Resolution of investment disputes in the Middle East and Africa

Stavros Pavlou is the Executive Chairman of Patrikios Legal with over 35 years’ experience in corporate and commercial litigation, arbitration as well as a legal consultant and widely regarded as one of the top litigators in Cyprus. He represents major local and international clients in complex dispute resolution matters in courts, tribunals and arbitration centres in Cyprus and abroad. Stavros is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution (AIADR), a practicing Barrister before the Commercial Court of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) and a member of many international associations including the IBA, STEP, LCIA and ICCA. He actively participates in international seminars, webinars and conferences as a speaker or panelist and he authors numerous articles in international publications relating to dispute resolution and arbitration matters. For a more in detail profile please visit: https://www.pavlaw.com/team/stavros-pavlou/

Julia Ferraz Cardoso is Head of Dispute Resolution at ENS and a leading South African litigator with nearly three decades of experience in complex, high value disputes. She advises multinational and domestic clients across sectors including commercial, administrative, mining, tax, technology, telecommunications, insurance, and gaming. Known for her strategic clarity and ability to manage sensitive, high stakes matters, she represents major corporates nationwide and frequently handles reputation critical disputes. Julia also serves as an Officer of the International Bar Association’s Litigation Committee and its Regional Representative for Africa. Her work with clients across multiple jurisdictions gives her a strong global perspective on cross border litigation.

Dr. Mahmood Hussain is the Founding Partner at M&CO Legal with over 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors. He is a professor at the University of East Anglia, UK, teaching UAE Sharia law – Islamic Arbitration, and at Pantheon-Assas University Paris II, where he educates students on UAE Labour and Employment law. His expertise in the telecommunications sector includes chairing a Tribunal in a dispute involving a telecommunications regulatory body. As a litigator at Dubai Courts, Dr. Mahmood has achieved many favorable judgments in high-profile cases, and he is recognized for his effective representation of complex legal issues. Dr. Mahmood is a Part II registered practitioner at the DIFC Courts and has the rights of audience before the Federal Supreme Court of UAE. He has been acknowledged by The Legal 500 for his standout litigation skills and strategic approach. He has acted in over 50 international arbitration proceedings under various rules and is accredited by DIAC and ADCCAC. Recently, he joined the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) Roster as an Arbitrator. Dr. Mahmood is a member and current Chair of the ICC-UAE Commission in Arbitration and ADR and a member of the ICC Commission in Paris on Arbitration and ADR. He played a key role in establishing the DIFC Courts, serving as its first Deputy Registrar. He has been involved in significant committees, including the Special Committee for the Rehabilitation and Compensation of former Camel Jockeys and the DIFC Courts Working Group for the DIFC Courts Code of Conduct Complaints Regime. Additionally, he has held board positions, such as being a Board Member of CBC TV Station, Egypt.

Hashem is a U.A.E. national, triple-qualified lawyer, admitted as a Lawyer by the Supreme Court of Queensland, Australia, an Advocate by the UAE Ministry of Justice with rights of audience before the Union Supreme Court, and an Attorney by the New York Supreme Court. He is registered with the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department with rights of audience before Dubai Court of Cassation, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department with rights of audience before Abu Dhabi Court of Cassation, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts, and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Courts. He is a member of New York State Bar Association and the International Bar Association (Arbitration Committee, Litigation Committee, International Construction Projects Committee, Arab Regional Forum), and specialises in international and domestic commercial arbitration as well as complex litigation before UAE Courts. Hashem has been appointed as ICC UAE Delegate to the ICC Global Commission on Arbitration and ADR. Hashem holds Master's degree in International Corporate and Commercial Law (LLM, King’s College London, UK), Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP, Queensland University of Technology, Australia), Certificate in Legal Practice (UAE Institute of Training and Judicial Studies), and Bachelor of Laws (LLB, The University of Queensland, Australia). Hashem specialises in Dispute Resolution, that is international and domestic commercial arbitration as well as complex litigation before UAE Courts. Hashem’s experience includes working in private practice and in-house legal departments in the practice areas of Construction Law, Comparative Law, and Corporate and Commercial Law. Prior to joining the Firm, Hashem worked as an in-house counsel in one of the top government-owned corporates. He has served as a board member at a UAE-based public joint stock company and at a foreign company. Hashem also trained at international law firms.