Iryna Akulenka is appointed as Vice Chair of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) for its Dubai Branch. 

CIArb is an international centre of excellence for the practice and profession of alternative dispute resolution.  With a growing membership of 16,000 based across 133 countries and supported by an international network of 39 branches, the CIArb provides education and training for arbitrators, mediators and adjudicators.

Iryna, a consultant based in HKA’s Dubai office, will be providing support to the CIArb’s Branch Chair and Committee in Dubai in the implementation of many new initiatives for the institute and its members.

“It is indeed a great honour to have been entrusted to serve the CIArb’s Dubai Branch in this capacity.  The timing of the announcement is also of a particular significance as it coincided with International Women’s Day.

“My appointment flows rather organically from the two years’ tenure as a member of the Branch Committee. During the two years, I have been working very closely with the Branch Chair on executing various plans, supporting and participating in training, and holding events. I was also the course administrator on a training module taught on International Arbitration, and I look forward to continuing with this in 2019.

“Of particular importance, given the Institute’s efforts in reaching gender parity, are the gender diversity initiatives and events that we have been diligently working on. The current leadership structure of the Branch is truly unprecedented – we now have women serving as Chair and Vice Chair of the Branch, with three women on the Committee. We are also delighted to report that we have almost reached an equal gender balance within the Young Members Group (under the age of 40).  I am glad to see that the landscape of alternative dispute resolution community, in general, is changing and that there are many plans to promote diversity and to develop the next generation of talent.”

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