Young ICCA Co-Chair Election

Young ICCA Co-Chair Election

Young ICCA Opens Nomination Process for a New Co-Chair

Young ICCA will soon launch elections to replace its current co-chair Kate Brown de Vejar, whose two-year term comes to an end this spring.  To that effect, Young ICCA is now accepting expressions of interest from potential co-chair candidates.  Expressions of interest will be accepted through 12 February 2016.
Young ICCA co-chairs are elected in a unique two-stage process which ensures a balance of merit-based succession, geographic and institutional diversity and democratic legitimacy.  Gender diversity is maintained by the election mechanism which requires that each leaving male co-chair be substituted by a female co-chair and vice-versa.

During the first stage, the current leadership of Young ICCA will select two male candidates from among the potential candidates who have submitted an expression of interest to replace Kate.  The selection criteria include the candidates’ previous involvement in Young ICCA or similar organizations, their demonstrable appreciation of the organization’s aims of opening doors and promoting diversity in international arbitration, their capacity to dedicate the time and resources necessary to fulfill the day-to-day demands of the position, as well as considerations of geographic and institutional diversity.  During the second stage, the selected two candidates will then compete for the co-chair position in open elections, in which the Young ICCA membership is invited to participate.  The elections are scheduled for March 2016 and will require each candidate to present his personal profile by filling in a so-called “Proust questionnaire” which will be circulated electronically to the Young ICCA membership for its consideration (and entertainment!).  The election results will be announced at the ICCA Congress in Mauritius in May 2016. 

Expressions of interest from potential candidates should be submitted by e-mail with subject line “Young ICCA Co-Chair Candidature” to the current co-chairs at kbrown@curtis.com; dnyer@whitecase.com; and stonova@jonesday.com.  Applicants should include a current CV and a short letter of motivation not exceeding 500 words addressing the selection criteria outlined above.   Expressions of interest received after 12 February 2016 will not be considered. The decision of the co-chairs as to the selection of the candidates to proceed to the election phase is final.  Any form of canvassing or campaigning is strictly forbidden and may lead to disqualification.

The other two Young ICCA co-chairs, Sylvia Tonova and Damien Nyer, took office on 1 January 2015 and are due to reach the end of their terms on 31 December 2016.  However, to ensure a smooth transition and avoid overly disrupting Young ICCA’s activities, the next elections will be staggered.  To maintain the gender diversity at the Young ICCA leadership, Damien will step down as planned next December and Sylvia will continue in her role for another six months through mid-2017.



Your Young ICCA Co-Chairs
Kate Brown de Vejar, Damien Nyer and Sylvia Tonova