VIAC Board
The VIAC Board currently consists of 17 members and two Honorary Presidents, who are prominent national and international arbitration experts. VIAC Board Members include seasoned practitioners, academics and an Austrian Supreme Court judge.
The Board is VIAC’s main body and the only body that holds decision-making power. The Board frequently serves as a fallback for defaulting parties or parties who cannot reach agreement on essential aspects of the proceedings. The Board appoints arbitrators, confirms arbitrators and renders decisions on consolidation or challenges. In addition, the Board oversees VIAC’s strategic positioning and PR agendas.
Nikolaus Pitkowitz
VIAC President / Vienna
Nikolaus Pitkowitz is a founding partner and heads the Dispute Resolution practice group at Pitkowitz & Partners. He is also President of VIAC.
Patrizia Netal
VIAC Vice-President / Vienna
Patrizia Netal is a founding partner of the law firm KNOETZL. She is also the first female Vice-President of VIAC.
Franz T. Schwarz
VIAC Vice-President / London
Franz Schwarz is Partner and Vice-Chair of the International Arbitration Practice Group at WilmerHale. He is also Vice-President of VIAC.
Anton Baier
VIAC Honorary President / Vienna
Anton Baier is a founding partner of the law firm Baier Rechtsanwälte. He was also President of VIAC and now serves as an Honorary President.
Günther J. Horvath
VIAC Honorary President / Vienna
Günther Horvath is an independent lawyer and was previously a partner at Freshfields. He was also President of VIAC and now serves as an Honorary President.
Diana Akikol
VIAC Board member / Geneva
Diana Akikol is a partner at the law firm Walderwyss. She is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Claudia Annacker
VIAC Board member / Paris
Claudia Annacker is an independent lawyer and arbitrator. She is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Claudio Arturo
VIAC Board member / Vienna
Claudio Arturo is Partner at Petsch Frosch Klein Arturo, attorney, and business mediator. He is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Veronika Korom
VIAC Board member / Paris
Veronika Korom is Assistant Professor at the ESSEC Business School and Affiliated Partner at the law firm Paragon. She is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Paul Oberhammer
VIAC Board member / Vienna
Paul Oberhammer is a university professor for civil procedural law at the University of Vienna. He is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Alexander Petsche
VIAC Board member / Vienna
Alexander Petsche is Managing Partner at Baker McKenzie Attorneys at Law. He is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Karl Pörnbacher
VIAC Board member / Munich
Karl Pörnbacher is a partner at Hogan Lovells and heads the German practice group for international arbitration. He is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Dietmar W. Prager
VIAC Board member / New York
Dietmar Prager is a partner at Debevoise & Plimpton. He is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Lucia Raimanova
VIAC Board member / Bratislava
Lucia Raimanova is a partner at A&O Shearman and heads the arbitration practice in the CEE region. She is also a member of the VIAC Board.
August Reinisch
VIAC Board member / Vienna
August Reinisch is a professor of international law at the University of Vienna. He is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Stefan Riegler
VIAC Board member / Vienna
Stefan Riegler is a partner at Wolf Theiss and heads the dispute resolution team. He is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Friedrich Rüffler
VIAC Board member / Vienna
Friedrich Rüffler is a university professor of corporate law at the University of Vienna. He is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Erich Schwarzenbacher
VIAC Board member / Vienna
Erich Schwarzenbacher is President of the Senate of the Austrian Supreme Court (OGH). He is also a member of the VIAC Board.
Irene Welser
VIAC Board member / Vienna
Irene Welser is a senior partner at CERHA HEMPEL. She is also a member of the VIAC Board.
FAQs on the VIAC Board
How are VIAC Board Members selected?
The VIAC President proposes candidates for membership to the VIAC Board to the Extended Board of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. The Extended Board of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber appoints individual Board members upon the VIAC President’s proposal.
The VIAC President strives to identify a balanced body of experts with from academia, private practice and the judiciary as well as geographical diversity. VIAC Board members have decades of experience in the field of alternative dispute resolution and are amongst the most renowned global arbitration law experts.
How long is the term of office of the members of the VIAC Board?
VIAC Board members are appointed for up to five years. The current term of office is three years.
The term of office of VIAC Board members can be extended.
Are VIAC Board members remunerated?
No, VIAC Board members do not receive any remuneration whatsoever for their function on the Board and their work on the VIAC Board is completely voluntary.
All members of the VIAC Board have other professions in addition to their commitment to the VIAC Board.
What decisions does the VIAC Board make?
The VIAC Board may make decisions on the following:
– Number of arbitrators (Art. 17 para. 2 Vienna Rules 2021)
– Appointments of substitute arbitrators (Art. 17 para. 3 to 5 Vienna Rules 2021, Art. 18 para. 4 Vienna Rules 2021, Art. 19 para. 4 Vienna Rules 2021)
– Confirmation of arbitrators (Art. 19 para. 2 Vienna Rules 2021)
– Challenge of arbitrators (Art. 20 para. 3 Vienna Rules 2021)
– Consolidations (Art. 15 para. 2 Vienna Rules 2021)
All other decisions are reserved for the Secretary General or the Sole Arbitrator / Arbitral Tribunal.
How does the VIAC Board render decisions?
VIAC Board members are independent in their decision making and are not bound by any instructions. Decisions of the VIAC Board are made either in a Board meeting or by circular resolution. At least one third of the VIAC Board members must be present and at least one half of the Board members must agree for a decision to be valid.
Are all members of the VIAC Board involved in all decisions?
No. Members of the VIAC Board who are – in any way – involved in a VIAC procedure will not receive any information on the matter, nor will they be present or participate in the discussion and decision making of the Board in this case.
How often does the VIAC Board meet?
VIAC Board meetings are held every six to eight weeks. In addition, ad-hoc meetings can be convened as required.
Can members of the VIAC Board be appointed as arbitrator by the rest of the VIAC Board?
No, VIAC Board members may not be appointed as arbitrators by the VIAC Board in a VIAC arbitration.
However, it is possible for parties or co-arbitrators to nominate members of the VIAC Board.
If a Board member acts as party counsel or as arbitrator in a VIAC case, they do not receive any information whatsoever in relation to the arbitration, nor are they present if it is necessary for the VIAC Board to render a decision in their case.
What provisions of the Vienna Rules address the VIAC Board?
Provisions regarding the VIAC Board are distributed in the Vienna Rules. The most important provisions are as follows:
Art. 2 Vienna Rules 2021 provides general information on the VIAC Board.
Art. 15 Vienna Rules 2021 (Consolidation of arbitral proceedings), Art. 17 Vienna Rules 2021 (Constitution of the arbitral tribunal), Art. 18 Vienna Rules 2021 (Constitution of the arbitral tribunal in multi-party proceedings), Art. 19 Vienna Rules 2021 (Confirmation of arbitrators) and Art. 20 Vienna Rules 2021 (Challenge of arbitrators) contain information on the tasks of the VIAC Board.
Art. 16 Vienna Rules 2021 contains information on the appointment of members of the VIAC Board.
Annex 2 contains the rules of procedure of the VIAC Board.
