Chiann Bao

Practice Areas

Chiann serves as arbitrator in complex international disputes, specialising in joint venture and shareholder, private equity, crypto-assets, energy (including oil & gas, renewables, sales agreements), mining and resources, intellectual property, pharmaceutical, technology, media and telecommunications, infrastructure projects, and general commercial disputes. She has served as arbitrator in over 150 arbitrations seated around the world, with a focus on Asia, MENA, North America and Europe.

Career

Chiann Bao is a Chartered Arbitrator and CEDR-accredited mediator and practices exclusively as neutral. Qualified in New York, Hong Kong and England and Wales but having extensive experience handling civil law governed arbitrations as well, she specialises in complex disputes seated in Asia, Europe, MENA, and North America and has sat in almost 150 arbitrations deciding claims totalling almost 50 billion USD in dispute as chair, co-arbitrator, sole arbitrator and emergency arbitrator.

Prior to becoming a full-time independent arbitrator, Chiann worked in private practice in Hong Kong and New York where she focused on complex international arbitration and litigation, acting as counsel for corporates, state-owned enterprises and states in a range of disputes in various sectors.

Professional Memberships

Chiann holds leadership positions worldwide and currently serves as a member of the Governing Board of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), the IBA Arbitration Committee’s task force revising the arbitrator ethics rules, and is a member of the Lusaka International Arbitration Center Court of Arbitration. In 2025, Chiann was appointed a judge of the Bahrain International Commercial Court.

She formerly served as Co-Chair of the IBA Arbitration Committee, a Vice President of the ICC Court of Arbitration, the Secretary General and then as Council Member of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, a member of the International Advisory Board of the New York International Arbitration Center, and a member of the board of the Silicon Valley Arbitration and Mediation Center.

She is a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and served as a co-chair of the ICC Commission Task Force on Arbitration and ADR, which produced two reports in 2023: A Guide on Effective Conflict Management and the Report on Facilitating Settlement in International Arbitration. She is also a member of the the Mission Committee of the Jus Mundi academic network, the ICC World Business Institute, the International Investment Claims Academy, and an Advisor to the China Academy of Arbitration Law. Chiann is a founding member of HK45 and a founding member of Women in Arbitration, China.

Publications

She is an advisory board member of Kluwer’s Journal of International Arbitration and the Asian Dispute Review and a member of the editorial board of Kluwer’s Journal of International Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management. She has authored and edited several books and articles, including So, Now You are an Arbitrator (Kluwer, 2022, co-author Neil Kaplan) and A Guide to the HKIAC Arbitration Rules (Oxford, 2017 and 2021, co-author Michael Moser). She was awarded “best lecture” by the Global Arbitration Review for her 2022 Proskauer Lecture which was published in the American Review of International Arbitration.

Personal

Chiann has taught at several universities worldwide and is a member of the permanent faculty at Sciences Po Law School. She is regularly involved in advisory and drafting committees tasked with revising institutional rules, including ICC, HKIAC, AFSA, SCCA, and Bhutan ADR Centre. She serves as a member of the board of trustees as well as an honorary senior fellow of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Chiann has significant experience with disputes involving parties from and seated in jurisdictions or with governing laws across Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East, including:

• Asia: Hong Kong, China (PRC), Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam

• Europe: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Austria, Netherlands

• Americas: United States, Canada, Brazil, Cayman Islands, BVI

• Middle East: UAE (including DIFC), Saudi Arabia, Bahrain

• Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Namibia, South Africa

• Other: Australia, New Zealand

Clients

Regularly ranked by Lexology Index (previously Who's Who Legal) and Chambers & Partners, Chiann is recognised as one of the most highly ranked Lexology Index Global Elite Thought Leaders and one of the most in-demand arbitrators globally by Chambers & Partners.

Chambers Asia Pacific recognises her as one of the most in demand arbitrators with a "deliberative skill, intellectual engagement, thoroughness and formidable presence," and adds: "[s]he over-performs in everything she does, and it's rare for a major arbitration matter in Asia to be discussed without her name being mentioned."

She has been described as a "force of nature", a "real asset", and a "brilliant lawyer and arbitrator with vast experience working on complex commercial and investment disputes across Asia." Peers describe her as “one of the sharpest arbitrators I've ever seen" and credit her “meticulous attention to detail and an assured, authoritative presence in tribunals". Chiann is further described as “an absolute star who successfully manages some of the most complex and high value disputes in the region" and "very knowledgeable, diligent and a real diplomat."

Languages Spoken

English, Chinese (Mandarin)

Work Highlights

Bar Admissions:

• New York

• Hong Kong

• England and Wales

Academic Positions (Selection):

• Adjunct Professor, National University of Singapore (past)

• Member of the Permanent Faculty, Sciences Po Law School

• Member of Board of Trustees and Honorary Senior Fellow, British Institute of International and Comparative Law

Professional Qualifications:

• Chartered Arbitrator, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

• Accredited Mediator, Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR)

• Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators

Awards