AGENDA

09:00 – 09:30 | Registration & Coffee

09:30 – 09:35 | Welcome Remarks

Oliver Wieck, Secretary-General, ICC Germany, Berlin

09:35 – 10:15 | “In Focus: Revamping the ICC Arbitration Rules – Towards Enhanced Clarity and Efficiency”

The new ICC Rules of Arbitration will enter into force on 1 June 2026. This session will provide a preview of the new Rules, highlighting key changes and the reasoning behind them.

Claudia Salomon, President, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris

Marieke van Hooijdonk, Vice President, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Amsterdam

Rolf Trittmann, Vice President, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Frankfurt am Main

10:15 – 11:15 | Panel Discussion “Dispute Resolution in International Defence Projects – Choose your Battles Wisely”

International defence projects present unique legal and commercial challenges that demand sophisticated approaches to dispute resolution. This panel brings together in-house counsel of leading corporates in the defence industry to examine how disputes arise in cross-border defence projects. From navigating typical pittfalls in such disputes to safeguarding classified information, our panellists will share practical insights drawn from their extensive experience in this highly specialised field.

Johannes Schulz, Senior Legal Counsel, TKMS GmbH, Kiel

Dr. Holger Strnad, Head of Legal Operations MDS, ESG, Hensoldt AG, München

Moderators:
Dr. Elke Umbeck, Partner, Heuking, Hamburg
Dr. Jonas Pust, Salaried Partner, Heuking, Hamburg

11:15 – 11:25 | Short Break

11:25 – 12:25 | Panel Discussion “Arbitration Unplugged – In-house Counsel Speak Up”

What do businesses really expect from arbitration today? In a world shaped by geopolitical tensions, geo-economic shifts, and increasing regulatory pressure, in-house counsel are rethinking how disputes should be resolved. This panel puts corporate voices centre stage. Senior in-house counsel share their unfiltered insights and real world experiences and voice their expectations towards arbitrators and arbitral institutions – from procedural efficiency and case management to strategic awareness, transparency, and enforceability. Engage in meaningful conversations that challenge the status quo and envision the future of arbitration.

Glenn Baumgarten, Senior Legal Counsel, Deutsche Telekom AG, Bonn

Dr. Patricia Nacimiento, Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, Frankfurt am Main

Andrea Potparevic Nikolic, Legal Counsel, CML Construction Services, STRABAG SE, Milan

Dr. Sabrina Streicher, Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution, BASF

Moderator: Catrice Gayer, Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, Düsseldorf

12:25 – 13:30 | Networking Lunch

13:30 – 14:30 | Panel Discussion “Confidentiality in Arbitration Proceedings – Myth or Reality?”

Confidentiality is often cited as one of arbitration’s key advantages – but how absolute is it in practice? A panel of leading practitioners and in-house counsel will discuss practical challenges, legal limits, and emerging trends in maintaining confidentiality, from sensitive commercial disputes to cross-border enforcement issues. Join us for a candid discussion on whether confidentiality in arbitration is truly guaranteed – or more myth than reality.

Dr. Julia Egyptien, Senior Legal Counsel, Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG, Duisburg

Dr. Karsten Grillitsch, Senior Legal Counsel, Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart

Ulrich Kopetzki, Acting Director for Europe, ICC Dispute Resolution Services, Paris

Dirk von Manikowsky, Partner, FGS Global, Düsseldorf

Moderator: Dr. Andrea Leufgen, Partner, Gleiss Lutz, Frankfurt am Main

14:30 – 14:40 | Impulse Talk “Improving Efficiency in Arbitration: Tactics, Trends and Tools”

A call for action to improve the efficiency of dispute resolution.

Max Stein, Partner, Skadden, Frankurt am Main

14:40 – 15:00 | Coffee Break and Networking

15:00 – 16:00 | Panel Discussion “Fueling the Future: Cutting-Edge Developments in Energy Disputes”

Join leading practitioners and industry experts as they examine the latest trends and challenges in energy-related arbitration across key sectors. The panel will discuss how market shifts, regulatory changes, and geopolitical developments are reshaping the energy dispute landscape. Attendees will gain insights into sector-specific issues, innovative dispute resolution strategies, and the growing influence of geopolitics and the energy transition on arbitration practice.

Dr. Bianca Benndorf, Head of Legal, Renewables, ERG Germany GmbH, Hamburg

Florian Cahn, VP Legal Patents Insurance & General Counsel, Framatome GmbH, Erlangen

Katja Hänisch, Senior Legal Counsel, Uniper Global Commodities SE, Düsseldorf

Merwan Lomri, Senior Disputes Manager, TotalEnergies, Paris

Carlo Ottaviano, General Counsel, TenneT TSO GmbH, Düsseldorf

Moderator: Dr. Markus Burianski, Partner, White & Case LLP, Frankfurt am Main

16:00 – 16:10 | Short Break

16:10 – 17:10 | Panel Discussion “Re-Engineering Arbitration: Choices Shaping Tomorrow’s Dispute Resolution Workflows in an AI-Assisted World”

As all participants in dispute resolution invest heavily in process design and technology, parts of the arbitration lifecycle that have been bespoke and counsel-driven are becoming standardised and integrated. The rapid adoption of AI tools is accelerating this shift.

For users, these developments create new possibilities for cost control, predictability and portfolio management. For the actors, they raise questions about who should design and own each part of the process and in particular whether the full potential of these possibilities can realistically be unlocked through collaboration between counsel or whether norms and structures will need to be imposed through procedural orders and institutional rules.

This panel will explore how these developments are reshaping case management, evidential workflows and the preparation of submissions, and what this means for party autonomy, case strategy and effective advocacy in an increasingly process-driven and AI-assisted world.

Audrey Abbott, Senior Director – Construction, Projects, & Assets, FTI Consulting, Berlin

Dr. Arno Gildemeister, Global Head of Legal Risk, TÜV Rheinland Group, Cologne

Dr. Nathalie Lengert, Head of Commercial Litigation, Nokia, Munich

Caroline Zand-Korteweg, Director of AI and Market Development, Opus 2, Amsterdam

Moderator: Robert Hunter, Partner, Osborne Clarke, Cologne

17:10 – 17:15 | Closing Remarks

Oliver Wieck, Secretary-General, ICC Germany, Berlin

17:15 – 18:30 | Reception

Participation in the event is free of charge for ICC Germany members and business representatives. For non-members we charge a participation fee of 190 euros (plus VAT).

Please note: This event is fully booked. You are welcome to sign up for the waiting list. 

Location:

Gesellschaftshaus Palmengarten
Room „Orchidee“
Palmengartenstraße 11
60325 Frankfurt am Main

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