Biography: Arbitration

Karel Daele is a partner of Mkono & Co and deputises the firm's head in the international arbitration practice. Mkono & Co is the leading law firm in Tanzania, with offices in Dar es Salaam and Bujumbura (Burundi). Mkono & Co is recognised by international professional directories and has received multiple awards for its legal leadership and quality of services. The firm has been ranked in Tier one by Chambers Global since 2000 and counts several lawyers ranked as leaders in their field.

Before joining Mkono & Co in 2006, Mr Daele was a commercial litigator in Brussels with Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. Mr Daele joined a thriving international arbitration practice at Mkono & Co and gained significant exposure in the firm's practice and he now divides his time between investment arbitration (having represented African Sovereigns and public utility companies in half a dozen ICSID arbitrations); commercial arbitration (under the UNCITRAL, ICC, CEPINA and EDF Rules); and investment, commercial and corporate advice to foreign investors in the East-African region.

Mr Daele studied at Ghent University (BA and MA, 1995, cum laude); Exeter University (LLM, 1996, Best Student of the Year Award); and the School of International Arbitration, Queen Mary, University of London (Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration, 2009, cum laude). He is the Regional Representative for Africa of the Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG) of the London Court of International Arbitration; a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; a member of the World Bank's Expert Consultative Group of the Investment Across Borders project; and a member of various arbitration organisations (ICDR Young & International, ASA Below 40 and Young ICCA).

Mr Daele authored a book entitled Challenge and Disqualification of Arbitrators in International Arbitration (Kluwer Law International, 2011). He contributed a chapter entitled 'Investment Disputes Involving African States' to the book Practitioner's Guide to Arbitration in Africa (Kluwer Law International, 2012, ed Lise Bosman). He is the co-author of the Tanzanian chapters of Getting the Deal Through – Arbitration (2007-2010) and Practical Law Company - Arbitration Handbook (2010/11). In his Belgian years, he published numerous articles in national and international legal journals on unfair competition, contract law, distribution, dispute resolution and piracy and counterfeiting.

His work has been recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers Global noting that 'his analytical capabilities allowed for a fast understanding of the problems at stake'.

Karel is fluent in English, French and Dutch and has a good understanding of German.