Juan Ignacio Gonzalez Mayer

Juan Ignacio has wide experience in international arbitration both in commercial and investment treaty disputes, with a particular emphasis in the hydrocarbon and mining sectors. He has represented clients in arbitrations under the rules of the ICC, ICSID, ICSID (Additional Facility), the LCIA, the Business Arbitration and Mediation Centre (CEMA) and UNCITRAL. Before joining Dechamps International Law, Juan Ignacio worked in the litigation and international arbitration department in the Buenos Aires office of a global law firm. In 2019 he interned in the international arbitration group of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in New York.

Juan Ignacio was part of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) team that won the XXIII Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in 2016. He currently teaches International Commercial Arbitration and International Sales of Goods at the UBA and coaches the UBA team for the Vis Moot. He was also a member of the executive board of Argentina Young Arbitration Practitioners (AYAP) for the 2021-2023 period. He has been recognized by Who’s Who Legal 2024 as a “Future Leader” in international arbitration.

• Representing South32 SA Investments Limited in an ICSID arbitration against Colombia (ICSID Case No. ARB/20/9) under the Colombia-United Kingdom BIT. Claim related to measures taken by various administrative and judicial entities in Colombia that affected the claimant’s investments in a mining project. The arbitral tribunal rendered an award in favour of our client, including legal costs.
• Representing Latin American Regional Aviation Holding S. de R.L. in an ICSID arbitration against Uruguay (ICSID Case No. ARB/19/16) under the Panama-Uruguay BIT. Claim related to measures taken by Uruguay that affected the claimant’s investment in Pluna Líneas Aéreas Uruguayas S.A., a local airline. The arbitral tribunal rendered an award in favour of our client for over US$ 50 million.
• Representing Romania in an ICSID arbitration initiated by Clara Petroleum Ltd. (ICSID Case No. ARB/22/10) under the Energy Charter Treaty. Claim related to measures allegedly taken by Romania in the oil and gas sector. The amount in dispute is confidential. The arbitration is ongoing.
• Representing Serafín García Armas and Karina García Gruber in an UNCITRAL arbitration against Venezuela (PCA Case No. 2013-3) under the Spain-Venezuela BIT. Claim related to measures taken by Venezuela that affected the claimants’ investments in the food distribution sector. The arbitral tribunal rendered an award of over US$360 million in favour of the investors, including full legal costs.
• Representing Luis García Armas in an ICSID arbitration against Venezuela (ICSID Case No. ARB(AF)/16/1) under the Spain-Venezuela BIT. Claim related to measures taken by Venezuela that affected the claimant’s investments in the food distribution sector. The amount in dispute is over US$50 million. The arbitration is ongoing.
• Representing Dick Fernando Abanto Ishivata in an ICSID arbitration against Venezuela (ICSID Case No. ARB(AF)/18/6) under the Peru-Venezuela BIT. Claim related to measures taken by Venezuela that affected the claimant’s internet businesses. The amount in dispute is over US$180 million. The arbitration is ongoing.
• Representing Fernando Fraiz Trapote in an UNCITRAL arbitration against Venezuela (PCA Case No. 2019-11) under the Spain-Venezuela BIT. Claim related to measures taken by Venezuela that affected the claimant’s investments in the telecommunications, advertising, real estate and education sectors.
• Representing Diamante Trading Investments Ltd. and others in an UNCITRAL arbitration against Venezuela (PCA Case No. 2019-49) under the Barbados-Venezuela and Spain-Venezuela BITs. Claim related to measures taken by Venezuela that affected the claimants’ investments in the food distribution sector. The amount in dispute is over US$100 million. The arbitration is ongoing.
• Representing The Lopez-Goyne Family Trust and others in an ICSID arbitration against Nicaragua (ICSID Case No. ARB/17/44) under the DR-CAFTA. Claim related to measures taken by Nicaragua that affected the claimants’ rights under an oil concession agreement.
• Representing a global nuclear power plant constructor in an ICC arbitration arising out of the termination of an EPC contract. The arbitration is ongoing. The amount in dispute is confidential.
• Representing two British Virgin Islands companies with investments in the mining sector in an ICC arbitration against a Latin American State. The claim is based on an investment protection agreement and concerns disputes related to measures taken by the State which affected the claimants’ investments in a mining project (local law and International Law principles). The amount in dispute exceeds US$300 million. The arbitration is ongoing.
• Representing a group of Argentine companies in two parallel ICC arbitrations against their contractors arising out of the termination of EPC contracts for photovoltaic projects in Argentina. The arbitrations are ongoing. The amount in dispute is confidential.
• Representing an Argentine company in a CEMA arbitration against another Argentine company in its claim concerning violations of a natural gas supply contract (Argentine law). The arbitral tribunal rendered an award in favour of our client upholding its claim in full plus full costs and rejecting the counterclaim filed by the counterparty. The award is confidential.
• Representing EcuadorTLC in an UNCITRAL arbitration against Ecuador. Claim related to the early termination of two oil contracts (Ecuadorian law). The amount in dispute is confidential. The arbitration is ongoing.
• Representing a Hong Kong company in eight parallel ICC arbitrations against a Latin American State-owned oil company concerning disputes related to the breach of several international sales contracts (Dutch law). The arbitral tribunal rendered an award of around US$105 million in favour of our client.
• Representing a Panamanian company in two parallel ICC arbitrations against a Latin American State-owned oil company concerning disputes related to the breach of several international sales contracts (Dutch law). The arbitral tribunal rendered an award of around US$57 million in favour of our client.
• Representing a Guatemalan company in two parallel LCIA arbitrations initiated by a US company in relation to disputes concerning the performance of contracts related to the sale of refined petroleum products and their storage (English law). The amount in dispute is confidential. The arbitrations were successfully settled.

• Revision of ICSID Awards, JusMundi, September 2020, co-authored with Marcos Sassot.
• Chapter Argentina, in The Baker McKenzie International Arbitration Yearbook 2017-2018, 11th Edition, 2018, co-authored with Luis Dates.