Belgian‑Dutch international disputes lawyer Arno Janssens has joined the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) as Head of Middle East, marking a significant step in the court’s effort to deepen its footprint in the Gulf‑centric disputes ecosystem. Janssens brings to the role a strong background in commercial and investor‑state arbitration, having served as counsel, arbitrator, and tribunal secretary in cases across multiple jurisdictions, including the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.
Based in the United Arab Emirates, Janssens was previously Legal Counsel at the Abu Dhabi International Arbitration Centre (arbitrateAD) and has been active in shaping the region’s emerging arbitration infrastructure, including speaking engagements at the India‑MENA Arbitration Summit and contributing to major arbitration‑policy discussions. His SIAC appointment is widely seen as a strategic move to position the Singapore‑based institution as a preferred seat for complex cross‑border and India‑Gulf‑centric commercial disputes.
In addition to his SIAC role, Janssens serves as a Liaison Officer (Arab Regional Forum) for the International Bar Association (IBA) and is an Assistant Editor (Middle East & North Africa) for Kluwer Arbitration Blog, reinforcing his dual identity as both a practitioner and a thought‑leader in the global arbitration community. His elevation to Head of Middle East at SIAC signals growing institutional interest in the region’s evolving regulatory landscape, inward‑foreign‑investment flows, and the demand for neutral, rules‑driven dispute‑resolution hubs that can sit comfortably between the Gulf, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
