PROGRAM
ARBITRATION UNPLUGGED: UNDER PRESSURE
09:00 - 10:00
REGISTRATION
FRIDAY 20 November 2026
Arbitration is facing mounting pressure — from courts, regulators, and users demanding efficiency and transparency. Core principles are being tested: party autonomy under judicial scrutiny, enforcement is strained across borders, and truth is pursued through increasingly complex evidence rules.
10:00 - 10:15
WELCOME REMARKS
ALICE FREMUTH-WOLF | Arb|Aut
10:15 - 11:00
KEYNOTE SPEECH
KEEPING THE BEAT: LAWYERS AS GUARDIANS OF THE RULE OF LAW
HAMID GHARAVI | Derains & Gharavi | France
11:00 - 11:30
VIENNESE COFFEE BREAK 1
supported by
THE AUSTRIAN LEGAL COMMUNITY
11:30 - 12:45
PANEL 1
SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME
THE INFLUENCE OF THE CJEU ON COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION IN THE EU
AUGUST REINISCH | University of Vienna | Austria
MIRJAM VAN DE HEL-KOEDOOT | Loyens & Loeff | Netherlands
ROBIN OLDENSTAM | Mannheimer Swartling | Sweden
VERICA TRSTENJAK | Former Judge and Advocate General | Court of Justice of the European Union
12:45 - 14:15
LUNCH BREAK
supported by
14:15 - 15:30
PANEL 2
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD
ENFORCEMENT OF ARBITRAL AWARDS
JUDITH KNIEPER | UNCITRAL
YAS BANIFATEMI | Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya | France
PARIS ABORO | Covington & Burling | UK
ANDRÉS JANA | Jana & Gill | Chile
15:30 - 16:00
VIENNESE COFFEE BREAK 2
supported by
THE AUSTRIAN LEGAL COMMUNITY
16:00 - 17:45
PANEL 3
I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR
EVIDENCE TAKING IN ARBITRATION: STRATEGY VS. TRUTH
ATHINA FOUCHARD PAPAEFSTRATIOU | AFP Arbitration | France
MAHNAZ MALIK | Twenty Essex | UK
BROOKS DALY | Independent Arbitrator | Netherlands
NORADELE RADJAI | LALIVE| Switzerland
ALFRED SIWY | ZEILER | Austria
17:45 - 18:45
COCKTAIL RECEPTION
supported by
Conclude the official part of the day at Palais Niederösterreich in the best of company and with a drink in hand.
Tickets are limited and participation is reserved for attendees of the Vienna Arbitration Days 2026.
Conference Dinner includes a cocktail reception, 3-course dinner followed by the opportunity to party until late with DJ.
Tickets for the dinner cost EUR 160 per person and are limited.
Tickets can be purchased here.
SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2026
08:30- 09:30
ARBITRAL WOMEN BREAKFAST
supported by
TECH IN ARBITRATION:
ARE WOMEN SHAPING THE FUTURE OR PLAYING BY SOMEONE ELSE'S RULES?
LISA BEISTEINER | ZEILER | Austria
CRENGUTA LEAUA | Alternative Thinking | Switzerland
PATRICIA NACIMIENTO | Herbert Smith | Germany
SOPHIE NAPPERT | 3VB | UK
Join us for an Arbitral Women Breakfast during the Vienna Arbitration Days 2026! This exclusive event offers a unique opportunity to connect with fellow professionals and gain valuable insights over breakfast. Don’t miss out and join us for a dynamic morning session of engaging discussions!
The Arbitral Women Breakfast is open to all genders. Tickets are free of charge and space is limited. Registration is required and can be made here.
09:30 - 10:00
WELCOME COFFEE
supported by
10:00 - 13:00
ARBITRATION WORLD CAFÉ
organized by NIKOLAUS PITKOWITZ
ELISABETH VANAS-METZLER & MARLENE MAURER
TABLE MODERATORS:
NAELE BERGMAN | UNCITRAL | Austria
VIKTORIA FRITZ | VIAC | Austria
CHRISTIAN GÖTZ | AlixPartners | Germany
MARLENA HARUTYUNYAN | Achipel | France
THOMAS HOFBAUER | FTI Consulting | Germany
ANNA KOZMENKO | Curtis | Switzerland
PETER LAKATOS | Lakatos, Köves es Tarsai Ügyvedi Iroda | Hungary
CRENGUTA LEAUA | Leaua Damcali Deaconu Paunescu – LDDP / Romania
EKATERINA LOHWASSER | FTI Consulting | Germany
PATRICIA NACIMIENTO | Herbert Smith Freehils Kramer | Germany
UCHEORA ONWUAMAEGBU | Arent Fox Schiff | US
PAWEL PIETKIEWICZ | Greenberg Traurig | Poland
ANA STANIC | E&A Law, UK, | Slovenia
OLIVIER STÈPHAN | Nivalion | Switzerland
CAROLINE STROHMEIER | Pitkowitz & Partners | Austria
JINGZHOU TAO | Arbitration Chambers | China
TOBIAS VOLLMER | Raedas| UK
TEODORA VUJOSEVIC | CMS | Montenegro
YOANA YOVNOVA | Tomov & Tomov | Bulgaria
13:00 - 13:30
CHORUS JUVENTUS - YOUTH CHOIR OF THE
WIENER SÄNGERKNABEN
15:00 - 17:00
GUIDED TOUR AT BELVEDERE MUSEUM
supported by
A guided tour of the museum’s most exquisite Biedermeier collection awaits, showcasing luminous landscapes and everyday scenes from the Habsburg era (1815–1848), followed by a seasonal farewell at the Belvedere Winter Market outside Belvedere Palace over mulled wine and roasted almonds.
BELVEDERE MUSEUM
Prinz-Eugen-Straße 27, 1030 Vienna