Our People – International Law Summits

Advisory board

Members

Brandon Malone

Director

Professor Brandon Malone is a barrister, advocate, arbitrator and adjudicator with over 30 years’ experience in international dispute resolution. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), a visiting professor of arbitration law at Strathclyde Law School, an Honorary Lecturer at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy at the University of Dundee and, in 2013, was elected an eminent Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He is a FIDIC Certified Adjudicator. Brandon was also a driving force behind the establishment of the Scottish Arbitration Centre and was Chairman of the Centre’s Board from 2011 to 2022. He is also Co-Director of the International Centre for Energy Arbitration.

For the last ten years, Brandon has directed ILS’s Annual Conference on Energy Arbitration and Dispute Resolution in the Middle East and Africa, shaping the conference series to become the only regular industry event focusing dispute resolution in the geographical region of the Middle East and Africa, as well as one that has consistently attracted the participation of energy lawyers, academics, economists, industry figures and diplomats from around the world.

Michael Thomas

Director

Michael is a Middle East specialist and is well-known in business circles both in the UK and abroad. Originally working for the Kuwait Shipping Company in the 1970s, Michael has handled many of the major projects working not only with Arab Governments and private sector consignees but also international suppliers and contractors from all over the world. On returning to the UK, Michael joined the Committee for Middle East Trade as a Director, and then Director General of the Middle East Association, representing 70% of all UK businesses working with the Middle East, alongside his role as the British Government’s advisor on trade with other areas in the Middle East. During these roles, Michael led numerous UK trade missions to the Middle East and large-scale conferences in several GCC countries on banking, trade and investment.

Michael is leading ILS’s growing work on issues associated with Middle East trade and investment, as well as its engagement with key stakeholders and partner institutions across the region.

Sam Slaughter

Head of Operations

Sam Slaughter leads business development for International Law Summits’ 9th Annual Conference, managing new partnerships, sponsor relationships, and event outreach. He previously served as a political intelligence analyst at Dods Group, as well as in political strategic communications working at Actum LLC and Four Agency. Sam holds an undergraduate degree in History and Politics from the University of East Anglia as well as a Master’s degree in International Relations from Birkbeck, University of London. Alongside his professional experience, Sam maintains a longstanding interest in maritime diplomacy, global energy security, and public international law. He is currently leading the summit’s expansion on Gulf and African energy security.

Hind Al Aissi

Senior Events Advisor

International arbitration and public international law lawyer admitted to the New York and Paris Bars, working in Arabic, French, English and Spanish.