About Prof. Steve Ngo

Professor Ngo is an international arbitrator, academic and arbitration specialist. He is the founding President of Beihai Asia International Arbitration Centre, Singapore.

As an experienced practitioner, his professional and academic activities focus on Southeast Asia, East Asia and South Asia, the three key global economic growth regions. He has been consulted by both the private and public sectors on arbitration-related matters including being part of the legal team defending a Southeast Asian government ministry in a high-profile dispute. He has also been consulted on potential investor-state arbitration, evaluating cases against and for the state party. Steve also previously held independent expert and advisor roles on arbitration and dispute resolution matters for a Southeast Asian government body concerning the mining & energy sector.

As a seasoned lecturer and speaker, he has delivered numerous lectures on arbitration and dispute resolution in the region including at the Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Malaysian Bar/Badan Peguam Malaysia, Taipei Bar Association, Guangxi Lawyers’ Association, Indonesian Advocates Association/PERADIN, Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources Indonesia, Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal Indonesia (Kementerian Investasi), ASEAN Legal Alliance annual conferences, etc.

He is an Advisory Board Member of the Centre of Alternative Dispute Resolution, National Law University, Delhi; Member of the Asia Advisory Board of the American Arbitration Association – International Centre for Dispute Resolution (AAA-ICDR); Member of the Advisory Board of Gujarat International Maritime Arbitration Centre (GIMAC) and Council Member of the Hong Kong International Mediation Centre. He is a Common Room Member of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford; Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland; and was elected an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, United Kingdom. The Indonesian Advocates Association/Persatuan Advokat Indonesia (PERADIN), the oldest bar association in Indonesia bestowed upon him an honorary membership in recognition of his contribution to international arbitration law and practice in Indonesia and beyond.

He has held a number of academic appointments among others, Distinguished Professor (Honorary) of the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala; Honorary Professor, National Law University Delhi; Honorary Professor National Law University, Odisha; Honorary Professor, National Law University, Tripura; Honorary Professor, National University of Management, Phnom Penh; part-time Professor, Changzhou University, Shi Liang School of Law; Senior Visiting Fellow, Tongji Intellectual Property & Competition Law Research Center, Tongji University, School of Law.

Some of Professor Ngo’s career highlights include:

1. Advising and assisting the senior management of a private party in evaluating and preparing for a multi-billion dollar claim against a State party in an ISDS arbitration (ICSID arbitration)
2. Part of the AQLA team in a rare Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), The Hague administered arbitration between two non-state parties; representing the claimant purportedly the largest producer of edible mushrooms in China.
3. Advising and assisting a Southeast Asian government legal team in defending a highly contentious and sensitive claim via arbitration against the State party (ICC arbitration)
4. Assisting a Southeast Asia private broadcasting company in the negotiation with an East Asian conglomerate in a potential breach of service contract over satellite services which would otherwise be referred to arbitration in Singapore.
5. Assisting a leading Chinese vaccine manufacturer in a potential arbitration against it by a South Asian medical company over a sale and purchase dispute (SIAC arbitration).
6. Co-leading the arbitration team successfully claimed against a European company in a complex and difficult arbitration of over USD 100 million spanning different jurisdictions and involving stringent industry regulatory framework, valuation and licensing. The arbitration was conducted under unprecedented, challenging conditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. (ICC arbitration)

Expertise

• International Arbitration
• Alternative Dispute Resolution

Education

University of Oxford
De Montford University
University of Cambridge

Contact Information

Phone: +65 6228 3498

E-mail: steve.ngo@aquinaslaw.sg