Etgen, Björn

International Arbitrator

• Dr Bjoern Etgen is a German lawyer and international arbitrator for complex international commercial disputes
• More than 25 years of arbitration experience
• Studies of law and sinology at the Universities of Tübingen, Münster and Taipei (1983 - 1990)
• Ph. D. (law) from the University of Münster and admitted to the bar (1995)
• Head of the Beijing office of the law firm Pünder Volhard Weber & Axster (1996)
• Managing Partner of the China Practice - BEITEN BURKHARDT (1997 - 2016 in Beijing and Hong Kong)
• Senior Asia Counsel - GvW Graf von Westphalen (2016-2025)
• Member of the prestigious NEXUS Arbitrator Chambers, Singapore (since 2025)
• Accredited Arbitrator - China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commisson ("CIETAC")
• Accredited Arbitrator - Shanghai International Arbitration Center ("SHIAC")
• Accredited Arbitrator - Chinese Arbitration Association, Taipei ("CAA")
• Arbitration languages: German, English and Chinese (Mandarin).
• One of the few European arbitrators who also conducts arbitration proceedings in Chinese (Mandarin)
• Recognized as one of "Best lawyers Germany" (Dispute Resolution) - latest in 2024

Sepcialized in complex commercial arbitration cases. Experience in more than 40 arbitrations as Chairman, party-appointed arbitrator and counsel, most of them related to Asia (China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan). Recognzied as "Best Lawyer in Germany (Dispute Resolution) (latest 2024) Accredited arbitrator with numerous Asian Arbitration Institutions, including CIETAC, SHIAC and others.

• Co-author of article-by-article commentary of "Arbitration Rules of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission" ("CIETAC") - 2024
• Co-commentator of article-by-article commentary "Arbitration Rules of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission ("CIETAC") - 2015 (German) in the international publication "Schütze, Institutionelle Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit" (2018)
• Co-author of the "Country Report Taiwan" and the "Country Report China" in the publication "Internationaler Rechtsverkehr" edited by Prof. Schütze (looseleaf edition - regularly updated).

• DIS, International Pacific Bar Association (IPBA), Chinese European Arbitrators Association

Based in Malaysia and Singapore, frequent travel to Europe