Space Disputes : Why is arbitration the next/best frontier?

Presentation

Space Disputes : Why is arbitration the next/best frontier?

As part of Paris Arbitration Week 2023, Bird & Bird is delighted to welcome you to its conference on ‘Space Disputes: Why is arbitration the next/best frontier?’:
The event, organized by our partners Jalal El Ahdab and Jean-Claude Vecchiatto, will take place in the Paris office of Bird & Bird at 2 rue de la Chaussée d’Antin, 75009, close to Opéra, and will last for 2.5 hours, starting at 10 AM, or can be followed remotely. A lunch cocktail will follow the session at 12:30 PM.
With the rise of the private sector in the space industry, panellists will be discussing the need for a new global regime regulating space activity. Counsel, arbitrators and other players from the industry will delve into the legal and financial aspects of investing in the space industry, as well as the current and potential disputes arising in the sector, and how to best settle them: remediation of space debris; which “applicable law” in the “space jurisdiction”; the notion of ownership beyond national frontiers and whether it can apply to other planets, the Moon, and other celestial bodies; financing or securing satellites in the midst of economic sanctions; and the clash between international treaties, national laws and regulations, the laws of war… and more!
The panel discussion will be moderated by Jalal El Ahdab and Jean-Claude Vecchiatto (partners at Bird & Bird). Guest speakers set out below:
- Philippe Achilleas, Professor of Public Law – Director of the Institute of Space and Telecommunications Law (Idest) – University Paris Sud
Prof. Philippe Achilleas is full professor of public law at the University Paris Sud / Paris Saclay. He is the director of the Institute of Space and Telecommunications Law (IDEST), the Master’s Degree in Law of Space Activities and Telecommunications and the International Chair of Space and Telecommunications Law. Philippe Achilleas is also the Director of the scientific consortium established between established between the University Paris Saclay and the French Space Agency.
- Loïc Amiand, Head of Legal of Airbus Space Systems
He served as Senior legal counsel for Airbus defence and Space for 5 years. He has an extensive experience in international M&A, international Business law, competition law and contract law.
- Thierry Cunzi, Corporate Counsel Europe for Northrop Grumman
He currently serves as Corporate Counsel Europe for Northrop Grumman shaping numerous corporate and commercial transactions for over the past 14 years, whilst assisting with legal, compliance and contract management in France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway.
- Marco Ferrazzani, Legal Counsel and Head of the Legal Services department at the European Space Agency (ESA)
In this position, he provides a full spectrum of legal advice and guidance on the legal and programmatic aspects of ESA’s programmes and policies.
As ESA’s Legal Counsel, Dr. Ferrazzani is advisor to the ESA Director General and to the ESA Council for all institutional and legal matters, including the interpretation of the ESA Convention and all relevant legal instruments. In addition to managing a team of international legal officers in his role as Head of the Legal Services department at ESA, he advises ESA’s organs and its Member States on a wide variety of legal matters.
- Francesco Giobbe, FPG Consulting, former Group General Counsel of MBDA.
He was the Group general Counsel of MBDA for 14 years, until the end of 2022. Before that he held the same position at Airbus Defence and Space and ATR.
He has over thirty years of experience in the space and arm industries.
- James Plummer, Vice President, Legal Affairs, Inmarsat
James is a senior lawyer at Inmarsat, the world leader in global mobile satellite communications. He currently supports the engineering teams responsible for delivering Inmarsat’s future satellites, network infrastructure, terminal technologies and spectrum resources. He previously advised Inmarsat’s Enterprise (land) business unit, and provided legal support for the company’s corporate and finance activities. He started his legal career with stints in the Corporate TMT teams of international law firms in London.
- Edouard Ricard, VP, Legal & Contracts, CCO, Thales Alenia Space
Edouard Ricard is Vice President Legal and Contracts, Chief Compliance Officer of Thales Alenia Space. From 2012 to 2015, he was Vice President Legal and Contracts of the Thales Secure Information and Communications Systems Global Business Unit. From 1991 to 2012, Edouard Ricard help operational and management positions in Legal and Contracts in Aerospatiale and Alcatel, with a specific focus on Defense and space business. A graduate of Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Bordeaux, Edouard Ricard also holds a Master degree in law from the University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne.