Swiss Arbitration Summit 2026 Programme

High-profile family wealth disputes, such as those involving the Agnelli, Murdoch, and Safra families, go far beyond law and facts—they are about relationships, culture, emotions, values, and legacies. This panel of mediators, arbitrators, lawyers, and family office experts explores in what sense mediation works and is valuable for resolving such disputes and how mediation and arbitration complement each other: mediation engages broader issues and stakeholders while arbitration provides legal certainty. The discussion will show how combining both approaches can preserve family cohesion, protect reputations, and turn conflicts into constructive solutions.

The panel will be hosted by the Swiss Chamber of Commercial Mediation (SCCM) and moderated by Corina Bölsterli and Julia Jung of the SCCM.

In recent years, investments from (mainly) China and other Asian investors into Africa have significantly increased. Notably, China’s belt and road initiative (BRI) has led to massive investments. The investments relate not only to various infrastructure projects (roads, railways, ports, and airports) but also to commodity trading, natural resources and mining, agriculture, recycling and sustainability projects (renewable energy), consumer goods, and retail.

The remarkable growth also leads to complex dispute landscape across commercial contracts and, at times, treaty claims. Operating conditions remain heterogeneous, with challenges including political instability, resource dependence, regulatory uncertainty, and corruption risks. These issues underscore the need for efficient and fair dispute resolution.

The panel will discuss Switzerland’s opportunities why Switzerland may rise as an ideal hub for such disputes. Specifically, the session will focus on why a civil law based international arbitration environment without any colonial history and with a tested and proven mechanism to resolve conflicts may be of importance.

Geopolitical crises are reshaping the way companies operate across borders. From tariffs and sanctions to supply-chain disruptions and regulatory volatility, businesses face unprecedented challenges that inevitably spill over into their dispute resolution strategies. This panel will examine how these pressures affect the conduct of international arbitration—from case management to advocacy and enforcement. Bringing together perspectives from counsel, in-house lawyers, and arbitration practitioners, the discussion will explore practical consequences for parties and tribunals alike, and offer insights into how arbitration can adapt to a rapidly changing global environment.

Although “arbitration practice” is recognised as a set of best practices, it also faces criticism in certain respect, as to how proceedings unfold. The respective stakeholders in arbitrations – parties’ counsel, arbitrators, arbitration institutions, courts – often consider that processes could be improved and streamlined, but the belief of each of these groups of participants is usually that changes are more needed in another group than theirs (counsel having views on the work of arbitrators, institutions and courts, and vice versa). The best way being to confront opinions, this session will give an opportunity to all players to debate together and determine where improvements are truly warranted based on a frank and open discussion, which will also include the client’s perspective.

In this session organised by Schellenberg Wittmer, renowned arbitration practitioners from different jurisdictions, including Switzerland, France, the UK and the United States, will discuss the latest developments and practical tips in the enforcement of awards against sovereigns, which require award creditors to navigate different legal systems, domestic immunity laws and asset tracing, among others.

Outsmart your next International Arbitration challenges with Artificial Intelligence: Our panelists will bring to life cutting-edge and proven IA-AI use cases and explain their implications on arbitration proceedings.

The global shift towards renewable energy has accelerated the development of complex infrastructure projects across offshore wind farms, solar parks, and other clean technologies. With this growth comes a rise in disputes, which can include construction delays and supply chain disruptions, unforeseen risks related to the resource, and regulatory challenges, among many others. Arbitration practitioners are increasingly called upon to resolve these complex issues, often involving new technologies, novel contractual structures, and cross-border risk allocation. This panel will explore emerging trends in renewable energy arbitration, offering practical guidance on dispute resolution strategies tailored to the unique dynamics of energy transition projects.