Singapore Ministry of Law and International Chamber of Commerce sign MOU to boost arbitration

28 JUN 2017

28 Jun 2017 Posted in Press releases

  1. The Singapore Ministry of Law (“MinLaw”) and the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC Court”) announced today that the ICC Court will set up a case management office in Singapore—aimed at boosting arbitration and serving the dispute resolution needs of businesses around the world.

  2. MinLaw and the ICC Court announced their collaboration at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”)—a milestone agreement—in Singapore today. Under the terms of the MOU, MinLaw and the ICC Court will also work together to develop and promote Singapore as a seat and venue for arbitration in Asia through advancing thought leadership, developing manpower talent and arbitration services, and undertaking joint marketing.

  3. The MOU was signed by Mr Han Kok Juan, Deputy Secretary of MinLaw and Mr Alexis Henri Louis Mourre, President of the ICC Court, and witnessed by Ms Indranee Rajah SC, Senior Minister of State of MinLaw and Ministry of Finance and Mr John Danilovich, Secretary-General of ICC at the 3rd ICC Asia Conference held in Singapore today.

  4. The ICC Court, headquartered in Paris, is one of the world’s leading arbitral institutions. In 2016, it administered almost 1000 arbitral cases from around the world. The Singapore office will be the ICC Court’s fourth overseas case management office—after Hong Kong, New York and Brazil—giving it a peerless global footprint. The new Singapore office is expected to commence operations in the first quarter of 2018 at Maxwell Chambers. It will take up about 2,000 square feet in the new Maxwell Chambers Suites, a conserved heritage building, which will be an expansion of Maxwell Chambers when the refurbishment works are completed in 2019.

  5. The ICC Court has welcomed the conclusion of the MOU, emphasising that the new case management team will form part of a unique international arbitration hub in Asia. Mr Alexis Mourre has welcomed the conclusion of this agreement and said: “With its two case management teams in Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as its representative office in Shanghai, the Court is now able to offer a unique international arbitration platform across the entire Asian continent”.

  6. Singapore is a leading international dispute resolution centre, offering a full suite of services—including international arbitration, mediation and litigation. Singapore is one of the top five seats of arbitration in the world—and has been the leading seat of arbitration for ICC cases in Asia for the last 7 years.

  7. The ICC Court is the first international arbitral institution to set up a physical case management office and team in Singapore. Ms Indranee Rajah SC said: “The ICC Court case management office will augment Singapore’s offerings and raise our hub status up one notch. It is a vote of confidence in Singapore as a base for major players to access and capture opportunities, and to be part of Asia’s growth story. We also look forward to working with ICC to advance thought leadership and develop manpower talent, to deepen arbitration expertise and build up a younger generation of arbitrators and counsel through conferences and training.”

  8. The new ICC Court case management office forms part of a growing presence for ICC in Singapore. Following the establishment of an Asia Regional Office, ICC’s first regional office outside its Paris HQ, in 2002, ICC and IE Singapore joined forces in 2015 to establish the ICC Academy – a market-leading e-learning platform for trade and banking professionals. Both outfits are currently located at Maxwell Chambers.

  9. Mr John Danilovich said: “The MOU signed today marks an ever deepening relationship with Singapore underpinned by a common vision that private enterprise, human capital development, and the rule of law are the bedrock of successful economies and prosperous societies.”

Last updated on 28 Jun 2017