Originally from World Arbitration Reporter (WAR) - 2nd Edition

Preview Page

I.  BASIC INFORMATION

A. History and Background of the Institution 

The Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) is a leading international arbitration institution and a major centre for dispute resolution in the Greater China region. The HKIAC was established in 1985 with the aim of promoting arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution in Hong Kong. Initially, the HKIAC was funded by the Hong Kong business community and the Hong Kong Government. Today, however, the HKIAC maintains its own financial budget and funds and is completely independent of both government and private business.

The governing authority of the HKIAC is the HKIAC Council which comprises of a Chairperson, two Vice Chairpersons and a number of Council Members. These individuals include some of the leading figures in the Hong Kong and international business and professional communities. 

Generally, the day-to-day operations of the HKIAC are headed by the Secretary-General and the secretarial staff, who collectively handle the administration of arbitration, mediation, adjudication and domain name disputes. 

In 2014, the HKIAC revised its organisational structure, establishing an Executive Committee to serve as the principal body directing the activities of the HKIAC in accordance with the policies approved by the HKIAC Council. Three standing committees operate under the auspices of the Executive Committee, being the Arbitration Proceedings Committee, Appointments Committee and the Finance and Administration Committee. These three committees deal with matters concerning the business operations of the HKIAC.

The International Advisory Board, which also plays an important role within the HKIAC, comprises leading figures in the Hong Kong business community and in international arbitration, who will be consulted from time to time on matters relating to the HKIAC’s policies and its future development.