Professor Beata Gessel-Kalinowska vel Kalisz
President

Beata Gessel specialises in international arbitration and commercial law, particularly in M&A including PE/VC transactions and international trade. With over 20 years’ experience as an arbitrator, she combines deep legal expertise with a strong insight of construction, energy and international trade sectors. Her ability to effectively communicate across jurisdictions and thorough understanding of the arbitration procedures have made her a frequent choice for complex, high-stakes cases, resulting in a portfolio of cir. 170 arbitration proceedings (of which 130 as an arbitrator).

She is a founding and senior partner of GESSEL in Warsaw, where she has been engaged in the negotiation of more than 200 M&A transactions in various industry sectors. She is also the chair and initiator of the conference series “Dispute Resolution in M&A Transactions”.

Professor Gessel has significant institutional experience, serving as a Court Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague (2024-), a Member of the SCC Arbitrators' Council (2022 -), President of ICC Poland (2025-), a Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration (2015-2021), and Honorary President of the Lewiatan Arbitration Court, previously serving as Vice President (2005-2011) and President (2011-2017) of the Lewiatan Court.

Beata Gessel holds a post-doctoral degree of habilitated doctor (dr hab.), she is a professor at the Institute of Legal Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, where she runs a PhD seminar in comparative private law. She heads the newly established Centre for Comparative Private Law Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences, ensuring a forward-thinking approach to the evolving legal frameworks in arbitration. For many years she was an adjunct professor of international commercial arbitration as well as M&A transactions at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw (2012-2023). She conducted comparative law research as a visiting academic at Oxford University Law Department, Wolfson College, QMUL, and at the Cambridge University within the Herbert Smith Freehills Visiting Professors Scheme. She has given guest lectures at, among others, Stockholm University, Humbolt University, University of Leicester, Queen Mary University London and Paris, as well as the CIArb Virtual Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration and was co-chair and trainer for the 2024 ICC Advanced Arbitration Academy for CEE programme educating future arbitrators.

Dr Rafał Morek
Vice-President

Dr Rafal Morek is a partner at CMS law firm. He is admitted to bar in Poland and in Scotland (as a registered foreign lawyer). He is an officer of the International Bar Association (IBA) Arbitration Committee.

He is ranked by Best Lawyers (Arbitration and Mediation), Chambers Global and Chambers Europe (Dispute Resolution, Most in Demand Arbitrators and Real Estate & Construction), Legal 500, and Who's Who Legal (Arbitration). He was elected a "market leader" in the field of mediation and arbitration (2022) and international disputes (2019) by "Rzeczpospolita".

Dr Morek has taken part in over 130 proceedings conducted in accordance with the arbitration rules of ICC, VIAC, SCC, DIS, LCIA, ICSID, UNCITRAL, CAS, PCC, Lewiatan and others. He is also a certified mediator and a mediation trainer, and often acts as a negotiator or a DAB or DAAB member.

Dr Morek is a part-time adjunct professor at the University of Warsaw (Poland). Since earning his doctoral degree in 2008, he has been teaching courses on international arbitration, mediation, negotiation, civil law, construction law and international commercial contracts.  He has been lecturing as a visiting professor at the University of Ottawa (Canada), Aix-Marseille Université (France), National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Ukraine), University of Copenhagen (Denmark), as well as lectured for the Academy of European Law (ERA) in Trier (Germany).

Paweł Pniewski
Secretary General, Treasurer

Paweł Pniewski, secretary general and a treasurer of ICC Poland since 2001. One of the founding members of the organisation. He is a director of the International Relations Department at Polish Bank Association.

Wojciech Kowalewski
Member of the Management Board

Wojciech Kowalewski is a member of the management board of ICC Poland. General counsel, associated with Siemens Poland Group since 2000. Manages the work of lawyers who support Siemens` business activities in Poland. Provided legal support for projects in infrastructure, energy, industry and healthcare sectors, particularly in areas of public procurement, as well as in M&A transactions. Management Board Member of Siemens sp. z o.o. since 2009. Chairman of the Competition Commission at the Polish National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).