Théobald Naud

Partner

Théobald Naud: very impressive. Exceptional in pleadings, always accessible. Very effective and very clear.

— Client, The Legal 500 EMEA 2024

About

Théobald Naud is an international disputes lawyer, representing clients in complex commercial and investment arbitration disputes often involving States or State-owned enterprises.

His experience spans a wide range of sectors, including aerospace, defence, energy, food and drinks, mining and natural resources, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications.

Théobald has significant experience in arbitration proceedings administered by ICSID, the ICC, the LCIA and the PCA, as well as under various ad hoc rules, including UNCITRAL.

Areas of FocusLitigation, Arbitration and Investigations Regulatory and Government Affairs International Arbitration Industrials Energy and Natural Resources

Professional QualificationsAvocat admitted to the Paris BarSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

Representing the Republic of Guinea in parallel multi-billion dollar ICSID arbitrations brought by BSG Resources Limited and affiliated companies relating to a claim of expropriation of a mining concession and related rights (ARB/14/22).
Representing Messrs. De Sutter and (DS)2 S.A. in a multi-million dollar ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Madagascar relating to an investment in the textile manufacturing sector (ARB/17/18).
Representing Hungary in two multi-million dollar ICSID arbitrations brought by British (ARB/17/27) and Jordanian investors (ARB/17/45) with respect to investments respectively in the agricultural and tourism industries.
Representing Hungary in revision and annulment proceedings against ICSID awards in three separate proceedings concerning food products and food vouchers (ARB/12/9, ARB/13/21 and ARB/13/35).
Representing Turkcell in Turkcell v. Islamic Republic of Iran, a multi-billion dollar UNCITRAL Rules bilateral investment treaty arbitration administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, relating to the first private GSM license in Iran.
Representing the Republic of Moldova in Franck Charles Arif v. Moldova, an ICSID arbitration brought pursuant to the France-Moldova bilateral investment treaty. Most of the claims were rejected, with Claimant awarded only four percent of the damages sought (ARB/11/23).
Representing a natural resources trading company against a testing and certification company in an ICC arbitration relating to various claims of contractual liability (ICC Case 24497/GR).
Representing a French aircraft manufacturer in an ICC arbitration relating to an aircraft accident and alleged manufacturing defects (ICC Case 24202/GR).
Representing a French pharmaceutical group in an ICC arbitration relating to disputed royalty payments and license rights over the development and sale of a pharmaceutical product (ICC Case 22355/TO).
Representing the Republic of Moldova in proceedings before the Court of Appeal of Paris in support of a petition for annulment of an investment arbitration award issued pursuant to the Energy Charter Treaty.

Languages

Education

University College of London, European law, LLM, 2005

University of Essex, French and English law, LLB, 2004

University of Paris X, French law, 2003

Awards

Publications

European Commission Formally Proposes to Withdraw from the ECT, Global Enforcement Post, July 2023.
Arbitration in Africa : What legal and institutional changes? What challenges ahead? What opportunities? Option Finance conference, Paris, February 2023.
Five Reasons to Locate your International Arbitration Proceedings in France, Mondaq Webinars, March 2022.
Investment Arbitration in Africa, In GAR – The Middle Eastern and African Arbitration Review, 2021.
European Union and International Investment Arbitration, Issues Related to the Enforcement of Awards issued by the Multilateral Investment Court, Milan Investment Arbitration Week, February 2021.
COVID-19 – State Responsibility Towards Foreign Investors, Option Droit et Affaires, Paris, May 2021.
COVID and Investment Arbitration, Rencontres du Contentieux et de l’Arbitrage, Option Droit et Affaires, Paris, February 2021.
The Evolving Landscape of Investment Protection in Africa, Africa Tech Summit, October 2020.
The ICC Publishes Revised Rules for 2021, DLA Piper Publications, 2020.
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement and the Upcoming Protocol on Investment: What Can Investors Expect?, In GAR – The Middle Eastern and African Arbitration Review, 2020.
English and French law perspectives on which law applies to the arbitration agreement, DLA Piper Publications, 2020.
International Comparative Legal Guide to: International Arbitration ‒ France, 2019.
Recent Trends in Investment Arbitration in Africa, in GAR – The Middle Eastern and African Arbitration Review, 2019.
State responsibility and the cumulative effect of a series of acts, Thirty Second ITF Public Conference: State Responsibility in Investment Law, British Institute of International and Comparative Law, London, 2019.
Achieving efficiency and minimizing costs in international arbitration, Young ICCA Conference, Bucharest, 2019
International Commercial Arbitration and Parallel Criminal Proceedings, in Carlos Gonzalez-Bueno (ed), 40 under 40 International Arbitration, 2018
The Briber’s Dilemma Facing Parallel Criminal, Arbitral and Civil Asset Recovery Proceedings, IBA Annual Conference, Rome, 2018

Seminars

Prior Experience

Théobald was educated in England and in France. He started his career at DLA Piper in London before joining DLA Piper’s Paris office in 2009.

Memberships And Affiliations

Théobald is a member of various professional organizations, including the International Arbitration Commission of ICC France, the Comité Français de l'Arbitrage and the IBA Arbitration Committee.