14/01/2019
State Owned Enterprises in Investment Disputes Seminar 28 January 2019
20 Essex Street is delighted to be co-hosting a unique event with CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP and The Lauterpacht Centre for International Law on Monday 28th January 2019 in London.
State owned enterprises are increasingly crucial in the global economy. There are thousands of State owned corporations operating transnationally. For example, the Chinese central government owns more than 50 000 enterprises, valued at US$2+ trillion and employing over 9 million people. Given the number of State owned companies operating in the investment field, it is hardly surprising that there has been a marked rise in investment disputes involving State owned enterprises, either seeking to take advantage of investor protection in respect of their commercial interests in foreign States, or through their contractual relationships and other activities impacting on foreign investors in their State of nationality.
Gathering together an expert panel of practitioners, this seminar will explore issues arising from the involvement of State owned enterprises in investment disputes, covering the attribution of their conduct to the State, their standing as claimants in investment arbitration, and issues relating to enforcement of awards against the assets of State owned enterprises. As well as addressing recent cases, it will identify the challenging issues likely to arise in future disputes.
The evening will feature a welcome from Whewell Professor of International Law Eyal Benvenisti and The Honourable Charles N. Brower from 20 Essex Street as a Chair.
Panel speakers include Professor Pieter Bekker, Head of the Investment Arbitration Task Force at CMS; Csaba Kovács, Solicitor-Advocate and Counsel (Consultant) at CMS; Dr Kate Parlett, Barrister at 20 Street; and Monica Feira-Tinta, Barrister at 20 Essex Street.
Register for a place here.
Event programme
18.00
Registration
18.20 – 20.00
Welcome: Professor Eyal Benvenisti
Chair: The Honourable Charles N. Brower, 20 Essex Street
“Attribution of the conduct of State enterprises to the State: the search for common ground” – Csaba Kovács and Professor Pieter Bekker, CMS
“State owned enterprises as Claimants: public entities and private justice” – Dr Kate Parlett, 20 Essex Street
“Purely commercial entities or instrumentalities of the State? The Alchemy of enforcing Awards against State-Owned Entities” – Monica Feria-Tinta, 20 Essex Street
Q&A
20.00 – 21.30
Drinks
