International Mediation: Breaking Business Deadlock

Eileen Carroll KC (Hon) Deputy Chief Executive, Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution ('CEDR')

Eileen is recognised as one of the pioneers of mediation techniques in the U.K and with over 20 years' experience as a practising mediator, she is one of the most senior and highly regarded mediators in the country. Eileen's mediation practice has a very broad commercial perspective, working with clients on claims relating to dozens of different sectors and activities. She has mediated disputes involving banks, insurance companies, media, multinationals, sovereign states and private individuals in the UK and internationally. During her career she has worked with multinational corporations based in Europe, the Far East, India and the United States.

She has chaired and facilitated a number of complex negotiations some in the region of GBP1 billion, examples include Maxwells pensions, BCCI collapse and British and Commonwealth receivership. She has also been engaged by multi-nationals to advise on Conflict Management to their senior Executive teams in both the advertising and media industries.

She was the first European to receive the New York based CPR Institute of Dispute Resolution Award for excellence in alternative dispute resolution, 1997. She received an Entrepreneurial Award from European Union of Women 2005 in recognition of outstanding contribution to pan-European understanding and progress that provides inspiration to others. In 2013 Eileen was awarded Queen's Counsel Honoris Causa for her mediation practice and role in founding CEDR.

Dr Karl Mackie CBE, Chief Executive, Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution ('CEDR')

Karl became CEDR's first CEO in 1990, helping create its international standing as lead executive and chief mediator. As CEO, he has actively engaged with numerous multinational corporations, Governments, public bodies, charities and celebrity clients, in Europe, the US, the Middle East and Far East, South America and Australia. He has also held two Visiting Professorships in ADR, and has qualifications in law (barrister), psychology, education and management.

Karl is one of the best-known names in commercial mediation practice. He has worked on some of the most complex civil and commercial cases to go through the English legal system, including the first substantial Court of Appeal mediation (NRG), Maxwell Pension Trusts, BCCI, Atlantic Computers, Alder Hey retained organs litigation.

He has strong experience as a business consultant and in his time with CEDR, acted as Consultant or overseen consultancy to World Bank, European Commission and other international project sponsors on business and civil justice system development, with various sovereign governments and civil justice systems including India, Pakistan, Bosnia Herzegovina, China, Denmark, Holland, Qatar and others. He has also worked with various public bodies (FSA, ACAS), government departments (Business, Health, Transport, Community and Planning, Education, Overseas development, Procurement) and industry associations (railways, retail, motor manufacturers, patent and trademarks, insurance, sports etc.) in the development of dispute systems design.

Identified by The Lawyer as one of the top 100 most influential lawyers, Karl has also been referred to as "Mr Mediation" by The Times.

In 2010 he became the only mediator ever to be given an honour by the state, Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), for services to mediation, both developing and delivering it.