Panagiotis
Kyriakou
Counsel
Geneva
Member of the Athens Bar, Registered at the Geneva Bar
Expertise
International arbitration
Enforcement & asset recovery
Sports
Professional background
PhD research and teaching assistantship (Geneva Graduate Institute)
Article editing for the Journal of International Economic Law (Oxford University Press)
Traineeships in arbitration, trade and corporate law (Athens, Paris and Geneva)
Education
PhD in International Law, Geneva Graduate Institute
Master in International Dispute Settlement, University of Geneva & Geneva Graduate Institute
LLB in Law, University of Athens
Languages
English
Greek
Spanish
Portuguese
French
Professional affiliations
Athens Bar Association
Swiss Arbitration Association
Associação Lusófona de Arbitragem e Mediação
Comitê Brasileiro de Arbitragem
Blockchain Lawyers Forum
International Law Association
Panagiotis' practice focuses on arbitration and asset recovery, with an emphasis on agency and distribution contracts, post-M&A disputes, finance and crypto assets, as well as construction and engineering projects. He has been involved in over 30 arbitral proceedings under various rules (primarily before the ICC and the Swiss Arbitration Centre), in addition to representing clients in annulment proceedings before the Swiss Federal Tribunal and asset recovery matters before various Swiss courts. He is an arbitrator on the lists of the Greek and Swiss national ICC committees, as well as the list maintained by the Blockchain Lawyers Forum.

Panagiotis also leads the firm’s sports practice. Acting as both counsel and assistant to arbitrators, he has been involved in over 15 CAS proceedings. He has also participated in proceedings before disciplinary authorities in tennis, football, and boxing, and advised sports stakeholders on matters such as eligibility under FIFA rules, the acquisition of football teams, unpaid salaries and bonuses, the drafting of anti-corruption policies, and media rights/betting contracts.

Moreover, he has advised investors on potential claims under BITs and represented stakeholders before the WTO and the Caribbean Court of Justice. He is well-versed in public international law, holding a PhD in public international law and finance from the Geneva Graduate Institute, and maintains an active academic profile, with over 25 publications and over 25 teaching and speaking engagements. His work has been cited by the US Congressional Research Service and in major journals.
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Details of recent activities
Counsel for a European company in a 10m+ EUR claim against multiple defendants; engineering contract, rubber plant, ICC Rules, Swiss law, Swiss seat.

Counsel for a European company in a 10m+ EUR claim against a European project owner; construction contract, PPS plant, ICC Rules, Swiss law, Swiss seat.

Counsel for a European individual in a 700m+ EUR claim against an African state; services contract, IT sector, Swiss Rules, Swiss law, Swiss seat.

Counsel for several US-based companies in a 170m+ USD claim against a Swiss company; JV contract, medical sector, Swiss Rules, US law, Swiss seat.

Counsel for a national sports federation in various sets of CAS proceedings (relating to player eligibility, disciplinary fines, and election results).

Counsel for a FIFA match agent in CAS proceedings (relating to non-payment of agency fees).

Counsel for an All-Euroleague basketball player in annulment proceedings before the Swiss Federal Tribunal, initiated by a Euroleague basketball club.

Counsel for an African state in efforts to recover assets in Switzerland.

Counsel for a Swiss-based investor in efforts to recover crypto assets in multiple jurisdictions.

Counsel for an African state acting as Third Participant before the WTO’s Appellate Body.
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Conferences
Delivering a workshop on the topic of “Dispute Resolution in the Sports Industry” – 2026 ELSA Greece Summer Academy on Investment Law

Guest lecturer on the topic of “Enforcement of Arbitral Awards” – 2026 ELSA Switzerland Seminar

Moderating a panel on the topic of “Arbitrating geopolitics: new disputes and trends” in the context of the 2026 Cyprus Arbitration Days

Moderating a panel on the topic of “Trace, Freeze, Recover: Challenges and Practical Tips for Enforcing Arbitral Awards in Greece and Beyond” in the context of the 2025 Athens Arbitration Days

Speech on the topic of “Soft Skills in Arbitration” in the context of the 2025 Athens Arbitration Days (in Greek)

Speech on the topic of “Shaping the Future of International Sports Law” in the context of a DIS-40 event

Speech on the topic of “Domestic Law in ISDS” in the context of the 2025 IPA Investment Arbitration Seminar (in Spanish)

Moderating a panel on “Arbitration and Asset Recovery in the Fintech Industry: Swiss and Cypriot Perspectives” in the context of the 2025 Cyprus Arbitration Days

Speech on the topic of “Needs-driven vs narrative-driven greening: what does sovereign debt law stand to learn from environmental reforms in international trade and investment agreements?” in the context of the 81st ILA Conference

Speech on the topic of “Sovereign Sustainability-Linked Bonds” in the context of the 2024 ESIL Research Forum
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Publications
“Article R49” in I. Bantekas and M. Diaconu, Commentary on the CAS Code (CUP, 2026 – forthcoming)

“Esports Events and the Carbon Footprint: A Legal Perspective” in L. Shmatenko (ed.), The Global Guide to Esports Law (Hart 2026 – forthcoming)

The Seraing Moment of National Sports Bodies?”, 4(1) Athlitismos & Dikaio (2026) (in Greek)

“Swiss Law in International Sports Disputes: Practical Examples and Outlook” (with G. Palermo), 2025(2) CAS Bulletin

“The AG’s Opinion in Seraing: protecting autonomy and integration, but at what cost?”, Cambridge International Law Journal Blog (2025)

“Book review: The Parthenon Marbles and International Law by Catharine Titi”, 13(1) Cambridge International Law Journal (2024)

“Use of Non-WTO International Law in WTO Dispute Settlement” (with J. Bohanes) in M. T. Molina-Tejeda (ed.), Practical Aspects of WTO Litigation (Kluwer, 2020)

“Revisiting the Dispute Threshold in International Interpretation Proceedings: Deeds, Not Words” (with A. Cottin), 10 Journal of International Dispute Settlement (2019)

“Mitigating the Risks Entailed in Shareholders’ Claims for Reflective Loss: Suggestions for Investment Treaty Reform”, 19 Journal of World Investment and Trade (2018)

“An analysis of the Compensation Regime Applicable to Claims Arising from Armed Conflicts Affecting Investments in the Middle East” (with N. Radjai & L. Halonen), 4 BCDR International Arbitration Review (2017)