IMI Board Member, James South, Becomes CEDR Managing Director

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28 November 2017

James South becomes Managing Director of the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution

CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) announces that James South has become its Managing Director. James, a mediator and lawyer, Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, has been CEDR’s Director of Training since 2004. James’s appointment follows the announcement in early 2017 that Dr Karl Mackie CBE was moving from Chief Executive to Founder President to focus on mediation practice. James will now take on the leadership role within the organisation, reporting to CEDR’s Board of Trustees.

James has over 20 years of global experience in the ADR field and has worked in five continents, facilitating dialogue and empowering people at all levels to develop the way they engage with others. He has worked with countless large corporates in sectors such as banking, pharmaceutical, insurance, International Government Organisations, and National Governments and Departments. Much of his work has been instrumental to the development of Civil Justice Systems in numerous jurisdictions.

CEDR has grown dramatically in its 27 year history and the organisation saw it as important to appoint a Managing Director to work with the other seven members of CEDR’s Executive Team and ensure that the trajectory of its recent achievements is continued. This includes the development of CEDR’s negotiation and conflict consultancy portfolio and the growth in consumer dispute resolution, alongside maintaining its prominence as an Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre and its leadership in mediator accreditation.

James will be succeeded as Director of Training and Consultancy by Susanne Schuler, who has been Assistant Director of Training and Consultancy since 2013 and is also a member of the Executive Team. Susanne is a lawyer and a highly experienced mediator, who is fluent in four languages. Susanne also spent 10 years as Director and head of Berlitz Business Seminars, a role that like her current role at CEDR also saw her working in many nations around the world developing business and delivering training and consultancy services.

Speaking of the announcement Dr Karl Mackie, Founder President of CEDR said, “CEDR’s Board of Trustees were very clear that they wanted to see a continuation of the growth that CEDR has enjoyed. The appointment of James South as Managing Director to lead the organisation after a thorough process of review and assessment means that this growth can be assured for the future with the current Executive Team in place. As someone who has worked with James for 17 years I am delighted that in my new role as President we will continue to work together in this new relationship.”

Eileen Carroll QC (Hon), CEDR Principal Mediator and Co-Founder, added, “CEDR has a phenomenal track record and brand around the globe, bringing alternative dispute resolution and new thinking on negotiation and conflict wherever it goes. I am delighted that James has been selected to lead the organisation for the future and that Susanne has been named as the new Director of Training. James’s knowledge, vision and drive will be a great force for progress.”

Ends

James South:

James South is one of the world’s most experienced dispute resolution trainers and consultants and has been mediating public and private sector disputes for over 20 years, particularly commercial contracts and property disputes. He is also experienced in mediating cross-border and cross-cultural disputes most notably related to international development projects. In his work he specialises in alternative dispute resolution process design and capacity building and has worked in over 40 countries around the world including China, Croatia, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Lebanon, Greece, Spain, Pakistan, Rwanda, South Africa, United States and Ukraine. He has also led the development and delivery of Negotiation and Conflict Management skills and consultancy to businesses especially at Leadership and C-suite levels.

James currently serves as a Board Director of the International Mediation Institute and was for 6 years a Lecturer in International Commercial Mediation at the University of Westminster. A qualified lawyer in his native New Zealand, James holds an LLM in International Dispute Resolution from University of Westminster and an LLB from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.

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