Abayomi OKUBOTE

Featured in the Legal 500 Africa Arbitration Powerlist 2021 as “one of the thought leaders of arbitration in Africa” and described by peers as “innovative" and "exceptional”, Abayomi is an International Arbitration Partner at Pensbury Attorneys & Solicitors – an arbitration boutique law firm in Nigeria. He has garnered circa 15 years’ experience in dispute resolution. He was part of the teams that represented multinational and domestic corporations in high profile commercial disputes and has advised government agencies on several cutting-edge projects in Africa. Beyond leading big-ticket mandates, the multiple award winner is the prime mover behind several important arbitration initiatives in Africa. He is the Founder of the Association of Young Arbitrators (AYA), the Executive Director of the Africa Arbitration Academy and is the Managing Editor of the African Journal of International Arbitration. Abayomi is an alumnus of Queen’s University in Canada, the University College London, Harvard Negotiation Institute, ICC Summer School, and the Paris Arbitration Academy. He has completed work programs in the London offices of Baker McKenzie LLP and 4-5 Gray’s Inn.

Abayomi has been appointed and has sat as an arbitrator in several domestic and international arbitrations. He is a Professor of International Business Law at Loyalist College in Canada, Visiting Professor at the College of Law in Bowen University in Nigeria, Tutor and Faculty Member at the CIArb Diploma in International Arbitration Programme and Associate Member at Aberdeen University Centre for Energy. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Member of the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society, Court Member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre and is listed on panels at the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration, and Kigali International Arbitration Centre.

The H.R. Stuart Ryan Award Fellow has published several thought leadership materials. He is Co-chair of the Africa Committee for Greener Arbitration Pledge.