Catherine Dixon is the Chief Executive Officer of Ciarb. Catherine joined Ciarb in May 2020 having set the world record for circumnavigating the world on a tandem bicycle.

Before setting her world record, Catherine held Chief Executive Officer roles at NHS Resolution (the indemnifier for the NHS), a University College and at the Law Society of England and Wales.

Catherine also held Senior Executive Director, Legal Director and General Counsel roles at the NSPCC, BUPA and in Canada, at Vancouver Coastal Health Authority.

Catherine started her professional career as a commercial litigator solicitor in private practice including at Eversheds Sutherland.

Catherine has been involved in effective dispute resolution throughout her career including as an adviser, mediator, and client. Catherine formally introduced mediation into the NHS in England which has resulted in ADR being used effectively to resolve claims across the NHS.

She has served as a trustee and non-executive director on numerous boards, including the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), LawWorks, Queens (King) Counsels Appointments, Chamber of Commerce, Judicial Appointments, and other large charities. Catherine was the deputy chair of the LGBTQAI+ Committee of the IBA and has campaigned on human rights, rule of law and access to justice issues for most of her career. Catherine served as an officer on the British Army and has the Freedom of the City of London.

Catherine is the Chair of Stonewall, Europe’s largest human rights LGBTQ+ human rights charity.

Catherine has an MBA, is a solicitor and accredited mediator.

Managing Partner Balfaqeeh Advocates & Legal Consultants

Fatima Balfaqeeh is a distinctive voice in the Gulf region. Serving as the Managing and Founding Partner of Balfaqeeh Advocates and Legal Consultants, she also held the position of Director at the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration's Dubai office. With notable affiliations such as being a Chartered Arbitrator of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a Chartered Facilities Management Surveyor with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Chain, Fatima Balfaqeeh is a key advocate for green arbitration and sustainability initiatives, making her insights invaluable to our panel on Gulf energy developments. She is also a board member of the ICC-UAE and Vice Chair of the ICC UAE's Commission on Arbitration and ADR Steering Committee. 

Rajdeep is a commercial litigation and commercial arbitration barrister. He is based in New Delhi, India. Rajdeep represents businesses in disputes arising in a range of industries including oil and gas, energy, ports, infrastructure and commodities. He appears in arbitrations governed by all the main rules, including those of HKIAC, SIAC, ICC, and UNCITRAL. Rajdeep also accepts appointments as arbitrator and is empanelled with Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and Asian International Arbitration Centre.

Reshma Oogorah is an experienced international arbitrator and legal counsel, recognised for her proficiency in handling complex, high-value commercial and construction disputes. She holds dual qualifications as a Barrister and Solicitor in Mauritius and England & Wales. Reshma is ranked for Arbitration in the 2024 edition of WhosWhoLegal (WWL) and Global Arbitration Review (GAR) Report. With a robust background in international arbitration, Reshma has served in various capacities including as counsel, presiding arbitrator, co-arbitrator, and sole arbitrator in numerous ad hoc and institutional arbitrations governed under major arbitral rules. Reshma focusses on resolving construction, technology and energy disputes and has represented clients in common law, civil law and hybrid jurisdictions. Prior to setting up her arbitration and legal practice, Niyom Legal, Reshma spent time working with leading law firms in the United Arab Emirates, Mauritius, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, and with barristers’ chambers in the United Kingdom. Throughout her career, Reshma has advised and represented clients in transactions and disputes worth up to US$25 billion. Reshma is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), an approved faculty member of the CIArb, an elected Committee Member of the CIArb UAE branch, its Public Relations Officer, and General Editor of the Branch’s newsletter.

Robert has a wealth of legal and commercial experience from over 35 years’ involvement in all aspects of the property and construction industry. He continues to act as a party representative whilst undertaking appointments as arbitrator, adjudicator, expert determiner, mediator and dispute board member. Robert’s work as a neutral dispute resolver has involved him in cases in both the UK and internationally as the sole decision maker and as part of a panel of two or three members. He has also acted as Counsel in litigation and arbitration (both domestically and internationally).  Robert has recently joined one of the leading local law firms, Al Suwaidi & Company, as Counsel in order to allow him to further expand his practice as the dispute resolver and client representative in the Middle East and Asia. Robert maintains his presence in the UK through SWL Chambers for his representative work and ArbDB Chambers for his neutral roles.

Jonathan has in-depth knowledge and understanding of Ciarb having served five years as Chair of the Board of Trustees, and eight years as a Trustee. During that time, he has overseen significant growth and change in Ciarb. This includes four years of consultation, review and work which culminated in critical governance changes being approved by members in 2022 and the Privy Council in early 2023. Jonathan is an independent arbitrator with over 40 years’ experience in the field. He started his career in criminal defence and human rights before moving into shipping, insurance, energy and international trade for commercial clients, as well as art and cultural property law. He helped to establish an office in the UAE, practised in Singapore and taught in Tanzania. For 25 years he represented the British Government’s export credit agency around the globe. Jonathan chairs Reynolds Porter Chamberlain’s Arbitration Department and the Board of the London Chamber of Arbitration and Mediation, and is a founding member of Legal UK and the Virtual Arbitrations forum. He was co-chair of the International Bar Association’s International Sales Committee. Jonathan ranked in band 1 of Chambers and Partners arbitrators category and is described as a “leading individual” by the Legal 500. He is recommended as a Global Leader for Litigation in Who’s Who Legal.

Sameer Shinh is an Associate Director for Advantage RSK, and he specialises in all aspects of the claims and contract management of projects using all forms of contracts including FIDIC and NEC forms of contracts. He is a chartered engineer and has worked in the power, water, oil and gas, environmental and renewable energy industries throughout the world. He is currently involved in providing consultancy services in the implementation of flood defence schemes, Solar PV projects and utility scale battery energy storage schemes.