CIAM introduces itself for the first time to Latin American companies

The International Arbitration Center of Madrid (CIAM) has held an event entitled Arbitration, an ally for the competitiveness of companies, organized together with the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Peru

This digital meeting was attended by the president of CIAM, José Antonio Caínzos (pictured left), and the president of the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Peru, Alberto Almendres (pictured top right).

This conference is the first of a series of international events that will extend throughout the year 2021 to publicize CIAM to the business and arbitration community in Latin America by the hand of the Official Chambers of Spain abroad.

The president of the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Peru, Alberto Almendres, highlighted during his presentation that “having a nearby arbitration center that inspires confidence is essential to guarantee economic opportunities within an investment-friendly environment”. He added that “it is important to continue working on the institutionalization of this alternative to justice in order to achieve equity”.

Meanwhile, the president of CIAM, José Antonio Caínzos, explained during his presentation why the Center is an ally for the competitiveness of companies since it is “an institution designed to serve users from very different sectors”. And he pointed out that “Spain is a safe seat for international arbitration with full judicial support for companies in Latin America and, particularly, for Peru”.

The conference also included a round table moderated by the deputy secretary of CIAM and secretary-general of the Spanish Court of Arbitration, Adolfo Díaz-Ambrona (pictured bottom right), with the participation of Gianna Macchiavello, head of Repsol’s Legal Services in Peru, and Carlos Yelo García-Arquimbau, director of Production at SACYR.

The deputy secretary-general of CIAM and secretary-general of the Spanish Court of Arbitration, Adolfo Díaz Ambrona, emphasized that the Center responds to “the need to create a Spanish arbitration institution with an important Latin American component, for companies based in Peru that carry out international activity and have experience in international disputes”.

During the round table discussion, the head of Repsol’s Legal Services in Peru, Gianna Macchiavello, stated that “the possibility of being able to resort to an alternative dispute resolution mechanism, such as arbitration, has enabled Peru’s economic growth, given the legal security and prestige it brings in terms of foreign investment”.

Regarding the aspects to take into account when investing in a certain country, SACYR’s Production Director, Carlos Yelo, highlighted impartiality, transparency and the speciality and speed with which disputes are resolved. “We look for specialized arbitrators, transparent and reputable centres,” said Yelo. He also highlighted the value of holding this type of event “so that companies can learn about the existence of centres such as CIAM, since in recent years the link between Spain and Peru has been strengthened”.

In the conclusions of the conference, arbitrator Carolina de Trazegnies stated that “Peru is one of the most active arbitration centres in Latin America, but there are still challenges to be faced in order to reduce costs and make arbitration more efficient”. She concluded that “the arrival of new players such as CIAM is very positive news that will increase legitimacy by introducing international standards and policies”.

About the Madrid International Arbitration Center

The Madrid International Arbitration Center (CIAM) is an institution that was created with the aim of becoming a benchmark in international arbitration and the leading arbitration institution in Spanish. Its principles are excellence in processes, customer service and sustainability.

CIAM is the result of the merger of the international activity of the Madrid Court of Arbitration, the Civil and Commercial Court of Arbitration and the Spanish Court of Arbitration, to which the Madrid Bar Association has joined as a strategic partner.

The Center is chaired by José Antonio Caínzos and Mélanie Riofrio Piché is the secretary general.