Mariel is an international commercial and investment arbitration specialist. She has almost 20 years’ experience acting as advisor, advocate, and arbitrator in numerous international arbitrations covering a wide range of legal systems and industries. She is also the immediate past Secretary-General of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (“HKIAC”). Prior to joining the HKIAC, Mariel was previously also at CMS as Partner in the Hong Kong office and Co-Head of CMS International Arbitration She has extensive experience in both common law and civil law disputes, including disputes involving Chinese parties, and has full professional fluency in German. She also sits regularly as arbitrator and has experience as arbitrator under the HKIAC, ICC, KCAB, and DIS Rules, and in ad hoc disputes. She is on the arbitrator panels of several institutions.

She is a past co-chair of the HK45 Committee, and a Member of the WILHK Advisory Board. She is consistently ranked in both the regional and global editions of the leading legal directories.

Mariel has a Dr. iur. (summa cum laude) from the University of Basel, an LLM from the University of Cologne and an LLB/BA (Business German) from the University of Queensland. She is admitted to practice law in Australia and Hong Kong. Mariel now heads the CMS Hong Kong office.