GAR’s reasoning for granting this award to VIAC: The institution had a year of change and innovation in 2017, with new rules, a new secretary general and its first GAR Live event. It also started publishing the names of arbitrators on its tribunals, including an all-female panel. The awards ceremony took place in Paris on Thursday, 12 April 2018. We are so happy, proud and honored about this acknowledgement for VIAC’s achievements in the world of international arbitration.

The GAR Awards honored a range of firms and individuals for their achievements in the world of international arbitration. The awards were chosen by the GAR editorial team in light of feedback from leading practitioners and an online poll. The black-tie awards ceremony was hosted during Paris Arbitration Week at the five star Four Seasons George V Hotel near the Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe. After a champagne reception and seated dinner, the following awards were presented, besides the one to VIAC: GAR 30, best lecture or speech, innovation by an individual or organization, GAR ART best prepared/most responsive arbitrator, international arbitration practice that impressed, most important decision, GAR 100 Expert Witness Firms’ Power Index 2018, best development, jurisdiction that has made great progress, and lifetime achievement award. The Vienna Arbitration Days started-off with a captivating keynote speech delivered by Maxi Scherer, who won the award for best performance on the topic “How Artificial Intelligence Will Change Dispute Resolution”, where she proposes that artificial intelligence might make human beings in international arbitration superfluous one day. Furthermore she argued that for some parts of international arbitration "the human factor" will always be needed. VIAC, as a co-organizer of the VAD, has previously reported about this lecture and is also particularly pleased about this award.

For more information on the GAR Awards see here (Global Arbitration Review, 13 April 2018).