Interviews
#10QuestionswithMaxwell Interview Series: Ashwita Ambast, Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
In this #10QuestionsWithMaxwell interview, we feature Ashwita Ambast, Senior Legal Counsel & Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Representative in Singapore.
Having spent some time in private practice in London, Ashwita joined the International Bureau of the PCA in 2016 on a Yale Law School fellowship. To date, Ashwita has worked on over 40 PCA registry matters involving states, state entities, international organizations and private parties and has assisted the PCA Secretary-General and other appointing authorities with over 45 requests relating to arbitral appointments and challenges. Further, from 2018-2020, alongside her role at the PCA, Ashwita served as a Registrar of the Mauritius International Arbitration Centre.
In this interview, Ashwita reflects on her role as the PCA Representative in Singapore, sharing her vision for the PCA’s growing presence in the Asia-Pacific. She also shares her journey and experience driving her passion in International Arbitration, sharing her insights on the ever-changing arbitration landscape, from technology and diversity to the skills shaping the next generation of practitioners.
Read the full interview below:
Q: Congratulations on your new appointment as the PCA Representative in Singapore!
As the PCA Singapore Office continues to grow under your leadership, what is your vision for strengthening it’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region, and how do you see it contributing to the broader alternative dispute resolution (ADR) landscape?
Thank you!
My vision as the PCA Representative in Singapore is to ensure that the PCA continues to be regarded by users across the Asia-Pacific region as a trusted institution offering a wide spectrum of dispute resolution services. As is well known, the PCA administers a range of proceedings, including public inter-State disputes arising under treaties, as well as confidential disputes between private parties and State-owned entities arising from contractual arrangements. The PCA also administers multiple forms of dispute settlement, including arbitration, conciliation, mediation, fact-finding commissions of inquiry, and expert procedures.
The Asia-Pacific region has a vibrant and sophisticated alternative dispute resolution landscape. Singapore, in particular, is home to many of the world’s leading dispute resolution counsel and arbitrators, as well as numerous international institutions. The PCA, as the world’s oldest arbitral institution with a long-standing record of administering complex, sensitive, and high-value cases, is well positioned and fits naturally within this market.
Q: Looking ahead, what key initiatives or action steps would you prioritize to bring this vision to life?
The PCA’s relocation to new, larger premises in September 2025 marked an important first step in bringing this vision to fruition. The new premises enable the PCA to expand its Singapore team in the coming years, administer a greater number of cases from the Singapore office, and thereby strengthen the PCA’s presence in Singapore and across the Asia-Pacific region more broadly.
The enhanced infrastructure also provides a strong platform for the PCA to continue raising awareness of its services among potential users in the Asia-Pacific region.
I also look forward to supporting parties and tribunals in PCA cases that have elected to hold hearings and meetings in Singapore. Maxwell Chambers offers excellent facilities and has already hosted hearings in several PCA cases. In addition, I also see Singapore as a venue for the important non-case-related activities of the PCA. For example, Singapore hosted the second in-person meeting of the Expert Group on the Future Development of the PCA in September 2025.
Q: Your professional journey with the PCA began when you were awarded the Yale Law School Fellowship in 2016. How did that initial experience shape your career in international arbitration and what continues to inspire your commitment to this work today?
Being awarded the PCA Yale Law School Fellowship in 2016 had a profound impact on the trajectory of my career. Prior to receiving the fellowship, I was working in a fulfilling role in private practice in London and had fully intended to return there following the completion of the year-long program.
My first year at the PCA made clear to me the pivotal role that arbitral institutions play in safeguarding the integrity of international dispute settlement. As repositories of industry information, such institutions are indispensable and neutral actors in assessing developments within the field and in providing technical expertise to support its evolution. They also play a critical role in ensuring that disputes are resolved by independent and impartial arbitrators.
I quickly became convinced of the PCA’s unique legacy in this regard. I came to appreciate the enduring value of its mission to facilitate the peaceful resolution of international disputes, as well as its resilience and adaptability amid decades of geopolitical change. The PCA’s dynamism, and the deep commitment of its staff to the international rule of law in an ever-evolving global landscape, have in turn shaped and strengthened my own commitment to this work. It has been a rewarding nine years!
Q: As technology (particularly AI) becomes increasingly integrated into arbitration practice, which tools have, in your experience, most meaningfully improved the efficiency of Investor–State proceedings?
Greater confidence and dexterity of users with video-conferencing technology and electronic filing, bundling, and presentation of evidence at hearings has improved the efficiency of investor-State proceedings.
Q: And looking ahead, what technological developments do you expect will most shape the evolution of ISDS over the next decade?
The technological development that will likely have (and is already having) a significant impact on ISDS and arbitration more generally is AI. It is essential that all stakeholders in the field carefully consider how AI can be utilized responsibly and effectively to support the integrity, efficiency, and fairness of dispute resolution processes.
Q: What are the misconceptions you most often encounter among students and young practitioners about careers in investment arbitration?
Some may perceive legal argumentation in investment arbitration to be less dynamic than in commercial arbitration, on the basis that it often involves the application of similar legal standards across cases. This is a misconception! Variations in treaty language, factual matrices, and counsel strategies, among other factors, ensure that legal argumentation in investment arbitration remains nuanced, complex, and intellectually engaging.
Q: Looking ahead, what skills or knowledge areas do you think the next generation of investment arbitration practitioners will need most?
One area (amongst, no doubt, several others) that might assume importance in future disputes is State action to preserve the environment. This includes its intersection with public international law obligations, its implications for sectors such as oil and gas and mining and quarrying, and its impact on regulatory frameworks governing renewable energy projects.
Q: Are you noticing shifts in how States and investors select arbitrators for treaty-based cases – whether in expertise, diversity, or background?
Parties in treaty arbitrations wish to see their cases decided by practitioners with the necessary expertise and experience. Diversity has become an increasingly important part of the conversation as users recognize that diversity can enhance the collective expertise of the panel and contribute to more robust decision-making.
Q: If you weren’t in your current profession, what profession would you be in?
I would be a writer of historic fiction.
Q: To get to know you more on a personal level, tell us 3 fun/interesting facts about yourself.
- I have been fortunate to work in international law and dispute settlement across four continents, with each experience proving rewarding in its own distinct way. Like many colleagues in this field, I have a strong love of travel and have visited nearly 60 countries to date. While I hope to explore many more cultures in the future, I am increasingly mindful of how to do so in the most environmentally sustainable manner.
- I enjoy my daily dose of New York Times games and make a point of trying every day to beat the WordleBot.
- My first paid job was selling Rolling Stone magazines at a music festival.
From left to right:
- Ashwita enjoying a Champagne tasting with friends.
- Ashwita speaking at a conference in New Delhi
- The view from Mueller Hut in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand
