Issue #12 May 2015

IPBA President Huen Wong

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Huen Wong, who has become IPBA President as of the end of the AGM in Hong Kong on May 9th. Thanks go to William A. Scott, who served the IPBA well as President during the past year.

Other new Officers
President-Elect: Dhinesh Bhaskaran
Vice President: Denis McNamara
Secretary-General: Miyuki Ishiguro (taking over from Yap Wai Ming)
Deputy Secretary-General: Caroline Berube
Program Coordinator: Sumeet Kachwaha (taking over from Allan Leung)
Deputy Program Coordinator: Jose Cochingyan III

See the full roster of current Officers, JCMs, At-Large Council Members, Regional Coordinators, and Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs on the IPBA web site.

Hong Kong 2015 Highlights

The Annual Meeting and Conference in Hong Kong May 6-9 saw over 1,100 delegates at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Happy Valley Race Track, and the Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club. Participants enjoyed golf, receptions, Cultural Night, the Gala Dinner; networking at the lunches, coffee breaks, and during the Speed Dating session; great keynote speeches at the memorable Plenary Session; and numerous educational sessions organixed by the IPBA's 23 specialist committees. Here are just a few photos; more will be made available to delegates and uploaded to the IPBA web site soon.

Ten Scholars were welcomed this year. Here they are pictured at the Gala Dinner after receiving their certificates, flanked by Scholarship Committee Co-Chairs Amit Acco and Tatsuki Nakayama.	Cultural Night at the Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club showcased Hong Kong's finest traditions, including a dragon parade, a Chinese theater performance, and fireworks.
Delegates made the most of lunchtime, either networking with each other or meeting with the leaders and other members of their chosen specialist committees to discuss upcoming activities.	The Silent Auction raised HK$122,450 for the Music for Our Young Foundation, the children of which performed at the Gala Dinner. Thank you to all who donated items, which included art, jewelry, and collectibles.
At the Annual General Meeting (AGM), IPBA Officers report on the past year's activities from programs to committees, membership to publications. This year's AGM was noteworthy, as the members ratified the incorporation of the IPBA. Read below for more details.	IPBA leaders met with the First Vice President of AIJA, Ms. Orsolya Gorgenyi (center, in blue skirt), to further our commitment to support each other's association as outlined in our MOU.

IPBA Incorporation

IPBA members present at the AGM on May 9th ratified the incorporation of the Association.

Many months of hard work behind the scenes was conducted by the Constitution Review Committee, led by Past President Ravi Nath and facilitated by Past Secretary-General Yap Wai Ming. The members of the Committee are still going over the IPBA Constitution with a fine-toothed comb, working out details. The IPBA will be registered when the Constitution is finalized, and we will be sure to inform all members when this process is complete.

Major Points of Incorporation and the New IPBA Constitution

• The IPBA will be registered in Singapore as a Company Limited by Guarantee.
• The IPBA Secretariat will remain in Tokyo, Japan, and there will be no change in services to members.
• Due to the increasing importance of online presence and internet-related matters, the Webmaster will become an Officer position, with a Deputy Webmaster to support.
• Committee Co-Chairs will be allowed under the Constitution.

IPBA Regional Conference In Dubai

On October 26th, the IPBA will hold a Regional Conference in conjunction with the Mid-Year Council Meeting. The first three days will see meetings for the IPBA Council, which works behind the scenes year-round on behalf of the IPBA members, planning events and discussing matters of the association for better administration.

Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25
IPBA Council Meetings
for IPBA Council Members only

Monday, October 26
Regional Conference: Arbitration at the Crossroads: Middle East, Africa, and Asia
Open to the public

A reception is being planned for the evening of October 25th; that is also open to the public. 

We look forward to seeing you in Dubai!

IPBA Asia-Pac Arbitration Day

14 September 2015

The IPBA and the Kuala Lumpur Centre for Regional Arbitration (KLRCA) will be holding the inaugural "IPBA Asia-Pac Arbitration Day" in Kuala Lumpur. Click on the image above to see the flyer and registration form. 

IPBA - CIC Construction Conference 2015

Click on the image above to see more details. This conference is open to amyone, so please feel free to forward the information to your colleagues and business associates that you feel would be interested in it.

Other news:

• The 26th Annual Meeting and Conference will take place in Kuala Lumpur, April 13-16, 2016. Planning is well under way, and you can check the latest details on the official Conference web site: http://www.ipba2016.com
• The printed Membership Directory will be produced soon! If you have any changes to your contact information, please notify the Secretariat by Friday, June 12th.