VAW2023 SPEAKER

Shamila Neelakandan is a dual qualified Lawyer (Malaysia and UK) with over 24 years of legal, contracts and commercial experience in the construction industry. She is a Fellow with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Shamila has worked on major projects, including power generation and water desalination, oil and gas, rail and infrastructure opportunities throughout Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia. She previously had a regional role in HKA with a practice responsibility for the consulting group’s businesses in Africa, Middle East and Asia. Shamila now heads the HKA Malaysian operations and has profit and loss responsibility within the business for the local region. She also regularly heads up commissions and manages teams with various skill sets in the delivery of client assignments.

Shamila commenced her career as an international lawyer focusing on dispute resolution before progressing to consulting. She has since developed her expertise in tender negotiations, procurement, commercial strategy and claims management. Shamila also has experience in strategic project implementation, risk evaluation and risk management and has advised and assisted the boards of directors of multi-national organisations around the world on project turnaround and financial recovery assignments. Her extensive projects portfolio includes the London Underground, Dubai Metro Link, Bosphorus Crossing, Istanbul, Shuaibah IWPP, Saudi Arabia, Kusile Power Plant, Africa and the Sealine Offshore Project, Iraq.

Clients find Shamila’s legal and commercial experience in both civil and common law jurisdictions an asset in managing their disputes. She is familiar with most current standard forms of contract and has an excellent working knowledge of the FIDIC suite of contracts.