Giorgio Francesco Mandelli

• Representing an Indian airline in both a SIAC emergency arbitration and a SIAC arbitration against a US engine manufacturer; English governing law
• Represented a UK metal trading company in an ICSID arbitration against Sierra Leone stemming from its investment in the mining sector
• Advising a European multinational conglomerate in a potential Energy Charter Treaty dispute
• Appointed by the claimant in a Stockholm Chamber of Commerce investor-State arbitration under a bilateral investment treaty

Selected Investor-State Arbitration Matters

• Representing an Italian company in an ICSID arbitration against North Macedonia arising from its investment in a waste disposal enterprise
• Represented subsidiaries of a major U.S. glass manufacturer in two ICSID arbitrations, and subsequent annulment proceedings, against Venezuela concerning two glass-container manufacturing plants
• Represented a Liechtenstein blood plasma trading company and its Swiss owner in an ad hoc investment treaty arbitration against the Czech Republic
• Represented a Luxembourg company in an SCC investment treaty arbitration against Poland stemming from its equity investment in a Polish bank
• Represented a major U.S. oil company in a multibillion-dollar ICSID arbitration against Venezuela stemming from its investments in the hydrocarbons sector
• Represented a Canadian mining company in a multibillion-dollar ICSID Additional Facility arbitration against Venezuela relating to its investment in a gold mine
• Represented a European energy company in an ICSID arbitration against Argentina stemming from its investments in oil and gas exploration and production, electricity generation and gas transportation
• Represented a US energy company in an ICSID arbitration against Ecuador stemming from the exploration and production of hydrocarbons
• Represented a leading European polymer products producer in an ICSID arbitration against a Latin American State relating to a plant manufacturing key materials for hydraulic fracturing operations in oil and gas wells
• Represented the subsidiaries of a major US conglomerate in an ICSID arbitration, and in annulment proceedings, against Venezuela stemming from their investment in the energy industry
• Represented an African State in an ICSID arbitration brought in relation to an investment in the telecommunications sector

Selected International Commercial Arbitration Matters

• Representing a BVI company in a DIFC-LCIA arbitration against two Middle Eastern entities concerning a joint venture in the defence aviation sector; English governing law
• Representing an Indian multinational in proceedings stemming from an ad hoc arbitration award relating to a gas-sector production sharing contract; Indian governing law
• Represented the African subsidiary of a UK commodity trading business in an ICC arbitration against an African State relating to an iron ore project; English governing law
• Represented the Dutch subsidiary of a US energy sector company in an UNCITRAL arbitration against an Indian company relating to a joint venture for the manufacturing and marketing of steam turbine products; Indian governing law
• Represented a European chemical company in an ICC arbitration against a European general contractor stemming from the design and construction of a technical ammonium nitrate manufacturing plant in Australia; English governing law
• Represented a European energy sector company in an LCIA arbitration against another European energy company involving a dispute under a sales contract and a related settlement agreement; Croatian governing law
• Represented a major U.S. oil company in an ICC arbitration against a Latin American State-owned oil entity regarding a joint venture involving a refinery; New York governing law
• Represented a major U.S. oil company in consolidated ICC arbitrations against a Latin American State-owned oil entity arising under guarantees and in connection with production curtailments imposed on two extra-heavy oil projects; Venezuelan governing law

Selected Advisory Work

• Advising the local subsidiary of a Mauritian company with respect to a potential LCIA arbitration and/or investor-State arbitration against an African State stemming from the development, construction and operation of a power project
• Advising an investor with respect to a potential, mining-sector investment dispute against a European State
• Advising an investor with respect to a potential, gas-sector investment dispute against a Latin American State
• Advised a Europe-based, integrated, international oil and gas company on issues arising from a joint venture relationship in Pakistan
• Advised a G8 State in relation to several domestic judicial proceedings on issues of sovereign immunity arising from a number of employment relationships in receiving European States
• Advised a G20 State on a wide range of public international law issues and taught PIL courses to lawyers from various ministries

Giorgio Mandelli represents clients in complex, high-value international arbitrations (commercial and investment), with a focus on companies and investors in the energy and natural resources, financial services and aviation sectors. He has acted as counsel and advocate before ad hoc and institutional tribunals, including under the ICC, ICSID, ICSID Additional Facility, DIFC-LCIA, LCIA, SIAC, SCC, and UNCITRAL Rules. Giorgio is also sitting as arbitrator in a Stockholm Chamber of Commerce investor-State arbitration.

Most recently, Giorgio has worked on a number of high-profile commercial arbitrations and investment disputes involving African, Asian, European, Latin American and Middle Eastern States, arising variously under international investment agreements and treaties, foreign investment laws and contracts. Additionally, Giorgio provides counsel on public international law matters, including advising States on jurisdictional immunity issues in the context of judicial proceedings before European courts, and he has delivered practical training in public international law to lawyers from various ministries of States in the Middle East and Africa.

Giorgio is qualified as a solicitor-advocate in England and Wales and admitted to practice in New York. He was “recommended” by The Legal 500 2014 (Latin America) and described as a “rising star” in the GAR 100 (9th, 10th and 11th editions). He was included in Who’s Who Legal’s inaugural listing of the “Future Leaders of International Arbitration – Partners” (2017) and, again, in 2018. He has been described as: “highly rated” for public international law and international arbitration by The Legal 500 UK 2017; a “name to note” in public international law and international arbitration by The Legal 500 UK 2019; noted for international arbitration in The Legal 500 UK (2020, 2024, 2025); a “key partner” by the Latin Lawyer 250 (2024); and “great for case management” in international arbitration in The Legal 500 UK 2026. Giorgio has been included in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators Guide since 2023.

Giorgio is a regular speaker at conferences on topics of public international law and international dispute resolution and writes on international investment law and arbitration. Giorgio is a member of ArbIt (Italian Forum for Arbitration and ADR), the Delos ROAP faculty and the FIAA faculty.