clients with China market entry and exit strategies, mergers and acquisitions and strategic investments, and has extensive experience in the chemicals, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, energy, semiconductor, food, apparel and software industries, as well as the financial services sector. In her international regulatory practice, Susan assists clients in China with various US, UK and EU regulatory compliance matters, including anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, economic sanctions and trade control matters. For the past 15 years Susan has also conducted numerous China-related Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and SEC investigations in China and throughout Southeast Asia. She is fully bilingual in Chinese and English and regularly assists clients with development and implementation of ABAC, AMLA and trade control compliance policies, programs and risk assessments. Susan has been active in Hong Kong and China-related arbitrations for several years and has represented clients in disputes before various international arbitration commissions. She regularly advises clients involved in cross-border litigation involving Hong Kong, China, the UK, the US, and other jurisdictions.
Rana Sajjad is a dual-qualified lawyer (licensed in New York and Pakistan) having over 15 years’ experience of practicing law in Pakistan and the U.S. in the practice areas including contracts, cross-border transactions, commercial litigation and domestic and international arbitration. He has acted as co-counsel on international arbitration proceedings including international arbitration proceedings under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) – London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). He has also advised and represented clients in connection with court proceedings involving enforcement of international arbitration agreements. Sajjad has advised clients in the energy, technology, telecom, manufacturing and construction sectors and has also represented clients before courts and arbitral tribunals in matters involving contractual, commercial and investment disputes. Sajjad is one of only two practising lawyers in Pakistan who have attained fellowship of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb). He is also the only lawyer in Pakistan who is a member of the Approved Faculty List (AFL) of CIArb for domestic and international arbitration law, practice and procedure.
Aji Setiadi is an advocate-barrister practicing in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is admitted to practice Indonesian laws in all Indonesian courts, except tax court of the first instance. He is also licensed to practice capital market law in Indonesia. He has represented multinational companies from US, EU, Former Soviet Union, East Asia and ASEAN countries who invest or doing business in or with ASEAN countries. The industries covered include mining, oil and gas, energy, infrastructure, hospitality, steel industries, aviation and manufacturing.
Brad Wang holds position of Managing Counsel that leads the case management team of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission Hong Kong Arbitration Center (CIETAC Hong Kong Arbitration Center), which is the first and only overseas branch of the largest, and oldest permanent arbitral institution in China. His job responsibilities include supervising case management team over administered arbitration cases and answer queries from parties and their counsels before, during and after arbitration that are CIETAC related. He is also Managing Counsel of the China Maritime Arbitration Commission Hong Kong Arbitration Center, the first and only overseas branch maritime arbitration commission in China. Besides, Mr. Wang carries a research and development role in CIETAC Hong Kong Arbitration Center, which can be reflected by the Emergency Arbitrators Procedures in the latest Arbitration Rules of CIETAC and CIETAC Hong Kong Arbitration Center’s Guidelines to Third Party Funding in Arbitration.
