FIRE International: Vilamoura

The flagship International Asset Recovery event in the fraud & insolvency practitioner's calendar

20th - 22nd May 2025 | Anantara Hotel, Vilamoura, Portugal

View 2025 Agenda View 2025 Enhanced Networking

Agenda

International Speaker Dinner
6.00pm

TL4 are excited to welcome our international speakers who have travelled from across the globe to lend us their expertise. We look forward to a relaxed evening wining and dining on the rooftop beach bar.

Hosted by:

By invitation only, transport included from the hotel lobby at 6pm

THE BOLD OCTOPUS, Praia do Ancão, Algarve

 

 

Conference Partner Dinners
6.30pm

Get in touch for options!

Hosted by:

To register please contact Nadia Bhatti at NBhatti@maitlandchambers.com

Morning Networking Activities
10.00am

Transport included to and from the Anantara Hotel

5k Run Club

Late nights and early mornings! Join our fun run club to kick start your day.

Register Interest

FIRE Padel Tennis Tournament

Bring the HEAT in our FIRE Padel Tennis Tournament - have you got what it takes?

Register Interest

Intro to Golf Lesson

They shout FORE, we shout FIRE - hone your driving skills with other beginners at the range. 

Register Interest

 

Registration & Badge Pick-Up
12.00pm

Portuguese Welcome Lunch
12.30pm

Co-Hosted by

 

Advisory Board Welcome Remarks
2.00pm

Keynote Session – Leading by Example
2.10pm

Andrew Strauss, former Captain
England Cricket Team

Complexities Of Enforcing in Multi-Jurisdictions
2.50pm

  • A global world – cross border issue with asset recovery
  • Regulatory and legislative update for FIRE
  • Practical challenges to coordinate enforcement
  • Ensuring communication across teams

Sushmita Gandhi, Partner
IndusLaw (India)

Bakhyt Tukulov, Partner
TKS Disputes (Kazakhstan)

Andreas Pollak, Partner
Petsche Pollak (Austria)

Gary Miller, Partner / Chair
Mishcon de Reya / International Fraud Group

Leyza Florin, Shareholder
Sequor Law (USA)

Networking & Refreshment Break
3.30pm

Ensuring Effective Enforcement of Freezing Injunctions
3.50pm

  • Enforcing in other and foreign jurisdictions
  • When to challenge a freezing injunction
  • Risks of dissipation of an asset

Dr. Alexander Amann, Managing Partner and Attorney at Law
AMP Amann Partners Attorneys at Law (Liechtenstein)

Maureen Ward, Partner
Bennett Jones (Canada)

Edward Palmer , Partner
Mintz Group

Richard Morgan KC, Barrister
Maitland Chambers

Catherine Eason, Partner
PCB Byrne (UK)

Amidst The Sanctions Era
4.30pm

  • Sanctions aren’t going anywhere – ensuring prevention of issues arising with sanctions
  • How sanctions can interfere with efforts to enforce judgements
  • Delving into sanctions regime and how that impacts your asset recovery

Emile Simpson, Barrister
4 New Square

Olexander Martinenko, Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution
Kinstellar (Ukraine)

Meruyet Zhunubaeva, Managing Partner
Astrea KZ (Kazakhstan)

Timothy O’Toole, Member, Practice Lead, Economic Sanctions & Export Controls
Miller & Chevalier (USA)

Chairpersons' Summary and Close of Day 1
5.10pm

Welcome Drinks Reception
5.15 - 6:45pm

Co-Hosted by 

Welcome to Portugal - Dinners, Cocktails & Cooking Classes
7.30pm

See below for Meet Up timings at the Hotel Lobby

 

Conference Partner Dinners

To welcome our delegates to Vilamoura our event partners will be hosting networking dinners

Please reach out for options!

Hosted by:

Women in FIRE Dinner

Introduced in 2024, our oversubcribed Women in FIRE dinner is back by popular demand!
Open to Women and ALL allies, network with the leading lights of Fraud litigation, Asset Recovery and Insolvency.

Register Interest

Hosted at the Botanico

Transport included to and from the Anantara Hotel

Meet at 6:45pm

Portuguese Wine Tasting

Pop the cork on an exquisite local vintage AND a set of new industry contacts! Who says you can't blend business with a little Bordeaux?

Register Interest

Portuguese Culinary Lessons

Sign up for a true taste of Portugal. Embark on a culinary adventure and explore the bold flavours of Portugal with a new contact.

Register Interest

 

Networking and Morning Refreshments
9.00am

Welcome Back Advisory Board Opening Remarks
9.30am

Insights to Court Litigation
9.40am

  • How the English Courts are approaching fraud
  • How receptive are judges on asset recovery and fraud litigation
  • UAE – how to use the local and DIFC courts to obtain and get the best result for asset recovery
  • Understanding the different processes and mechanisms of different courts

Adrian Wong, Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution
Rajah & Tann (Singapore)

Tim Chelmick, Barrister
4 New Square

Pooja Mahajan, Managing Partner
Chandhiok & Mahajan, Advocates & Solicitors (India)

Konstantin Mikov, Founder and Managing Partner
Mikov & Attorneys (Bulgaria)

Bartłomiej Jankowski, Advocate, Managing Partner
B2RLaw (Poland)

Unpacking The Developments of Tracing in The Digital Assets World
10.20am

  • Recovering crypto offshore
  • Working on non-traditional asset tracing
  • Navigating the anonymity of blockchain tracing

Jansen Chow, Co-Head, Fraud Asset Recovery & Investigation
Rajah & Tann (Singapore)

Gabriella McNicholas, Barrister
Maitland Chambers

Ardavan Amir-Aslani, Partner
Cohen Amir-Aslani (France)

Fernanda Restrepo Díaz, Associate Managing Director
Kroll

Networking & Refreshment Break
11.00am

Obtaining Evidence from Abroad in Heavyweight Commercial Disputes
11.30am

  • Relevant treaties, legislation and procedural rules
  • Procedure for Letter of Request under the Hague Convention
  • Exploring Part 23 Civil Procedure Rules
  • Challenges to the Letters of Request
  • Litigation following the challenges

Taher Abdeen Ibrahim, Partner
Hadef & Partners (UAE)

Azizur Rahman, Senior Partner
Rahman Ravelli (UK)

Yves Klein, Partner
Monfrini Bitton Klein (Switzerland)

Abraham Vergis SC, Managing Director
Providence Law Asia (Singapore)

Hendrik G. Milne, Attorney
Aballí Milne Kalil (USA)

Case Study: 1Malaysia Development Berhad Scandal
12.10pm

  • War stories in court – high profile cross examination
  • Can this be prevented?
  • Impacts on policies and legislations
  • Looking at the offshore side

Lezgin Polater, Partner
Archipel (Switzerland)

Raphael Kok Chi Ren, Partner
Lim Chee Wee Partnership (Singapore)

Chairpersons' Summary and Close of Day 2
12.50pm

Networking Lunch at the Hotel
12.55pm

Co-Hosted by

 

Meet for Afternoon Networking Activities
1.55pm

Transport included to and from the Anantara Hotel

Marine Safari Boat Trip

Intimate networking opportunity to ride the waves with an eye out for dolphins.

Register Interest

 

Walking Tour of Albufeira

Experience old town Albufeira. Explore the ancient fishing village, churches, taverns and museums.

Register Interest

 

Women in FIRE - Intro to Golf Lesson

They shout FORE, we shout FIRE - hone your driving skills with other beginners at the range.

Register Interest

Sunset Drinks Reception
6.30pm

Co-Hosted by

    

Unmissable Poolside Gala Dinner
7.30pm

Co-Hosted by

Cocktails & Connections
9.30pm

A classy way to end the night, with after-dinner drinks at the hotel bar

Co-Hosted by

 

Networking and Morning Refreshments
9.00am

Welcome Back from Advisory Board
9.30am

Build You Own Agenda: choose your streams/topic areas, and get involved with interactive workshops.

STREAM A - Proof, Evidence, and Information Gathering
9.40am

  • How to prove fraud
  • Effectively using your investigative powers across borders
  • What data and information can be obtained
  • Using appropriate software to help your investigations

Iris Pfander, Associate
Baldi & Caratsch (Switzerland)

Eliseo M. Martínez, Managing Partner
Ius+Aequitas Trial Lawyers (Spain)

Peter Hayden, Partner
Mourant (Cayman)

Natalie Todd, Partner
Cooke, Young & Keidan

STREAM B - Insolvencies with Crypto Exchanges
9.40am

  • Choosing where the main insolvency proceedings will be
  • What liquidators decide to do with the valuation of digital assets
  • A need for expert opinions and separate valuation committees for digital and crypto assets
  • Lessons learned from crypto insolvency and the precedence set

Douglas Curran, Shareholder
Anderson Kill (USA)

Morgan Patterson, Partner
Womble Bond Dickinson (USA)

STREAM A - Spanners in the Works: Arbitration Agreements in Fraud Claims
10.20am

  • Understanding how arbitration agreements can be a complicating factor in fraud claims
  • Arbitrability of issues of fraud: lessons learnt from Mozambique v Privinvest Shipbuilding SAL (Holding) [2023] UKSC 32
  • Severability of an arbitration agreement
  • Exploring fragmentation and parallel proceedings
  • Insights to court support during arbitration

Andrew Fulton, Barrister
Twenty Essex (UK)

Sarah Tresman, Barrister
Twenty Essex

Huw Jenkin, Partner
Travers Smith (UK)

Elaina Bailes, Partner
Stewarts

STREAM B - The Inevitable Growth of DAOs (Decentralised Autonomous Organisations)
10:20am

  • Financial risks involved with DAOs
  • Managing the various assets in DAOs
  • How trust and transparency can impact the vulnerabilities of security
  • Do existing laws translate well with DAOs?

Howard A. Fischer, Partner
Moses & Singer (USA)

Networking & Refreshment Break
11.00am

STREAM A - Insolvency Tools to Support Cross-Border Asset Recovery
11.30am

  • Impacts of a challenging insolvency regimes
  • Navigating the different insolvency tools in Malaysia
  • Exploring new insolvency tools in Canada and Panama
  • Ability to give release to shareholders
  • How can we ethically forum shop

Claudia Cheah Pek Yee, Partner
Skrine Advocates & Solicitors (Malaysia)

Karen Fellowes KC, Senior Counsel
Stikeman Elliott (Canada)

Marlyn Narkis, Partner
MDU Legal (Panama)

Ericka Johnson, Director
Bayard Law (USA)

STREAM B - The Intersection Between Arbitration and Insolvency
11.30am

  • Examining arbitration proceedings with insolvent companies
  • Using arbitration in the ‘pre-insolvency’ stage
  • How arbitration centres have developed insolvency-specific rules?

Geraldo Fonseca, Partner
Fonseca Vannucci Abreu (Brazil)

Stephanie Oneyser, Counsel
Walder Wyss (Switzerland)

Mercy Okiro, Advocate, Arbitrator and Law Lecturer
(Kenya)

David Peters KC, Barrister
Essex Court Chambers

David Chalcraft, Legal Director
HFW (UK)

Advisory Board Thank You
12.10pm

Farewell Lunch by the Beach
12.30pm

End your week with a sunny meal by the beach!

BJ'S OCEANSIDE, by the Algarvian coastline

Transport included to and from the Anantara Hotel

Register Interest

Meet For Afternoon Networking Activity
2.30pm

The FIRE Boat Party

Mingle with your new connections amidst the backdrop of the stunning Portuguese sunset and crystal clear waters.

Register Interest

 

              Co-Hosted by

                                                                              

                                                                                    

Conference Partner Dinners
7.30pm

Get in touch for options!

Limited places! To register please contact Emma Granata at Emma.Granata@crsblaw.com

The Final Pour by the Marina
9.30pm

    

6.00pm
International Speaker Dinner

TL4 are excited to welcome our international speakers who have travelled from across the globe to lend us their expertise. We look forward to a relaxed evening wining and dining on the rooftop beach bar.

Hosted by:

By invitation only, transport included from the hotel lobby at 6pm

THE BOLD OCTOPUS, Praia do Ancão, Algarve

 

 

6.30pm
Conference Partner Dinners

Get in touch for options!

Hosted by:

To register please contact Nadia Bhatti at NBhatti@maitlandchambers.com

10.00am
Morning Networking Activities

Transport included to and from the Anantara Hotel

5k Run Club

Late nights and early mornings! Join our fun run club to kick start your day.

Register Interest

FIRE Padel Tennis Tournament

Bring the HEAT in our FIRE Padel Tennis Tournament - have you got what it takes?

Register Interest

Intro to Golf Lesson

They shout FORE, we shout FIRE - hone your driving skills with other beginners at the range. 

Register Interest

 

12.00pm
Registration & Badge Pick-Up
12.30pm
Portuguese Welcome Lunch

Co-Hosted by

 

2.00pm
Advisory Board Welcome Remarks
2.10pm
Keynote Session – Leading by Example
Andrew Strauss - former Captain - England Cricket Team
2.50pm
Complexities Of Enforcing in Multi-Jurisdictions
  • A global world – cross border issue with asset recovery
  • Regulatory and legislative update for FIRE
  • Practical challenges to coordinate enforcement
  • Ensuring communication across teams
Sushmita Gandhi - Partner - IndusLaw (India)
Bakhyt Tukulov - Partner - TKS Disputes (Kazakhstan)
Andreas Pollak - Partner - Petsche Pollak (Austria)
Gary Miller - Partner / Chair - Mishcon de Reya / International Fraud Group
Leyza Florin - Shareholder - Sequor Law (USA)
3.30pm
Networking & Refreshment Break
3.50pm
Ensuring Effective Enforcement of Freezing Injunctions
  • Enforcing in other and foreign jurisdictions
  • When to challenge a freezing injunction
  • Risks of dissipation of an asset
Dr. Alexander Amann - Managing Partner and Attorney at Law - AMP Amann Partners Attorneys at Law (Liechtenstein)
Maureen Ward - Partner - Bennett Jones (Canada)
Edward Palmer - Partner - Mintz Group
Richard Morgan KC - Barrister - Maitland Chambers
Catherine Eason - Partner - PCB Byrne (UK)
4.30pm
Amidst The Sanctions Era
  • Sanctions aren’t going anywhere – ensuring prevention of issues arising with sanctions
  • How sanctions can interfere with efforts to enforce judgements
  • Delving into sanctions regime and how that impacts your asset recovery
Emile Simpson - Barrister - 4 New Square
Olexander Martinenko - Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution - Kinstellar (Ukraine)
Meruyet Zhunubaeva - Managing Partner - Astrea KZ (Kazakhstan)
Timothy O’Toole - Member, Practice Lead, Economic Sanctions & Export Controls - Miller & Chevalier (USA)
5.10pm
Chairpersons' Summary and Close of Day 1
5.15 - 6:45pm
Welcome Drinks Reception

Co-Hosted by 

7.30pm
Welcome to Portugal - Dinners, Cocktails & Cooking Classes

See below for Meet Up timings at the Hotel Lobby

 

Conference Partner Dinners

To welcome our delegates to Vilamoura our event partners will be hosting networking dinners

Please reach out for options!

Hosted by:

Women in FIRE Dinner

Introduced in 2024, our oversubcribed Women in FIRE dinner is back by popular demand!
Open to Women and ALL allies, network with the leading lights of Fraud litigation, Asset Recovery and Insolvency.

Register Interest

Hosted at the Botanico

Transport included to and from the Anantara Hotel

Meet at 6:45pm

Portuguese Wine Tasting

Pop the cork on an exquisite local vintage AND a set of new industry contacts! Who says you can't blend business with a little Bordeaux?

Register Interest

Portuguese Culinary Lessons

Sign up for a true taste of Portugal. Embark on a culinary adventure and explore the bold flavours of Portugal with a new contact.

Register Interest

 

9.00am
Networking and Morning Refreshments
9.30am
Welcome Back Advisory Board Opening Remarks
9.40am
Insights to Court Litigation
  • How the English Courts are approaching fraud
  • How receptive are judges on asset recovery and fraud litigation
  • UAE – how to use the local and DIFC courts to obtain and get the best result for asset recovery
  • Understanding the different processes and mechanisms of different courts
Adrian Wong - Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution - Rajah & Tann (Singapore)
Tim Chelmick - Barrister - 4 New Square
Pooja Mahajan - Managing Partner - Chandhiok & Mahajan, Advocates & Solicitors (India)
Konstantin Mikov - Founder and Managing Partner - Mikov & Attorneys (Bulgaria)
Bartłomiej Jankowski - Advocate, Managing Partner - B2RLaw (Poland)
10.20am
Unpacking The Developments of Tracing in The Digital Assets World
  • Recovering crypto offshore
  • Working on non-traditional asset tracing
  • Navigating the anonymity of blockchain tracing
Jansen Chow - Co-Head, Fraud Asset Recovery & Investigation - Rajah & Tann (Singapore)
Gabriella McNicholas - Barrister - Maitland Chambers
Ardavan Amir-Aslani - Partner - Cohen Amir-Aslani (France)
Fernanda Restrepo Díaz - Associate Managing Director - Kroll
11.00am
Networking & Refreshment Break
11.30am
Obtaining Evidence from Abroad in Heavyweight Commercial Disputes
  • Relevant treaties, legislation and procedural rules
  • Procedure for Letter of Request under the Hague Convention
  • Exploring Part 23 Civil Procedure Rules
  • Challenges to the Letters of Request
  • Litigation following the challenges
Taher Abdeen Ibrahim - Partner - Hadef & Partners (UAE)
Azizur Rahman - Senior Partner - Rahman Ravelli (UK)
Yves Klein - Partner - Monfrini Bitton Klein (Switzerland)
Abraham Vergis SC - Managing Director - Providence Law Asia (Singapore)
Hendrik G. Milne - Attorney - Aballí Milne Kalil (USA)
12.10pm
Case Study: 1Malaysia Development Berhad Scandal
  • War stories in court – high profile cross examination
  • Can this be prevented?
  • Impacts on policies and legislations
  • Looking at the offshore side
Lezgin Polater - Partner - Archipel (Switzerland)
Raphael Kok Chi Ren - Partner - Lim Chee Wee Partnership (Singapore)
12.50pm
Chairpersons' Summary and Close of Day 2
12.55pm
Networking Lunch at the Hotel

Co-Hosted by

 

1.55pm
Meet for Afternoon Networking Activities

Transport included to and from the Anantara Hotel

Marine Safari Boat Trip

Intimate networking opportunity to ride the waves with an eye out for dolphins.

Register Interest

 

Walking Tour of Albufeira

Experience old town Albufeira. Explore the ancient fishing village, churches, taverns and museums.

Register Interest

 

Women in FIRE - Intro to Golf Lesson

They shout FORE, we shout FIRE - hone your driving skills with other beginners at the range.

Register Interest

6.30pm
Sunset Drinks Reception

Co-Hosted by

    

7.30pm
Unmissable Poolside Gala Dinner

Co-Hosted by

9.30pm
Cocktails & Connections

A classy way to end the night, with after-dinner drinks at the hotel bar

Co-Hosted by

 

9.00am
Networking and Morning Refreshments
9.30am
Welcome Back from Advisory Board

Build You Own Agenda: choose your streams/topic areas, and get involved with interactive workshops.

9.40am
STREAM A - Proof, Evidence, and Information Gathering
  • How to prove fraud
  • Effectively using your investigative powers across borders
  • What data and information can be obtained
  • Using appropriate software to help your investigations
Iris Pfander - Associate - Baldi & Caratsch (Switzerland)
Eliseo M. Martínez - Managing Partner - Ius+Aequitas Trial Lawyers (Spain)
Peter Hayden - Partner - Mourant (Cayman)
Natalie Todd - Partner - Cooke, Young & Keidan
9.40am
STREAM B - Insolvencies with Crypto Exchanges
  • Choosing where the main insolvency proceedings will be
  • What liquidators decide to do with the valuation of digital assets
  • A need for expert opinions and separate valuation committees for digital and crypto assets
  • Lessons learned from crypto insolvency and the precedence set
Douglas Curran - Shareholder - Anderson Kill (USA)
Morgan Patterson - Partner - Womble Bond Dickinson (USA)
10.20am
STREAM A - Spanners in the Works: Arbitration Agreements in Fraud Claims
  • Understanding how arbitration agreements can be a complicating factor in fraud claims
  • Arbitrability of issues of fraud: lessons learnt from Mozambique v Privinvest Shipbuilding SAL (Holding) [2023] UKSC 32
  • Severability of an arbitration agreement
  • Exploring fragmentation and parallel proceedings
  • Insights to court support during arbitration
Andrew Fulton - Barrister - Twenty Essex (UK)
Sarah Tresman - Barrister - Twenty Essex
Huw Jenkin - Partner - Travers Smith (UK)
Elaina Bailes - Partner - Stewarts
10:20am
STREAM B - The Inevitable Growth of DAOs (Decentralised Autonomous Organisations)
  • Financial risks involved with DAOs
  • Managing the various assets in DAOs
  • How trust and transparency can impact the vulnerabilities of security
  • Do existing laws translate well with DAOs?
Howard A. Fischer - Partner - Moses & Singer (USA)
11.00am
Networking & Refreshment Break
11.30am
STREAM A - Insolvency Tools to Support Cross-Border Asset Recovery
  • Impacts of a challenging insolvency regimes
  • Navigating the different insolvency tools in Malaysia
  • Exploring new insolvency tools in Canada and Panama
  • Ability to give release to shareholders
  • How can we ethically forum shop
Claudia Cheah Pek Yee - Partner - Skrine Advocates & Solicitors (Malaysia)
Karen Fellowes KC - Senior Counsel - Stikeman Elliott (Canada)
Marlyn Narkis - Partner - MDU Legal (Panama)
Ericka Johnson - Director - Bayard Law (USA)
11.30am
STREAM B - The Intersection Between Arbitration and Insolvency
  • Examining arbitration proceedings with insolvent companies
  • Using arbitration in the ‘pre-insolvency’ stage
  • How arbitration centres have developed insolvency-specific rules?
Geraldo Fonseca - Partner - Fonseca Vannucci Abreu (Brazil)
Stephanie Oneyser - Counsel - Walder Wyss (Switzerland)
Mercy Okiro - Advocate, Arbitrator and Law Lecturer - (Kenya)
David Peters KC - Barrister - Essex Court Chambers
David Chalcraft - Legal Director - HFW (UK)
12.10pm
Advisory Board Thank You
12.30pm
Farewell Lunch by the Beach

End your week with a sunny meal by the beach!

BJ'S OCEANSIDE, by the Algarvian coastline

Transport included to and from the Anantara Hotel

Register Interest

2.30pm
Meet For Afternoon Networking Activity

The FIRE Boat Party

Mingle with your new connections amidst the backdrop of the stunning Portuguese sunset and crystal clear waters.

Register Interest

 

              Co-Hosted by

                                                                              

                                                                                    

7.30pm
Conference Partner Dinners

Get in touch for options!

Limited places! To register please contact Emma Granata at Emma.Granata@crsblaw.com

9.30pm
The Final Pour by the Marina

    

Event Partners

Networking Partner
Media Partner

Contact Us

Speakers

For Speakers enquiries please contact Melody on +44 (0) 20 3997 8527 or email melody@thoughtleaders4.com

Partnership

For Partnership enquiries please contact Ben on +44 (0) 20 3965 4386 or email ben@thoughtleaders4.com

Booking & General Enquiries

For Booking & General Enquiries enquiries please contact Paul on +44 (0) 20 3398 8510 or email paul@thoughtleaders4.com

Venue & Logistics

For Venue & Logistics enquiries please contact Laura on +44 (0) 20 3433 2284 or email laura.fraser@thoughtleaders4.com

Marketing

For Marketing enquiries please contact Yelda on +44 (0) 20 3398 8551 or email yelda@thoughtleaders4.com