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African lawyers IfeOluwa Alabi and Abdallah Hosny join London Court of International Arbitration Secretariat
In response to market demand, the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the oldest arbitral body in the world dealing with international disputes, has bolstered its ‘unmistakably international’ ethos by adding four key staff to its Secretariat who bring African, Latin American, and Australasian expertise.
Fresh appointments to the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), including Egyptian lawyer Abdallah Hosny and Nigerian lawyer IfeOluwa Alabi, are a direct response to clear market demand and contribute to a Secretariat now representing 12 nationalities and speaking 15 languages, says LCIA Director General Kevin Nash.
The LCIA announced Abdallah and IfeOluwa had joined the Secretariat as Junior Counsel. Dr Fabricio Fortese, who is qualified in Argentina and has been a Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, joined as Knowledge Management Counsel.
“According to the QMUL–W&C Survey 2025, the LCIA Rules are the second most preferred set of rules across the Caribbean and Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa,” says Nash, noting that institutions are built by people, and the LCIA is putting its team in place for the future of international arbitration. “That level of user confidence matters, and Fabricio, Abdallah, and Ife know these regions very well.”
A graduate of the University of Ibadan who was an associate with Prime Solicitors in Nigeria before moving to the UK to complete an LLM in International Commercial Law from the University of Sussex, Ife has advised on contentious and cross-border disputes, focussing on Africa-related disputes and emerging-market risk. Admitted in Nigeria and England & Wales, he was most recently an associate at Hogan Lovells. His contentious practice has covered litigation in the English High Court and international arbitration under the ICC, LCIA and UNCITRAL arbitration rules.
Abdallah brings MENA-facing experience across international commercial arbitration and complex litigation. He is fluent in English and Arabic, admitted in Egypt, and has been co-counsel in arbitrations under the auspices of ICC, CRCICA, DIAC, ADCCAC, GAFTA, and AAA-ICDR across sectors including oil and gas, telecommunications, construction, shareholder disputes, and sale of goods.
“I’m delighted to join the LCIA Secretariat and to work alongside such an outstanding and international team,” says Abdallah, who joins the Secretariat after three-plus years with Cairo-based international corporate law and arbitration practice Zulficar & Partners. “Looking forward to contributing to the LCIA’s work in the years ahead.”
The LCIA says it is also sharpening how it captures, analyses, and communicates data. In October it hired Robert North, a Data Reporting Analyst who has more than six years’ experience in data-driven policy roles with the Australian Government, including work on the COVID-19 response and large-scale public programmes.
“Robert will support data-driven decisions and clearer, more transparent public reporting,” says LCIA Director General Kevin Nash, noting that collectively the new quartet of international hires will contribute to the work of the LCIA Secretariat, led by Registrar Eliana Tornese, and Deputy Registrar Wing Shek.
“With these additions, the Secretariat numbers 25 staff, including 14 international arbitration lawyers, representing 12 nationalities, and collectively speaking 15 languages,” says Nash. “A historic British institution. Unmistakably international.”