The Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR) is pleased to announce that, on 1 July 2019, its Board of Trustees approved the establishment of an Advisory Committee to assist the BCDR Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with a number of functions relating to the BCDR-AAA international arbitration centre.
The Advisory Committee will comprise up to fourteen members, appointed by the Board of Trustees on the recommendation of the CEO, with due regard to diversity as to gender, nationality and legal background, and to a nexus with the MENA region. Members of the Committee, including its Chair and two Vice Chairs, all of whom will be experienced and respected practitioners in the field of ADR, will be appointed for an initial three-year term, and will be eligible for appointment for one further consecutive three-year term which may, in exceptional circumstances, be extended.
BCDR expects to complete the composition of the Committee within the next few weeks and will post the names and profiles of its members on the BCDR website in due course.
As part of their mandate, which is set out in detail in the Committee's bylaws, the members of the Committee will make recommendations to the CEO in respect of the application and development of BCDR-AAA rules and procedures to ensure that these are, and remain, accessible, relevant and consistent with prevailing best practices.
The members of the Committee may also assist the CEO, when requested, with the selection of arbitrators, mediators and other neutrals, and in considering disclosures of potential conflicts of interests made by any individual appointed, or to be appointed, by BCDR-AAA. The Committee may also be asked to make recommendations to the CEO on the determination of a challenge of an arbitrator, or on the possible revocation by BCDR-AAA on its own initiative of an arbitrator's appointment.
In line with BCDR's commitment to provide independent and impartial services, the Committee's bylaws expressly provide that its members will avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interests. In particular:
- any member of the Committee who has any connection with any proceedings administered by BCDR-AAA will not participate in any function or discussions of the Committee relating to those proceedings;
- the Chair of the Committee will not be eligible to serve as arbitrator, mediator or other neutral in any proceedings administered by BCDR-AAA;
- the Vice Chairs of the Committee will not be eligible to serve as arbitrator, mediator or other neutral in any proceedings administered by BCDR-AAA unless nominated by all parties to the dispute; and
- other members of the Committee will not be eligible to serve as arbitrator, mediator or other neutral in any proceedings administered by BCDR-AAA unless nominated by one of the parties.
The establishment of the Advisory Committee serves to reinforce the independence and impartiality of BCDR-AAA and of the services it provides, bringing to BCDR-AAA the great benefit of the expertise and professional insights and experience of the members of the Committee, heralding new perspectives on BCDR-AAA's development and growth.
The English, Arabic and French versions of the Advisory Committee bylaws are available on BCDR-AAA's website.