KCAB
INTERNATIONAL is pleased to announce that Professor Hi-Taek Shin, Emeritus Professor of Seoul
National University School of Law and ICCA Governing Board member, was
re-appointed as Chairman of KCAB INTERNATIONAL.
The re-appointment follows the decision made during the most recent
annual meeting of KCAB’s board of directors, re-affirming their confidence in Professor
Shin to lead KCAB INTERNATIONAL for another three-year term, beginning in April
2021.
Professor Shin’s valuable contribution to KCAB draws from a wealth of
experience of over 38 years acting as counsel, an academic, an arbitrator and
other various roles in public service. Prior to his appointment as Chairman of
KCAB INTERNATIONAL, Professor Shin was a senior partner at the leading Korean
law firm, Kim & Chang. There, he specialised in cross-border transactions,
including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and shareholders’
agreements, high-profile commercial transactions and the resolution of disputes
arising from them.
Under the leadership of Chairman Shin, KCAB INTERNATIONAL has
continued to upgrade its standard and quality of case management procedures to
be abreast of the best practices in line with current global trends. KCAB
INTERNATIONAL has additionally organized and hosted numerous international
arbitration conferences and other outreach activities in Korea which have
contributed to enhancing the level of knowledge in the area of international
arbitration. It was also during his term that KCAB opened its overseas office
in Hanoi, the first foreign arbitral institution approved to open an office in
Vietnam. KCAB’s international panel of arbitrators has seen membership increase
by 60.2% in three years, resulting in a higher level of geographical, gender
and age diversity.
Chairman Shin’s international recognition has boosted KCAB’s profile
as a leading arbitral institution in Asia-Pacific. KCAB was selected as an
“arbitral institution worth a closer look” for three consecutive years by the
Global Arbitration Review. KCAB administered a total of 405 cases in 2020, a
continuation of the upward trend in its case load.
As of 4 May 2021, Chairman Shin joined Twenty Essex Chambers (“Twenty Essex”), one
of the most reputable barristers’ chambers in London. Professor Shin is the
first Korean national arbitrator to join as a full-time arbitrator in Twenty
Essex. KCAB INTERNATIONAL extends its warm congratulations to Chairman Shin and
Twenty Essex for this significant development.
Duncan Matthews QC and Stephen Atherton QC, co-Heads of Twenty Essex,
commented: “We are honoured that
Professor Hi-Taek Shin has chosen to enhance the Twenty Essex offering of top
international arbitrators. His outstanding reputation and international
practice is an excellent fit with Chambers, combining expertise in
international arbitration and commercial litigation across various sectors
including energy and infrastructure”.
On his re-appointment as Chairman of KCAB INTERNATIONAL, Professor Shin stated:
“I am very grateful to Sue Hyun and
our team members for their dedication during the last three years which have
been instrumental in KCAB’s gaining an international recognition and confidence
from its users. I am sure that with the wholehearted teamwork and the sense of
professionalism, KCAB will continue to be of the best service to the users of
international arbitration in the years to come for the efficient, effective and
orderly resolution of international disputes.”
Sue Hyun Lim, KCAB INTERNATIONAL Secretary General,
commented: “We are thrilled to know that KCAB INTERNATIONAL will be able
continue with its upward trajectory under the leadership of Professor Shin.
Professor Shin’s wisdom, knowledge, character and impeccable reputation as a
thought leader and staunch supporter of international arbitration makes him
irreplaceable. We are truly lucky to have him as Chairman. We look forward to
another three years of continuous growth and development under his leadership.”