The first Australian to be elected to the board, international arbitration specialist Jones joins members from the UK, East Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and the Indian sub-continent.

Demand for arbitration services is growing in the UK as well as in other parts of the world, said Jones, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. He said he had observed an increasing trend towards the use of private dispute resolution services in Australia, which mirrors the experience in the UK.

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators runs a number of domestic dispute resolution schemes in the UK alongside government programs. Jones suggested there may be scope for similar schemes to be developed in this country.

“I think the development of schemes that are managed by an independent body that understands its way through the maze of dispute resolution options and provides a level of credibility and independence is certainly growing,” he said.