arbitrateAD and ADFBC hold session on family business dispute resolution

ABU DHABI, 24th September, 2026 (WAM) -- The Abu Dhabi International Arbitration Centre (arbitrateAD), in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Family Business Council (ADFBC), has held an awareness session highlighting the role of adjudicator appointments, mediation and arbitration in helping family businesses manage disputes, preserve family relationships and ensure business continuity across generations.Held at the Abu Dhabi School of Management, the session brought together family business leaders, governance experts and representatives of family-owned enterprises from Abu Dhabi and across the UAE.Discussions addressed practical approaches to preventing and resolving disputes, including incorporating dispute-resolution mechanisms into family charters, governance frameworks and shareholder agreements, as well as intervening early before disagreements develop into formal disputes.Ali bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Chairman of arbitrateAD, opened the session with remarks on the role of mediation, conciliation and adjudicator appointments in dispute avoidance and resolution within family businesses.A panel discussion followed, bringing together senior figures from the UAE legal community, including two members of arbitrateAD's Court of Arbitration, and was moderated by Maria Mazzawi, Registrar of the Centre.The session formed part of the cooperation framework established under the memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year between arbitrateAD and ADFBC to strengthen the resilience, preparedness and long-term sustainability of family-owned businesses.Al Dhaheri, who is also First Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber, said the session represented a strategic step beyond awareness-raising towards strengthening governance readiness within Abu Dhabi's family business community.He said the discussions generated practical guidance from specialists in mediation, governance and arbitration that could support stronger dispute-resolution frameworks, enhance preparedness and reinforce trust among family businesses.Khalid Al Fahim, Chairman of ADFBC, said governance plays a central role in ensuring the long-term continuity of Abu Dhabi's family businesses.He added that the session addressed the growing complexity of generational transitions and sought to improve awareness of available tools for managing disagreements and preparing family businesses for future leadership changes.During the session, arbitrateAD presented its integrated dispute-resolution services, including its recently introduced Adjudicator Appointment service under the Centre's 2026 Adjudicator Appointment Rules.The service is designed to facilitate intervention at an early stage of disagreement and help parties contain disputes before they develop into formal proceedings.Participants also explored mediation as a confidential and flexible process that can help preserve relationships within family businesses, strengthen their competitiveness and support their contribution to Abu Dhabi's long-term economic development.

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