From Panels to Partnerships: Connections Forged at the Singapore Convention Week 2025
During Singapore Convention Week (SCW) 2025, in addition to hosting SIMC’s annual flagship Signature Event themed “Mediating Amidst Global Fractures: Bridging a Multi-Polar World,” SIMC also participated in various partner events to promote the use of mediation as an appropriate method for resolving cross-border disputes.
SIMC kickstarted the week by hosting a dinner for our overseas guests to thank them for their support and collaboration over the past year, as well as for attending the SIMC Signature Event. During the dinner, SIMC Chairman George Lim SC and CEO Chuan Wee Meng signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Tashkent Mediation Centre, and renewed the MOU on the joint protocol between SIMC and Japan Arbitration Association (JAA) for the Japan International Mediation Center in Kyoto (JIMC).
The MOU signings were represented by Diyorbek Kimsanov, Director of the Tashkent Mediation Centre and Hiroyuki Tezuka, Vice President of JAA and Chief Director of JIMC. The JIMC-SIMC joint protocol, first signed in 2020 during the COVID period, was renewed and revised in 2023 to align with the post-pandemic business landscape in both countries. The second renewal of the Joint Protocol is a testament to our strong partnership with JAA and JIMC in offering the “best of both worlds” to businesses operating across Japan, Singapore, and the wider region—overcoming physical, cultural, and jurisdictional barriers to promote settlement. The new agreement with the Tashkent Mediation Centre establishes a framework for future partnerships to promote mediation and explore opportunities for jointly coordinated activities in Uzbekistan, Central Asia, and Singapore.
We extend our sincere appreciation to our overseas and local guests for taking the time, amidst such a busy week, to join us for this dinner—a reflection of the enduring relationships we have built over the years.
George and Hiroyuki Tezuka signed the renewal of MOU on JIMC-SIMC joint protocol.
Wee Meng signed MOU with Tashkent Mediation Center (TMC), represented by Diyorbek Kimsanov, Director of TMC.
Group photo of local and overseas guests who attended the dinner.
From left: Hiroyuki Tezuka, George Lim SC, Heather Yee and Yuri Kawashima.
On 25 August, SIMC Chairman George Lim SC participated in a panel discussion at the seminar “Toward Promotion of International Mediation in ASEAN and Japan,” co-hosted by the Ministry of Justice of Japan and the Embassy of Japan in Singapore. Held at the Japan Creative Centre, the seminar opened with remarks by Hotta Toru, Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister at the Embassy of Japan in Singapore. The event brought together leading voices in mediation to exchange views on advancing international mediation within the region. George contributed his perspectives on fostering cross-border collaboration and promoting mediation as an effective tool for resolving commercial disputes in the panel discussion session. The session concluded with an engaging Q&A and a networking lunch that encouraged further dialogue and partnerships.
The panel discussion was moderated by Hiroyuki Tezuka, Chief Director of JIMC, and included panel speakers Heather Yee, Assistant Director at the Asian International Arbitration Centre, and Yuri Kawashima, Deputy Secretary General at JIMC.
IP Week @ SG 2025, held from 26 to 27 August and alongside SCW 2025, is the world’s premier intellectual property event that brings together IP thought leaders, legal experts, and innovative enterprises.
On 27 August, the event IPOS x CIArb: Appropriate Dispute Resolution for Tech and IP in Singapore, organised by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), IPOS International, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), opened with a welcome address by Edwin Tong SC, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs. The audience was then taken through a series of role plays and mock hearings based on a fictional scenario in which a US company licenses its coffee machine technology to a Chinese company.
A panel of industry experts, including SIMC CEO Chuan Wee Meng, shared insights on how businesses can navigate IP conflicts when equipped with the right tools and strategies. The discussion also explored how different dispute resolution procedures—used individually or in combination—can help businesses achieve their objectives. During the panel, Wee Meng highlighted mediation’s role in enabling parties to assess their relationship and determine a constructive path forward.
On the same day, SIMC Chairman George Lim SC spoke at an event organised by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), titled ISDS and Southeast Asia: An ICSID Perspective. Bringing together the regional expertise of ICSID, the World Bank, and leading practitioners from Southeast Asia, the panel discussed how investors and States in the region can effectively use ISDS to boost investment flows in both directions. The session outlined key strategies and practical insights on leveraging dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation, to encourage cross-border investments. Panelists examined recent trends in ISDS cases involving Southeast Asian parties, assessed the evolving legal landscape, and discussed the growing prevalence of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms.
George Lim SC was joined by other speakers, including Francis Xavier SC, Regional Head of Dispute Resolution at Rajah & Tann Singapore; Julia M. Fraser, East Asia & Pacific Regional Practice Director at Planet and Acting Director at World Bank Singapore; Koh Swee Yen SC, Senior Counsel and Head of the International Arbitration Practice at WongPartnership; and Martina Polasek, Secretary-General of ICSID.
On Thursday, 28 August 2025, SIMC and the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA) co-hosted a seminar titled “Trade and Geopolitics: Navigating the Waves of Uncertainty.” The session examined how shifting geopolitical dynamics and protectionist trade policies are reshaping global trade patterns, disrupting supply chains, and impacting the negotiation of shipping contracts worldwide. André de Silva, Accenture Strategy Asia-Pacific Lead at Accenture, first gave an overview of how these geopolitical shifts are affecting global trade. The presentation set the stage for a panel discussion on pressing issues such as the applicability of force majeure and how alternative dispute resolution methods can provide effective solutions in times of uncertainty.
The panel discussion was moderated by Su Yin Anand, Strategy & Transformation Leader of IBM Consulting (ASEAN), with speakers including Winston Kwek, Partner at Rajah & Tann and a mediator on the panel for SIMC Specialist Mediators and SCMA-SIMC Maritime Mediators; Li Fangyi, General Counsel at Pacific International Lines (Pte) Ltd; Daryll Ng, Managing Partner at Stephenson Harwood Singapore and Partner at Virtus Law; and Puja Varaprasad, Senior Lawyer, Defence, Charterers & Traders at Gard AS.
Our sincere thanks also go to Stephenson Harwood for sponsoring the event venue.
On 28 August, SIMC CEO Chuan Wee Meng shared perspectives on how dispute resolution frameworks—particularly mediation—can adapt to better meet user needs in a changing landscape at the SHIAC-SIAC Arbitration Forum 2025.
Speaking on Panel B, titled Optimization and Evolution for International Dispute Resolution Rules and User Needs, Wee Meng also provided his views on the most important innovations in international mediation. The panel was moderated by Cunyuan Zhang, Director & Head (China) at SIAC, with panelists including Lawrence Teh, Board Member of SCMA and Senior Partner, Global Co-Head of Dentons’ International Arbitration Group; Zhihe Xu, Director of the Research Department at SHIAC; Huigang Mao, Partner at Jin Mao Law Firm; and Zhi Yun, Partner of Dispute Resolution at King & Wood Mallesons.
SIMC also had the opportunity to be invited to attend the follow events:
- Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)'s SCW flagship event, 'SIAC Symposium', attended by our Chairman, George Lim SC and our CEO, Chuan Wee Meng. For more details on the Symposium, visit here: SIAC Symposium.
- Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy (SIDRA)'s 'Building Bridges in ADR: MENA Meets Singapore' attended by our Director of Strategic Engagements, Antony Lee. For more details on the session, visit here: SIDRA's SCW Event.
- The launch of Duxton Hill Chambers' London Chambers. Attended by our CEO, Chuan Wee Meng. Special guest of the event was the Honourable Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Edwin Tong SC. For more details of the launch, visit here: Launch of London Chambers.
While it was a very busy week, SIMC is pleased with the fruitful engagements, the opportunity to connect with partners, and to promote the use of mediation in resolving cross-border disputes, and is proud to have supported Singapore Convention Week 2025.
We look forward to Singapore Convention Week 2026!