Presenters

Dr. Anna Kirk, Barrister and Arbitrator, Bankside Chambers
Anna is a commercial arbitrator, adjudicator and barrister, specialising in international arbitration and public international law. Anna is New Zealand's member on the ICC International Court of Arbitration (2021-2024). Anna is also on the Council of the Arbitrator's and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ). Anna has been involved in over 50 arbitrations over the past 15 years as counsel, arbitrator or tribunal secretary. She has extensive experience in arbitrations under the ICC, UNCITRAL, ICSID, LCIA and SIAC Rules. Anna spent a number of years practicing international arbitration in London, representing clients across a range of industries including energy and natural resources, shipping, infrastructure and procurement. When she returned to New Zealand in 2011, she assisted Sir David Williams KNZM, QC with many large international commercial and investment treaty arbitrations. Anna now sits as an arbitrator in both international and domestic arbitrations. Anna also sits regularly as an adjudicator under the Construction Contracts Act. Anna is a Fellow of AMINZ and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK). She is a member of the arbitral panels of AMINZ, ACICA, the NZDRC, HKIAC and SIAC (reserve panel). Anna holds a PhD in international law from the University of Cambridge. Anna regularly publishes and speaks on arbitration-related matters and is a contributing author to Williams & Kawharu on Arbitration (2011 and 2017). Anna also teaches a Masters paper in international arbitration at the University of Auckland. Through her studies she has a particular interest in business and human rights and is available to advise in this area

Warren Tucker, Specialist Construction Insurance Broker and Adviser, AON
Specialist Construction insurance broker and adviser with Aon New Zealand. A member of the specialist Aon Construction team (the pre-eminent risk transfer and insurance broking team in New Zealand in the construction sector). Warren has been involved with insurance for 24 years, with 18 if those as an insurance broker. 11 Years ago he was a founding member of the Aon construction team that was established to better serve the construction sector. In that time he has become one of the leading insurance brokers to larger construction contractors advising them on their annual insurance programs as well as the insurance clauses contained within the construction contracts for their projects. Warren also advices Principals on their construction projects and the insurance requirements and other risk transfer mechanisms. In this space his clients have included Councils, retirement villages, abattoirs, cools stores, and private hospitals. With the changes to the Construction Contracts Act (“CCA”) in 2017 regarding retentions he developed the Retention Instrument; this is a complying instrument under the CCA. The Retention Instrument frees up the retention cash for party A by effectively providing a financial guarantee. Since then, he has also expanded into insurance-based Performance Bonds (Surety).