Mediation News & Speeches

The Honourable Tan Sri Datuk Nallini Pathmanathan Appointed Senior Mediator

04 Jun 2026

We are pleased to welcome The Honourable Tan Sri Datuk Nallini Pathmanathan, Former Judge of the Federal Court of Malaysia to the Senior Mediator Panel.

Tan Sri Nallini Pathmanathan’s distinguished career spans more than four decades across legal practice, judicial leadership and legal scholarship. After obtaining a degree in Physiology from the University of London, she was called to the English Bar (Middle Temple) in 1984 and to the Malaysian Bar on 15 February 1986. She joined Skrine in Kuala Lumpur, practised for 21 years, and co-authored The Law of Dismissal.

A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (2006) and certified mediator, Tan Sri Nallini Pathmanathan was appointed to the Bench in 2007 — the first female judge of South Asian ethnicity elevated to the superior judiciary in Malaysia. As Judicial Commissioner at the High Court of Shah Alam and subsequently Judge of the Kuala Lumpur Commercial and Admiralty Courts, she oversaw the Admiralty Court’s establishment, and set critical precedents in corporate insolvency and maritime law. Elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2014 and to the Federal Court — Malaysia’s apex court — in 2018, she received royal honours from the King in both 2014 and 2023 and served as a member of the Judicial Appointments Commission before retiring from the Bench on 23 February 2026. She is also editor of the Malaysian “White Book”, and General Editor of Bullen & Leake & Jacob’s Malaysian Precedents of Pleadings.

As Vice Chair of the International Bar Association’s Judges’ Forum and member of the Steering Group of the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts (SIFoCC), she shapes global best practices in commercial dispute resolution. She is Patron of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA), a Bencher of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, a corporate member of Cheltenham Ladies’ College, and a member of Newman’s Row and the London Court of International Arbitration. In 2025, she was appointed Chairperson of the Malaysia Maritime Law Review and Reform Committee under the Ministry of Transport and Advisor to the Cross-Border Insolvency Law Reform Main and Working Committees, and with effect from end March 2026, Judge of the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC). She now sits as a full-time arbitrator and mediator and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Malaya.

SMC welcomes Tan Sri Nallini Pathmanathan to its Senior Mediator Panel, and we look forward to the wealth of judicial experience, legal scholarship and leadership she will contribute to the mediation community.

The Honourable Dato’ Mary Lim Appointed Senior Mediator

03 Jun 2026

We are pleased to welcome The Honourable Dato’ Mary Lim Thiam Suan, Former Judge of the Federal Court of Malaysia to the Senior Mediator Panel.

Dato’ Mary Lim brings with her decades of distinguished legal and judicial experience across commercial, medical, local government, construction and appellate matters. A graduate of the University of Leeds with a LLB (Hons) degree and holder of a Master of Laws from the University of Western Australia, she was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn as a barrister-at-law. Prior to her elevation to the High Court of Malaya where she sat in the new Commercial Court, she served in various capacities at the Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia, including as Federal Counsel, Senior Federal Counsel, Senior Assistant Parliamentary Draftsman, Legal Advisor to the State of Negeri Sembilan, Deputy Head of Civil Division and Commissioner of Law Revision and Law Reform. Her work span from policy to execution the myriad of contracts involving governments, statutory bodies, GLCs and local authorities with private and corporate entities.

She was the first judge of the Construction Court at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, before subsequently serving on both the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court of Malaysia. At the Bench, she has mediated in numerous commercial, private wealth, matrimonial, construction, IP and land disputes, at both first instance and appellate levels.

Beyond the Bench, Dato’ Mary Lim continues to contribute actively to the legal and dispute resolution community, from the perspectives of the student, practitioner and the judge. She has written on and spoken about the law of arbitration and ADR judicially and academically, both nationally and internationally. She has trained extensively in criminal, civil and appellate advocacy — including at the Advanced Advocacy Course at Keble College, Oxford — and is a member of the international faculty of advocacy trainers under the International Advocacy Trainers Council. She also works with many judiciaries on integrity and dispute resolution. She serves as Secretary of the Lincoln’s Inn Malaysian Alumni Association, and has recently been appointed as an Honorary Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn — a distinction recognising her outstanding contributions to the law and the Inn.

We are delighted to welcome Dato’ Mary Lim to SMC’s Senior Mediator Panel and look forward to the depth of expertise, leadership and regional perspective she brings to mediation and dispute resolution.

Justice Belinda Ang Appointed Senior Mediator

01 May 2026

The Singapore Mediation Centre (“SMC”) is honoured to welcome Justice Belinda Ang to its Senior Mediator Panel, with effect from 1 May 2026.

Since taking the helm of the SMC Board in September 2011, Justice Ang has led SMC through a remarkable period of growth and transformation. Under her leadership, SMC strengthened its presence locally and internationally, forged meaningful partnerships, expanded training opportunities, and introduced innovative ADR initiatives. Mediation and adjudication saw strong growth during her leadership, with SMC’s mission to facilitate access to justice expanding into online dispute resolution, dispute boards, and adjudication beyond construction-related claims. She also enhanced the Neutral Evaluation scheme by bringing retired judges onto the panels, further strengthening the depth and credibility of SMC’s offerings.

We are delighted that Justice Ang has chosen to continue her journey with SMC beyond her retirement from the Bench, where she last served at the apex court of the Supreme Court of Singapore. Her distinguished judicial experience will significantly strengthen our Senior Panel, enhance the credibility of our mediation services, and enrich the practice of fellow mediators and the experience of parties alike.

Justice Ang’s leadership and commitment have made a lasting impact on SMC. We are privileged to continue benefiting from her experience and guidance in this new capacity.

We warmly welcome Justice Ang to the panel and look forward to her continued contributions.

Leadership Transition at the Singapore Mediation Centre

12 Jan 2026

The Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) marks a leadership transition as Justice Belinda Ang steps down as Chairperson of the SMC Board of Directors, following more than 14 years of dedicated service from September 2011 to 31 December 2025. Under her stewardship, SMC strengthened its role as Singapore’s primary mediation institution, expanded its capabilities, and deepened its impact locally and internationally.

SMC is pleased to welcome Justice Andre Maniam as Chairperson. A member of the SMC Board since October 2022, Justice Maniam brings continuity, deep institutional knowledge, and a strong commitment to advancing SMC’s mission. SMC looks forward to the next chapter under his leadership.

Justice Vincent Hoong Appointed Senior Mediator

08 Jan 2026

The Singapore Mediation Centre (“SMC”) is honoured to welcome Justice Vincent Hoong to its Senior Mediator Panel, with effect from 1 January 2026.

Justice Hoong brings to SMC a wealth of judicial and professional experience. He served as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Singapore, and as Presiding Judge of the State Courts, where he presided over a wide range of complex civil and commercial disputes, as well as criminal matters. Prior to his appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Hoong served as Registrar of the Supreme Court. Earlier in his career, he also held key leadership roles at the Singapore Land Authority, including Chief Executive and Chief Legal Officer.

Justice Hoong’s extensive experience, sound judgment, and deep understanding of dispute resolution will be a valuable addition to SMC’s Senior Mediator Panel.

SMC warmly welcomes Justice Hoong to its community.