Advisory Committee
CRCICA has an Advisory Committee currently consisting of a Chairperson, two (2) Vice Chairpersons, and fourteen (14) members appointed by the Director of the Centre from among the members of the Board of Trustees as well as eminent African, Asian and other personalities specialized in the fields of international arbitration, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms and international trade.
The term of the Advisory Committee shall be four years, which may be renewed once for a similar term, unless otherwise determined due to special circumstances.
The Advisory Committee shall carry out the functions provided for in the Centre’s Arbitration Rules in force as from 15 January 2024 (the Rules) as well as any other functions that may be referred to in the Centre’s future Arbitration Rules, particularly the following:
a. Providing advice with respect to the Centre’s decision not to proceed with arbitral proceedings in whole or in part, according to article 6, paragraph 2 of the Rules;
b. Providing advice with respect to the Centre’s decision not to proceed with the appointment of any arbitrator according to article 12, paragraph 3 of the Rules;
c. Providing advice with respect to the Centre’s decision to accept or reject the Request for Consolidation in accordance with article 50, paragraphs 1 and 6 of the Rules;
d. Deciding on the removal of arbitrators according to article 13 of the Rules via an impartial and independent tripartite ad hoc committee to be composed by the Centre from among the members of the Advisory Committee without disclosing their names to the parties. The decision shall be made by the majority of votes of the members of the ad hoc Committee in writing, and shall be reasoned, final and unchallengeable;
e. Deciding on the removal of arbitrators according to article 8, paragraph 4 of Annex 3 to the Rules (Expedited Arbitration Rules) via an impartial and independent member to be selected by the Centre from among the members of the Advisory Committee without disclosing his or her name to the parties. The decision shall be made expeditiously by the member in writing and shall be reasoned, final and unchallengeable;
f. Deciding on the challenge of arbitrators according to article 14, paragraph 6 of the Rules via an impartial and independent tripartite ad hoc committee to be composed by the Centre from among the members of the Advisory Committee without disclosing their names to the parties. The decision shall be made by the majority of votes of the members of the ad hoc committee in writing and shall be reasoned, final and unchallengeable;
g. Deciding on the challenge arbitrators according to article 4, paragraph 6 of Annex 2 to the Rules (Emergency Arbitrator Rules) and article 8, paragraph 3 of Annex 3 to the Rules (Expedited Arbitration Rules) via an impartial and independent member to be selected by the Centre from among the members of the Advisory Committee without disclosing his or her name to the parties. The decision shall be made expeditiously by the member in writing and shall be reasoned, final and unchallengeable;
h. Providing advice with respect to the Centre’s decision to deprive any party of its right to appoint a substitute arbitrator according to article 15, paragraph 2 of the Rules; and
i. Providing advice with respect to the Centre’s determination, according to article 45, paragraph 13 of the Rules, of the fees of the arbitral tribunal at a figure higher or lower than that which would result from the application of the tables of fees annexed to the Rules.
Mr. Girgis Abd El-Shahid
Girgis is the Managing Partner of Shahid Law Firm, and admitted to plead before the Egyptian Court of Cassation. He specializes in dispute settlement, with a particular focus on energy-related disputes; investor-state disputes; mergers and acquisitions; corporate and commercial agreements; joint venture arrangements; banking and finance; securities offerings; telecommunications; and intellectual property. Girgis is renowned for his special expertise in complex multiparty arbitrations.
He is also recognized for his knowledge in handling all types of corporate and commercial disputes, from routine matters to large and complex multinational arbitrations. He is identified amongst the world’s leading arbitration practitioners in Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration Global Leader 2022 and Who’s Who Legal: Energy “as being among the world’s leading energy lawyers” and is recognized by Chambers & Partners as one of Egypt’s top arbitration litigators, as well as by the Legal 500 as a “Leading Individual”. Additionally, he is featured as a notable practitioner in the Chambers Dispute Resolution guide, recognized as “impressive – very driven and very business-oriented” and is acknowledged for his “solution-oriented, thorough and strategic” approach.
Girgis has significant experience in advising clients in various industries such as logistics, aviation, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, construction, energy, oil and gas as well as project finance and banking. Over his career, Girgis has represented clients in the aforementioned industries and more in flagship M&A transactions totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.
Girgis has been re-appointed by the ICC World Council as a member of the International Court of Arbitration, one of the world’s most experienced and renowned international arbitration institutions serving a second three-year term beginning July 1, 2021.
His expertise is built on solid ties to both the academic and the business communities, and he regularly publishes articles in his various fields of practice and is a regular panelist and speaker in many local and international conferences on arbitration, energy & infrastructure projects. Girgis also frequently sits as an arbitrator.
Girgis is a former Public Prosecutor and has received an LL.M. in International Legal Studies from Georgetown University Law Center, USA, an LL.B. from Cairo University, and a BA in Economics and Business Administration from the American University in Cairo (AUC). Girgis frequently teaches law related courses at the AUC.
