Christopher Lau SC (Singapore)

His arbitration practice encompasses investment as well as all aspects of commercial disputes including construction, corporate, energy, maritime, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, communications, insurance, automotive industry, military & defence procurements involving the laws of various common and civil law jurisdictions including those of Bangladesh, Cambodia, Denmark, England & Wales, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, New York, Oman, Pakistan, PRC, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Christopher has also served as mediator in commercial, construction and shareholder disputes both international and domestic.

Having been called to the Bar of England & Wales, Christopher practised as a barrister in London before returning to Singapore where he soon became best known for his insurance, shipping, construction and commercial practice. Between 1995 and 1998, Christopher served as a Judicial Commissioner of the Singapore Supreme Court.

Christopher now practises as an arbitrator. He has served in over 200 international arbitrations conducted either on an ad hoc basis or under, amongst others, AIAC (formerly KLRCA), DIFC-LCIA, HKIAC, ICC, ICDR, JCAA, KCAB, LCIA, LMAA, SCMA, SIAC and UNCITRAL arbitration rules seated in various civil and common law jurisdictions. Amounts in dispute in several arbitrations exceeded USD 1 billion.

Christopher’s appointments as an arbitrator and mediator include the following:

• Chairman in an ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules between foreign companies and an Asian state in relation to a multi-billion dollar oil & gas production sharing dispute
• Chairman in a multi-billion dollar ICC international arbitration concerning an infrastructure project in the Middle-East
• Co-Arbitrator in an institutional arbitration between European and Asian parties concerning a multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical dispute
• Co-Arbitrator in a JCAA international arbitration shareholders’ dispute involving Asian parties with the amount in dispute exceeding USD 1 billion
• Chairman in a LCIA international arbitration between European parties involving, among other matters, allegations of abuse of power with the amount in dispute exceeding USD 1 billion
• Chairman in an ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules between several companies in the oil & gas sector and an Asian state
• Co-Arbitrator in an investment dispute involving an Asian state
• Chairman in an ICC arbitration concerning a pharmaceutical dispute involving, among others, American and Asian parties
• Chairman in a number of ad hoc international arbitrations concerning military & defence procurement contracts involving a South Asian state
• Chairman in various institutional arbitrations concerning renewable energy projects
• Co-Arbitrator in a LCIA arbitration concerning a mining dispute in Mongolia
• Chairman in an institutional arbitration between North and South American parties involving, among others matters, allegations of corruption
• Chairman in a SIAC international arbitration concerning the procurement of telecommunications network equipment in Cambodia
• Chairman in an ICC arbitration concerning the construction of a power plant in a South Asian state involving a state entity and a Chinese party
• Co-arbitrator in a Bilateral Investment Treaty dispute between a foreign party and an Asian state
• Chairman in a JCAA international arbitration concerning the automotive components industry in Korea, Japan and Germany
• Co-arbitrator in an ICC international arbitration concerning a mining investment dispute in Indonesia
• Chairman in an ICC international arbitration concerning the construction of a business development complex in South Asia
• Co-arbitrator in an ad hoc arbitration involving an international procurement agency dispute seated in New York with New York law as the governing law
• Chairman in an ad hoc international arbitration concerning the supply of steel involving a German party and a German subsidiary of a Chinese party
• Chairman in an ICC international arbitration concerning a mining investment dispute in Myanmar
• Chairman in a HKIAC international arbitration concerning a joint venture dispute in China involving Chinese parties
• Chairman in two LCIA arbitrations on an oil rig dispute in Papua New Guinea
• Sole Arbitrator in a KLRCA international arbitration concerning the construction of a commercial complex in Malaysia
• Chairman in an ICC international arbitration concerning the construction of a cement plant in Qatar
• Chairman in an ICC arbitration concerning the procurement of frequency for the operation of a mobile phone network in a South Asian State
• Chairman in an ad hoc international arbitration under UNCITRAL arbitration rules concerning a software development & operation dispute
• Co-arbitrator in a SIAC international arbitration concerning the construction of a major container terminal in South-Asia
• Co-arbitrator in a SCMA international arbitration concerning the construction of six multi-purpose platform supply vessels
• Sole arbitrator in a SIAC arbitration concerning the supply of fuel oil involving Singapore parties
• Chairman in a LCIA international arbitration on a commodities dispute
• Chairman in an institutional arbitration concerning a shareholders’ dispute involving South Asian parties
• Chairman in an ICC international arbitration concerning a pharmaceutical dispute involving Asian parties
• Chairman in a SIAC arbitration involving Middle-East and Chinese parties concerning a distributorship dispute
• Chairman in an ICC arbitration between a South African and an Indian party concerning generic drugs
• Sole Arbitrator in a SIAC arbitration involving Korean and East Asian interests concerning an acquisition dispute
• Sole Arbitrator in a SIAC international arbitration concerning a share subscription dispute in Thailand
• Chairman in a HKIAC arbitration concerning a shipbuilding dispute in China
• Chairman in an ICDR international arbitration concerning an agency agreement in respect of electronic products in Taiwan
• Chairman in an ICDR arbitration concerning a construction contract in Korea
• Chairman in an ICC international arbitration concerning an infrastructure development dispute in Vietnam
• Chairman in a HKIAC international arbitration concerning the construction of a gas synthesis plant in the PRC
• Co-Arbitrator in a LCIA international arbitration concerning a gas production sharing dispute in Ecuador
• Chairman in an ICC arbitration involving Korean and South Asian parties concerning an infrastructure construction project
• Mediator in a SMIC mediation concerning a construction/engineering dispute in Myanmar
• Mediator in a shareholder dispute between Singapore parties
• Mediator in a construction dispute with U.S., Middle East and Asian parties
• Mediator in an ICDR dispute between an Asian party and a US party in respect of an oil & gas dispute
• Mediator in an ICDR dispute between a European party and an Asian party concerning an alleged breach of contract in respect of a software agreement

Christopher’s other appointments include:

• Member ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR
• Member Global Advisory Board, New York International Arbitration Center
• Honorable Member of the European Chinese Arbitrators Association
• Fellow Singapore Academy of Law
• Member Drafting Group updating ICC’s Report on Construction Industry Arbitrations
• Member ICC Task Force on Decisions as to Costs
• Member ICC Task Force on Maximizing Probative Value of Witness Evidence
• Member Task Force on IBA Guidelines on Party Representation in International Arbitration (2013)
• Member Working Group on IBA Rules on Investor-State Mediation
• Former Vice President LCIA Court
• Former Member ICC International Court of Arbitration
• Former Chairman Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Singapore) Limited
• Former Member and former Director Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF)
• Former Member General Committee of the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA)
• Former Chairman IBA Asia Pacific Forum
• Former Member International Arbitration Committee of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board
• Former Member Council of the Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration
• Former independent, non-executive director of the Board of Directors of Wing Tai Holdings Ltd, former Chairman of its Remuneration Committee and former member of its Audit and Risk Committee
• Former independent, non-executive director of the Board of Directors of Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd and former Chairman of its Risk Management and Audit Committee
• Former independent, non-executive director of the Board of Directors of Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd and former Chairman of its Risk Management and Audit Committee
• Former independent, non-executive director of the Board of Directors of Neptune Orient Lines Limited, Singapore, former Chairman of its Audit Committee and former member of its Enterprise Risk Management Committee (ERMC)

Christopher is on the Panel of Arbitrators of various arbitral bodies including:

• Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)
• Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA)
• Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)
• eBRAM (Panels of Arbitrators, Mediators and APEC Neutrals)
• Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB)
• Beijing Arbitration Commission (BAC)
• Shanghai Arbitration Commission (SHAC)
• South China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (SCIA) Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration
• International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR)
• Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) (formerly Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration – KLRCA)
• SCMA SIMC Maritime Mediators Panel

Christopher is listed in Who’s Who Legal (WWL) as Global Elite Thought Leader – Arbitration (2024). He is also recommended in WWL as Thought Leader – Construction (2024) and in WWL for Commercial Mediation (2024) as well as in Chambers & Partners, 2024, International Arbitration: Most In Demand Arbitrators – Asia-Pacific Region (Band 1) and Dispute Resolution: Most in Demand Arbitrators – Singapore (Band 1). Christopher has been included in The Legal 500 Arbitration Private Practice Powerlist: South East Asia (2023).

Chambers & Partners (Re: Asia-Pacific Region, Arbitration (International): Most In Demand Arbitrators (Band 1) – 2022) states:

Christopher Lau SC is a veteran arbitrator, experienced in the procedures of leading arbitral regimes both within and beyond the region, acting particularly prominently on matters arising from the construction, energy and resources, and shipping sectors. He is described by one interviewee as “a very experienced arbitrator who is respected across Asia – very sound in judgement and fair in his treatment of parties,” while another similarly characterises him as “a very big name who makes well-reasoned and judicious awards.”

Who’s Who Legal (2022) notes:

“Independent Arbitrator Christopher Lau has built a truly enviable practice in international arbitration, with respondents hailing him as “the godfather of arbitration” in the region.”

Who’s Who Legal (2020) states:

Christopher Lau SC is an independent practitioner with “a wealth of experience”, lauded for his “fair, diligent and efficient conduct of arbitrations as arbitrator”.