Caucasus and Central Asia Construction Forum

Adam is an expert in business management, project and contract management, construction contract cash flow optimization, procurement, FIDIC contract conditions, claims strategy and client relationship management. He has over 15 years of experience in advising on and implementing construction investments and has successfully conducted multiple commercial negotiations with international construction and engineering corporations. Adam has a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Saint Josephs University, an Masters in Management from Harvard University and MSc in Accounting and Finance from Kozminski, a member of the Polish Association of Consulting Engineers (SIDiR) and former Chair of the Future Leaders Council of FIDIC and former member of the FIDIC Contracts Committee.

Source: Speaker Details: FIDIC Global Infrastructure Conference 2024

Mr. Igenbayev supports the Registrar with all aspects of case administration and case management. He is a law graduate from Al Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan, and has an LLM from the University College London, UK. Before joining the AIFC Court and IAC, he worked at the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan and at the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He is a CEDR Accredited Mediator.

Source WHO WE ARE

Andrey Artyushenko - Artyushenko & Partners law firm, the Managing Partner, founder.

FIDIC Certified Trainer. More than 23 years of Legal experience: contract law, real estate construction (FIDIC contracts, EPC, EPCM construction, PPP, management issues for hotel chains), corporate issues, investment law, etc.

Ms. Alibayeva is engineer-economist and has degree of Master of Economics.

Since 1999 to 2006 she was lecturer, senior lecturer of “Kokshetau” branch of Almaty Academy of Economics and Statistics, in 2006-2009 - economic analyst of “Kazakhstan Pipe Plant” LLP in Astana, in 2009 -2010 - Engineer at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In 2010 - 2017 - expert, chief expert, head of the Department of Estimated Standards in Construction of the Committee for Construction and Housing and Public Utilities of the Ministry of Investments and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In 2017-2021 - Director of the Research Institute of Standard and Experimental Design, a subsidiary of KazCenter Housing and Public Utilities JSC of the Committee for Construction and Housing and Public Utilities.

In June 2022 she was appointed as President of “Kazakhstan Road Research Institute” JSC and since then successfully leading R&D of Kazakhstani road sector. Under her leadership “Kazakhstan Road Research Institute” JSC has significantly progresses in working with FIDIC contract conditions, Project Management Consultancy, road safety and other key directions.

Asel El Housan is a Civil Engineer and a veteran of the international construction industry with more than twenty-eight years of experience in the construction field. She is the founder and the Managing Director of AEH UK Limited. She is an arbitrator and expert witness. Her experience ranges in between many countries including UAE, UK, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand, and Nepal. Asel is a FIDIC affiliate member and certified trainer, she is also a member of many associations like DRBF, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Society of Construction Law, Adjudication Society, and Scottish arbitration centre.

Asel was a speaker at many conferences including FIDIC Users Conference, Adjudication Society Conference, DRBF Annual International Conference, CIArb, Alternative Dispute Resolution International Conference, and many others. Asel has long experience in claims, variations, settlement agreements, and construction dispute resolution both litigation and arbitration and an outstanding experience in different types of Contracts (EPC Turnkey, Design & Build, Construction, DBO, DBOT, DBOO, PPP, Consultancy Agreements & Sub-agreements, and Subcontracts.

Cosmin Tobolcea, a member of the FIDIC Board since September 2024, is a civil and environmental engineer with more than 20 years of experience. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the Technical University of Iasi and currently serves as General Manager of PROTOBY and Managing Partner at EURO FINANCE ADVISORS, a leading engineering consulting group in Eastern Europe, a group that has grown to over 250 employees, managing EU-funded water and wastewater projects in Romania worth more than €1.5 billion.

A committed FIDIC volunteer for over 12 years, Cosmin has held key leadership roles, including Chair of the Certified Consulting Engineer Programme and Chair of the Future Leaders Council, and contributed to the Diversity Task Force and Sustainable Development Committee.

He has spoken at over 20 FIDIC events and co-authored several State of the World Reports and has authored and co-authored technical papers, policy reports, and contributions to books covering topics such as sustainable infrastructure, project management, FIDIC contract implementation, and climate-resilient water systems. In 2021, he received the FIDIC Future Leaders Award.

Daduna kokhreidze is a General Counsel at FIDIC and is overseeing FIDIC contract and legal activities. She advises on the delivery of corporate governance for the federation and its global operations. Her role includes the protection of FIDIC’s IP and strategic advice and contribution to drafting development of FIDIC’s contracts. She is responsible for FIDIC Contract user’s relationship and is dealing with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and wider stakeholders.

She is a qualified construction lawyer with significant experience in the construction consultancy and engineering sector. Her experience includes advising on FIDIC forms, representing parties in various forms of dispute resolution, and acting as a sole and three-member dispute board. She has translated the FIDIC Red Book 1999 into the Georgian language. She holds an MSc in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution from King’s College London, is admitted to the Georgian Bar, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Before joining FIDIC, she was a partner at a leading law firm in Georgia for over 12 years and led the construction law practice of the firm. She is a regular speaker at industry events. She is a founding member and the (First) Past President of the Georgian Association of Consulting Engineers (ACEG) – FIDIC MA.

Francisco Reina Barranco - Co-founder of FRED Engineering (www.fredeng.eu). Engineer with 20+ years experience in road design and road safety engineering.

In the last years, he has worked as an international expert leading multiple road infrastructure and civil engineering projects funded by IFIs (EC, EIB, WB, ADB) in 25+ developing countries in Asia, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, Caribbean and Eastern and Western Europe.

He has led several international road safety projects involving institutional strengthening and policy support, capacity building and technical training, road safety audits and inspections, black spot analysis, preparation of road safety manuals and road design manuals and organisation of road safety seminars and workshops.

Irakli Khergiani is the Founder and Director of Intelligent Solutions LLC. Being a distinguished engineer and leader in the construction field, with a wealth of experience and expertise Irakli leads a dynamic team in executing innovative and complex construction projects with precision and efficiency. As a member of the FIDIC President's List of Approved Dispute Adjudicators, he brings a unique perspective to construction law and dispute resolution. Additionally, Irakli serves as the President of the Georgian Association of Consulting Engineers, where he champions excellence and collaboration within the construction community contributing to the spread of knowledge and expertise in the Infrastructure society in Georgia and beyond.

Kamilla is alumni of Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Strategic Research. 

Ms. Maxatova is working in the road sector for 15 years.

Her extensive experience includes more than 10 years in Project Management Consultancy in IFIs funded projects such as major infrastructure project Western Europe-Western China International Transit Corridor , 3 years in first flagship concession project in Kazakhstan Big Almaty Ring Road (BAKAD).

Her main areas of expertise are procurement and social safeguards fields as per IFIs rules and guidelines.

Karl Pörnbacher heads the firm's international arbitration team in Germany. Together with his multinational team of experienced international arbitration lawyers, he has represented clients in more than 130 international and domestic arbitrations as counsel. He has further been appointed as an arbitrator in more than 75 cases, both as chairman/sole arbitrator and co-arbitrator. Karl assists clients in the efficient resolution of their disputes. He is an expert in alternative dispute resolution, with broad experience in the structuring and conduct of alternative dispute resolution proceedings. His experience includes disputes related to energy (gas, oil, renewables), construction and infrastructure projects, (post) M&A, and supply disputes in various industries.

Karl and his team have experience in arbitration proceedings under a variety of rules, including the ICC, VIAC, Danish Chamber of Commerce, Polish Chamber of Commerce, DIS and Swiss Rules, as well as in ad-hoc proceedings. He also represents clients in mediations, dispute board proceedings and adjudications.

Karl is a member of the Boards of VIAC, the Arbitration Court at the Polish Chamber of Commerce and the ICC commission on arbitration and serves as Chair of the Arbitration Court of the German-Polish Chamber of Commerce in Warsaw. He is a member of the scientific advisory board of the MuCDR and the BayCDMA, and he teaches courses on arbitration at the University of Bayreuth.

Kristina Laewen is a highly regarded Senior Associate at Hogan Lovells, specializing in complex, large-scale energy and infrastructure projects, particularly in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Her extensive experience in the region includes providing legal advice to SVEVIND Energy GmbH for the development of one of the world’s largest green hydrogen projects in Kazakhstan. Kristina has a deep understanding of FIDIC-based contracts as well as of general EPC contracts. Her expertise in project development, dispute resolution and her international perspective, along with her proven track record, provide significant value to her clients and projects.

Leo Grutters is a Construction Engineer and a Dispute Resolution Expert with over 35 years of professional experience. He holds an MBA and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of
Arbitrators. As a Member of FIDIC's President's List of Approved Dispute Adjudicators he has been involved as an independent neutral expert in many large prestigious international engineering projects involving such wide-ranging sectors as roads, railways, power generation & distribution, off-shore, marine, renewable energies, etc. He is a forensic analyst focused on the logical and fair resolution to contractual disputes. Due to his extensive participation in international contractual dispute resolution procedures such as Adjudication, Dispute Boards and Arbitration, he is a project-focused expert that understands the interaction between complex engineering methodologies and the unavoidable legal and commercial implications when seen in a contractual environment. He also regularly lectures on Dispute Resolution Methodologies, Proactive Contract Administration Systems & Procedures and he is a regular speaker at related international events. He routinely conducts training and coaching events on the entire FIDIC Rainbow Suite of Contracts, as well as other construction management related topics.

Levent Irmak is a Civil Engineer with 30 years of experience, an independent consulting engineer, FIDIC Certified Adjudicator (enlisted in FIDIC President’s List of Approved Adjudicators) and FIDIC Certified Trainer. He has a MSc degree in construction management from Northeastern University in Boston, USA and LLM degree in Construction Law and Arbitration from RGU in the UK. He has been appointed as Dispute Board member (sole, 3-member and DB chair) in wastewater treatment plants, railway, road, powerplant and power transmission projects and served as Expert Witness in international arbitration (tribunal- and party-appointed) in projects in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia. He is Past-President of the DRBF Region 2, member of DRBF, FIDIC, EFCA, ATCEA (Association of Turkish Consulting Engineers and Architects). He currently serves as DRBF Region 2 Mentoring Committee chair.

Mr. Manish D. Kothari, F. ACEC, is President and CEO of Sheladia Associates, Inc., an international architecture and engineering consulting firm based in Rockville, Maryland. Mr. Kothari became President in 1999 and has led Sheladia in his present role since 2011 and has 30+ years of varied engineering experience on transportation, bridges, highways, and building infrastructure projects involving design, construction support, and management in the USA and internationally. Prior to Sheladia, he worked with Bechtel Corporation, USA as an Engineering Specialist and as Vice President with D2 Consult GmbH, Austria. Mr. Kothari has a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from India and M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from The University of Michigan.

Mr. Kothari was inducted into the National Academy of Construction (NAC) in 2020. He was recently elected a Fellow of ASCE and is a member of ASCE’s Industry Leadership Council (ILC). Since 2022, he has co-chaired its Risk & Resilience subcommittee. In 2022, he was elected to the board of the Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs Conseils (FIDIC), also known as the International Federation of Consulting Engineers, for a four-year term. Prior to that, he was the pioneer Chair for FIDIC’s International Financial Institutions Committee (IFIC) and a member of the FIDIC – Risk, Liability, and Quality Committee in 2020. He served as the National Chair of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) for the 2018- 2019 term and was Chair-Emeritus from 2019 to 2020. He was the Vice Chair on the Executive Committee for ACEC from 2013 to 2015 and led the ACEC International Committee for four years from 2009 to 2013. He has been a member of numerous ACEC committees over the last three decades. He served as a Commissioner for the State of Maryland, Maryland Economic Development Commission from 2013 to 2023 and was a member of the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Services and Finance Industries (ITAC 10) with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of the United States Trade Representative. He is currently a Director of The Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology, or PIC MC Foundation Board. He received the 2015 WTCI’s Maryland International Business Leadership Award, which was conferred by Governor Larry Hogan. Mr. Kothari also previously served on the Business Advisory Council of the National Education Association (NEA).

Margulan is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in corporate banking and project finance, including the last 8 years at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). In their current role as Senior Executive Director of Transport, Industry and Infrastructure manages a substantial credit portfolio valued at over $800 million in Central Asia, focusing on fostering economic growth and sustainable development.
The amount of EDB’s participation in the projects managed by Margulan above $1 billion.
Notable projects led during his tenure at EDB for the last 8 years include:
Expansion and Modernization of Almaty International Airport: Collaborated on syndicated loans with IFC, EBRD, and DEG, with a project cost of $737 million.
Big Almaty Ring Road: Major PPP project in Central Asia, developed in syndication with EBRD and IsDB, costing $743 million.
Turkistan International Airport: The first greenfield airport in Central Asia in 30 years, with a project cost of $175 million.
Nur Zholy Checkpoint: A PPP project on the Almaty-Khorgos highway, part of the international transport corridor "Western Europe – Western China."
Reconstruction of national highways in Kazakhstan: $200million

Nata Ghibradze is a Counsel in the International Arbitration Group of Hogan Lovells International LLP in Munich. She focuses on international commercial arbitration and advises clients involved in arbitration proceedings, in particular in the energy (oil & gas, renewables), construction, infrastructure and engineering sectors. Nata's practice has a particular focus on the CEE region, Turkey and Central Asia.

With a wealth of experience, Nata has conducted arbitrations under all major arbitration rules, sitting in various jurisdictions and acting as counsel, arbitrator and secretary to the tribunal. She also has expertise in representing clients in Dispute Board proceedings relating to construction projects. Nata is a frequent speaker and writer on international arbitration topics and is actively involved in several professional associations. Nata is the Secretary of Arbitral Women.

Since 1 January 2022, Niamh Leinwather has taken office as the Secretary General of the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC). Of Irish origin, Niamh has both a common and civil law background (Bachelor of Civil Law, University College Dublin, Mag.iur., University of Vienna, Master of European Studies, University of Vienna). She was the first Irish woman to be admitted to the Austrian Bar in 2013 and has over a decade of experience in international dispute resolution at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Vienna where she acted as both counsel and arbitrator.

Mr. Nikola Pavlovic is a civil engineer and contract specialist with over 15 years of experience in major infrastructure and building mega projects. He is the founder of Construction Claim, a consultancy focused on claim preparation, FIDIC contract management, and dispute resolution. As a certified PMP and accredited FIDIC trainer, he has delivered over 50 training sessions and advised on complex contracts across the region. Nikola is the Chair of ACES Serbia (FIDIC Member Association) and an active member of EFCA committees, contributing to the development of engineering consultancy standards in Europe.

Nina Tsaturova, Head of Legal and Director at Intelligent Solutions LLC in Tbilisi, Georgia, is a distinguished member of the FIDIC President's List of Approved Dispute Adjudicators, specializing in construction law and dispute resolution. With over a decade of experience, she adeptly manages construction disputes, particularly FIDIC contracts, offering guidance on contract drafting, negotiation, and various dispute resolution methods. Nina has successfully handled diverse local and international projects, spanning infrastructure, residential, and commercial developments. Additionally, she actively contributes to the construction community as a Founding Member of the Georgian Association of Consulting Engineers and serves as the DRBF Country Representative in Georgia. As a FIDIC Certified Trainer and Head of Contract Principles at the FIDIC Academy, Nina's commitment to excellence earned her the prestigious Merit Award for FIDIC Contracts Trainer of the Year in 2023, highlighting her leadership and dedication to advancing industry standards and professional development.

Prashant Kapila is the Managing Director of Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats Pvt. Ltd., a leading global engineering consultancy firm headquartered in New Delhi, India. With over 23 years of global experience in the industry, he has made significant strides with numerous consultancy assignments in over 50 countries. He is a strategic and visionary leader, committed to driving business success through a focus on people, innovation, and execution. He is a member of the FIDIC Board, which further solidifies his influence on the global engineering landscape.

He is deeply passionate about contributing to the growth of the Consulting Engineering Industry, particularly in Developing Economies where infrastructure needs are pressing. He is committed to embracing digitalization and creating a platform for knowledge-sharing, innovation, and best practices that will propel the industry forward.

Sophie Tkemaladze is a practitioner advising international organizations (UNDP, USAID, European Commission) and public and private companies on dispute resolution system and policy.

She drafted amendments to the Law of Georgia on Arbitration in 2015 and the Law on Mediation in 2019. She is presently engaged in the development of arbitration and mediation systems in Sri Lanka and Iraq. 

Sophie has served as arbitrator in several international commercial disputes under the ICC, GIAC and DRC Rules. Her mediation experience includes commercial, workplace as well as infrastructural projects as a mediator of the ADB’s Office of the Special Project Facilitator.

Sophie holds Master in Public Administration from Harvard University, LL.M. in International Business Law from Central European University and is an international faculty at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators HQ.

Taner Dedezade is the founder and Head of Chambers of International Construction Chambers, London.

·        Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn

·        FIDIC President's List of Approved Dispute Adjudicators

·        ICC Arbitrator

·        FIDIC Certified Adjudicator and Trainer

·        FIDIC trainer of the Year 2020

·        Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Taner is an International construction barrister: specialising in the avoidance and resolution of disputes arising out of international construction and engineering projects, particularly under the FIDIC standard forms of contract; Dispute resolver: sitting as a DB Member, ICC and CIArb arbitrator; and Speaker: having delivered numerous FIDIC lectures and 2-day workshops around the world.

Tom Smith is a partner in the International Arbitration, Construction & Engineering team at Hogan Lovells in London. Tom has particular expertise in the resolution of disputes associated with complex engineering and infrastructure projects and is experienced in advising clients in relation to projects based in Europe, Africa and Asia in the oil and gas, conventional and nuclear power, offshore wind, commercial space flight, defence, and transport industries. He has extensive experience of arbitration under the rules of the ICC, LCIA, LMAA and UNCITRAL rules, and has also acted in cases brought before the Commercial Court, and the Technology & Construction Court in London, the courts of several European jurisdictions and before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Tom combines his disputes practice with advisory work, supporting businesses to identify and manage risk throughout the entire life cycle of their projects.

Violeta Saranciuc is a partner at Zamfirescu Racoți Vasile & Partners in Bucharest (Romania), where she specialises in international arbitration and international disputes. She has extensive experience representing clients before arbitral tribunals under various rules, including ICSID, ICC, VIAC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, as well as the rules of the Romanian arbitral institution. Her work includes disputes related to construction and infrastructure projects, energy disputes, M&A and privatisation matters, international sales and general contractual matters, as well as investment protection matters. She also represents clients in arbitration-related court proceedings and is experienced in complex commercial and competition litigations.

Birzhan Zharasbayev is the Office Managing Partner in Dentons’ Astana office and the head of infrastructure practice in Kazakhstan.

He focuses on infrastructure—including renewable energy— construction and real estate, PPP as well as on corporate and commercial matters.
He has acted as a lead lawyer in major infrastructure and development projects and frequently represents clients in high-level negotiations with the Kazakhstan government.

Birzhan has advised multilateral institutions, investors, contractors and developers on infrastructure developments, commercial contracts, concession bids and operations, and regulatory and legislative issues.
He is also engaged by clients to act as an independent expert facilitating parties in resolving construction disputes.