Diana Akikol

Diana Akikol represents our clients in complex commercial arbitrations and regularly sits as an arbitrator, often as president. She has been involved in more than 65 arbitrations seated in a number of jurisdictions and involving claims governed by various national laws. Her expertise extends to both institutional arbitrations (e.g. Swiss Rules, ICC, LCIA and DIS Rules) and ad hoc arbitrations (including UNCITRAL proceedings).

Diana Akikol acts as counsel or arbitrator in all types of contractual and commercial disputes. Her practice has a particular focus on sales of goods, commodities and energy trading, M&A, shareholder agreements, joint ventures, agency, licence and distribution agreements (including in the pharmaceutical industry), as well as services and consultancy agreements (in particular in the industrial, military and telecommunications sectors).

Moreover, she has many years of experience in construction arbitration, with particular expertise in dealing with warranty claims relating to large infrastructure projects.

Ranked as a leader in her field, both in Europe and globally, Diana Akikol “impresses peers with her mastery of complex technical facts and very profound legal knowledge” (Who's Who Legal Arbitration 2019) and is described as “very quick in understanding and very dedicated” (Chambers Global 2020). She is recommended as “a very strong practitioner” (Who's Who Legal 2020 Switzerland Arbitration) and “a highly intelligent and accurate arbitrator” (Who's Who Legal Arbitration Future Leaders Partners 2018). In 2018, she was ranked second amongst the ten most highly regarded arbitration partners in Europe (Who’s Who Legal: Future Leaders in Arbitration).

Diana Akikol is a member of the ICC Swiss National Committee, the ICC Arbitration Commission in Paris, the Board of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre, and the International Advisory Body of the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC).

Diana Akikol regularly speaks and publishes in her field. Several of her contributions deal with proceedings for the setting aside of arbitral awards before the Swiss Federal Supreme Court. She has published a doctoral thesis on the warranty regime under Swiss law and the UN Sales Convention (CISG) and co-authored a commentary on the CISG.

Diana Akikol holds a law degree from the University of Fribourg and a doctorate degree from the University of Lucerne, both summa cum laude. She was admitted to the bar in 2002, ranked first of her class, and initially served as a law clerk in the White-Collar Crime Division of the High Court of Berne. From 2007 to 2014, she specialised in international arbitration with the Geneva office of a leading national law firm. As of 2014, she continued her arbitration practice as a co-founder of a Geneva-based law firm. She joined Walder Wyss as a partner in 2020.

Diana Akikol is a native German speaker and fluent in English and French. She has basic knowledge of Turkish.