HKIAC co-chair Domitille Baizeau names AI and cost efficiency as key themes of Hong Kong Arbitration Week, while co-chair Victor Dawes cites tribunal quality.
Law.asia reported that technology and the cost efficiency of arbitration have emerged as key themes during Hong Kong Arbitration Week, according to HKIAC co-chair Domitille Baizeau. She and fellow co-chair Victor Dawes SC spoke to Asia Business Law Journal on the sidelines of the "ADR in Asia Conference 2026 – Arbitration: Recalibrating for the Future" at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.
Baizeau identified AI as a prominent issue. She said the industry has to consider how arbitrators and counsel will use AI, whether there should be limits, and how that will work with technology changing every month. On cost and time efficiency, she said the questions include how to manage cases more efficiently and what the roles of arbitrators and counsel are. She said HKIAC is keeping a close eye on how to train arbitrators to be more efficient and to know what they are doing without interfering too much.
Dawes said a major development from the week was the attention given to the quality of the tribunal. He said there had been a lot of reflection on how the community can do better, and called that most valuable. Baizeau said an open dialogue on improvement is extremely important and that the community cannot be complacent.
Baizeau said more than 1,200 participants from 53 jurisdictions attended HKAW, with more delegates from Africa and the Middle East this year. She described that as encouraging given Hong Kong's need to build stronger connections with African markets. HKAW, organised by the HKIAC, runs from 19 to 23 October. Law.asia is an official media partner of the event.
