CIArb appoints new chairman

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) has appointed Gbola Akinola as its new chairman.
 
Akinola succeeds Olatunde Busari.
 
Akinola is a practising lawyer and arbitrator. He is a partner in the law firm of ‘The Law Union’ with cognate experience in corporate and commercial law practice.
  
Also, the executive committee elected the following office holders: Olusola Adegbonmire as 1st vice-chairman; Prof. Paul Idornigie, 2nd vice chairman; Obosa Akpata, 3rd vice chairman and Josephine Akinwunmi as secretary.
  

In a statement, Akinola in his acceptance speech said the Institute under his leadership would strengthen its training programmes to focus more on imparting knowledge and the skills needed for successful careers in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
  
Akinola further assured that the new executive would address some of the concerns militating against the optimisation of the benefits of ADR in Nigeria, and also promised to work with other stakeholders in ensuring the growth of arbitration in Nigeria.
 
Akinola was the past president of the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria (MAAN). He is a fellow of the CIArb and is listed as a member of the institute’s panel of chartered arbitrators and also of the Kigali International Arbitration Centre Panel of International Arbitrators, Kigali, Rwanda.
  
Akinola’s election took place at the inaugural meeting of the 2021-2022 executive committee of the institute held on April 22, 2021.