Reza is a partner in the London office. He has represented clients as counsel and advocate in more than 90 arbitrations conducted under a variety of arbitration rules in many different jurisdictions. Reza has particular expertise in disputes arising in emerging markets with a focus on the telecoms, energy, and infrastructure sectors.

Reza’s experience includes:

  • securing a $1.98 billion award on behalf of Crescent Petroleum and Dana Gas in an LCIA arbitration and ancillary English court proceedings brought against the Kurdistan Regional Government;
  • obtaining a successful settlement on behalf of Beijing Urban Construction in an ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Yemen following a landmark decision on jurisdiction;
  • obtaining a favourable award on behalf of CNOOC, Occidental Petroleum and Consolidated Contractors Company in an ICC arbitration against the government of Yemen in relation to environmental, handover and cost recovery claims following the expiration of a long-term petroleum agreement;
  • representing an oil major in an UNCITRAL arbitration against the government of a Middle Eastern country in relation to various operational and handover claims following the expiry of a long-term petroleum agreement;
  • representing a group of investors in two parallel UNCITRAL arbitrations against the State of Libya arising under the France-Libya BIT and the Investment Agreement of the Organisation of Islamic Conference in relation to claims arising out of investments in the real estate sector;
  • obtaining a favourable award for a leading European energy company in an ICC arbitration seated in London arising out of an insurer’s failure to pay on demand under a performance guarantee governed by English law; and
  • representing a multinational telecoms operator in an LCIA arbitration arising under a sale and purchase agreement for the sale of its African business.

Reza regularly acts as arbitrator and has been appointed as party-nominated arbitrator, Chair or Sole Arbitrator in more than 20 arbitrations conducted under the ICC, LCIA, ICDR-AAA, SIAC, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA Rules.

Reza is a trustee of the Bahrain Chamber of Dispute Resolution, a member of the LCIA Court, and an editorial board member of Global Arbitration Review. He is a former Vice-Chair of the IBA Arbitration Committee, a past president of the LCIA Arab Users’ Council, a member of the LCIA Court, a trustee of the DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre, and a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR.

Reza is a qualified English solicitor-advocate and was appointed King’s Counsel in recognition of his advocacy skills in 2018. He is recognised as a Global Elite Thought Leader in Arbitration by Who Who’s Legal, noting that he is “extremely highly regarded” and Chambers describes him as giving “clear and authoritative advice on matters of strategy and case development”, with a source praising him as “a fantastic lawyer” and “a market leader”. Reza is also ranked in The Legal 500. He speaks English, French, and Farsi.