by Gladwin Issac, Associate, S&R Associates, Mumbai, India

Victoria Kigen, Member of Rising Arbitrators Initiative (RAI) and Case Counsel at Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration speaks to Abimbola Akeredolu, SAN, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre (LACIAC) in the next instalment of RAI’s “Interview the Institution” Series.

In this brief interaction with Victoria, Abimbola lauds how initiatives like the RAI help break the notion that international arbitration is open to only a select few individuals who operate like a “cabal” and the role of LACIAC in promoting international arbitration in West Africa. She describes the arbitrator appointment process at the LACIAC and the criteria that the Centre takes into account while making appointments. Abimbola also notes that the recent appointment trends at the LACIAC are reflective of the Centre’s renewed focus on bridging the diversity gap in international arbitration. In her advice to rising arbitrators, Abimbola encourages them to make use of all available opportunities in the arbitration market to “sell” themselves as skilled, credible legal professionals who can take up any challenges they are confronted with.

Watch the full recording of the interview on the RAI website, available here.