International Arbitration Centre

May 9, 2023

Jehad becomes the first Emirati woman to assume a leadership position in the largest arbitration centre in the Middle East Press Release Dubai, UAE: The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) is proud to announce the appointment of Jehad Abdulrazzaq Kazim as its Executive Director. With this appointment, Jehad becomes the first Emirati woman to assume a leadership position in the largest arbitration centre in the Middle East. Jehad brings over 22 years of experience in the legal and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) field to DIAC. Prior to joining the Centre, she served as the Vice-President of the Legal Services Sector of Dubai Chambers, where she played an instrumental role in supporting the Dubai Chambers and its international offices around the world. Jehad holds an LL.M in Business Law from the University of Hertfordshire, UK and an LL.B in Shari'a & Law from the U.A.E. University. She is a graduate of the 1st batch of “Dubai Leaders Program” under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development. Commenting on the appointment, Dr Tariq Al Tayer, Chairman of Dubai International Arbitration Centre, said: "We are delighted to welcome Jehad Abdulrazzaq Kazim as the Executive Director of DIAC. Her appointment marks a significant milestone in the Centre's history and reinforces our commitment to gender diversity and women’s empowerment. With her extensive experience and leadership, we are confident that Jehad will lead DIAC to new heights of excellence and success." Under Jehad's leadership, DIAC aims to enhance the efficiency of its operations, optimise its performance, and improve its ADR services through business excellence, stakeholder engagement, and disruptive innovation. In recent years, DIAC has achieved significant milestones, including introducing New Arbitration Rules in 2022, the launch of its Metaverse for next-generation dispute resolution, and reforming its Arbitration Court. These strategic initiatives demonstrate DIAC's commitment to providing unmatched alternative dispute resolution services and further consolidating Dubai's international dispute resolution hub position. Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) is the largest international arbitration centre in the region, providing commercial dispute resolution services to parties of all nationalities and jurisdictions outside of judicial courts. Established in 1994 as the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry's Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre, it evolved as the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) in 2004 under Decree No. (10) of 2004. DIAC introduced its new Arbitration Rules in 2022 to optimise and improve the efficiency of arbitration procedures, further consolidating Dubai's position as an international dispute resolution hub through alternative methods. DIAC's mission is to provide unmatched alternative dispute resolution services by embracing excellence, integrity, and equity as its guiding principles. For press inquiries, please contact: Sharrah Khilawala