On Wednesday, President Obama announced his intent to appoint Ambassador David Huebner to the panel of arbitrators of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank established ICSID in 1966 to facilitate the settlement of disputes between states and foreign private investors through arbitration and conciliation. Its 159 member states have agreed on ICSID as a forum for investor-State dispute settlement in most international investment treaties and in numerous investment laws and contracts.

Ambassador (ret.) David Huebner is a Board Member of the Pacific Council and a Partner in the International Arbitration and International Public Law practices at Arnold & Porter LLP. Previously, he served as U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and the Independent State of Samoa from 2009 to 2014. From 2005 to 2009, he worked in both the Shanghai and Los Angeles offices of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, and was the founding Managing Partner of the Shanghai office. Ambassador Huebner held a number of legal roles from 1986 to 2005 and served as a Special Assistant in the Office of Koji Kakizawa, a member of the Japanese Diet (parliament), from 1984 to 1985. He received an A.B. from Princeton University and a J.D. from Yale University.

The Pacific Council congratulates Ambassador Huebner on his appointment to this important institution!