Vatsala Ratnasabapathy, head of our Construction, Engineering and Arbitration practice, will take the stage at the inaugural “Malaysia ASEAN Conference 2025 - Reimagining ASEAN Arbitration: Catalysing the Future of ADR and Dispute Resolution” on 14 April 2025 (Monday). The conference is hosted by the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CiArb) Malaysia Branch.

In a session titled “Foundations of Justice: Evolving Construction Arbitration in ASEAN”, Vatsala Ratnasabapathy will be leading a panel discussion by eminent practitioners Mr Rajendra Navaratnam, Mr Foo Joon Liang, Mr David Bateson, and Mr Kamesam Shankar. Drawing from her own rich experience in construction arbitration, she will seek the esteemed panellists insightful and practical views on the current status of construction arbitration in Malaysia and ASEAN, as well as how it can develop to meet the needs of the increasingly complex, high-stakes disputes arising within the construction industry.

The seminar will feature four other sessions, with panels discussing a wide variety of issues, including how arbitration can adapt to the surge of Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) related disputes, the art of persuading Asian tribunals, advancing women in ASEAN arbitration, and how young arbitrators and practitioners can break into this field.

Attendees will have the rare opportunity to hear from key figures such as YB Liew Chin Tong (Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry) and YB Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform)), as well as leading international practitioners from a variety of ASEAN jurisdictions, including Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, such as Mr Mahesh Rai, Mr Ng Jern-Fei KC, Ms Heidi Chui, Mr Nahendran Navaratnam, Ms Sitpah Selvaratnam, and Ms Donna Ross.

The event will run from 9.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. at the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC).

The registration details are set out in the flyer below.

See the flyer