The ONU held their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, 22nd November 2016 at which new ONU President Alex Baykitch (ON 1982) was elected.

We were able to catch up with Alex after the meeting, “I am delighted to have been elected President of the ONU, and I look forward to seeing you at the events we have planned for 2017. For those of you who don’t know me, I attended Newington College between 1971 and 1982. I am married with 3 boys, two of whom are currently attending Newington, one in year 10 and the other in year 8, with the third to start Kindergarten in 2018. As the year draws to a close I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families the compliments of the season and a happy, safe and prosperous New Year.”

Alex is a Partner at King & Wood Mallesons. With over 25 years’ experience in the area of cross border litigation and international arbitration, Alex has been described by Chambers Global as “fast rising and energetic [lawyer]. . .who has developed into one of Australia’s strongest arbitration counsel”. 

Consistently listed as a leading individual in legal directories, for his expertise in cross border litigation and international arbitration, Alex sits as sole and party appointed arbitrator as well as chairman of arbitral tribunals conducted under the ICC, LCIA, KLRCA, and UNCITRAL Rules. Alex is a Member of the Australian Government’s Delegation to UNCITRAL’s Working Group on Arbitration. He is also an Australian Delegate to the ICC Arbitration Commission and served on the Commission’s Task Force on the New York Convention. Until recently, Alex was the Vice-President of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA) and is a fellow of ACICA.

He is also a Member of the Arbitration panels of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, Singapore International Arbitration Centre, China Maritime Arbitration Commission, the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board and ACICA. He has presented at numerous conferences and written on various topics in relation to international arbitration (including investment treaty) and is a co-author for the Australian chapter of World Arbitration Reporter.  Alex is also the author of the leading textbook “Arbitration Law of Australia: Practice and Procedure” published by Juris Publishing in 2012.