The office, which is located in the Maxwell Chambers, Singapore, was inaugurated by guest of honour Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law; John Beechey, Chairman, International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce and Jason Fry, Secretary General, International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce.

Held in accordance with traditional Chinese custom the inauguration featured a lion dance and a ribbon-cutting opening ceremony.

Remarking on the choice of Singapore as the location for the regional office at a function which followed the inauguration, Professor Ho Peng Kee said: “The opening of this office will not only strengthen Singapore as a regional arbitration hub but also hold out Singapore as a launch pad to serve the arbitration needs of Asia as a whole”.

Stressing that ICC had long recognized the importance of the Asia Pacific region to ICC Dispute Resolution Services and in particular to arbitration, Mr Fry said: “In Asia, ICC Arbitration case numbers increased by 13% from 2008 to 2009 and the Secretariat in Hong Kong is now managing 130 cases in the region. These figures stand as a testament to our decision further to enhance our presence in Asia.”

Mr Fry also extended his thanks to the Government of Singapore for their support and encouragement in locating an office focused on dispute resolution in Singapore and to accommodate that office in Maxwell Chambers.

Leaders from several of ICC’s representative offices in Asia – including ICC Indonesia, ICC Malaysia, ICC Singapore and ICC Sri Lanka – were present at the event. Mustafa Mansur, ICC Regional Coordinator, Asia Pacific, also attended and officially raised a toast to the success of the regional office.

The regional office will be managed by ICC Regional Director for Trade and Policy Lee Ju Song. Ms Lee’s responsibilities include fostering ICC cooperation with regional economic groupings – such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation – to create a more conducive business environment in the region.

In December 2009, Kim Kit Ow was appointed Asia Regional Director for ICC Arbitration and Amicable Dispute Resolution, ICC regional office, Asia. Ms Ow, who has a broad legal background, will work in close cooperation with ICC members in the region to promote ICC’s dispute resolution services. She will also help to organize training programmes and regional arbitration forums.