Managing Partner at Ioannis Vassardanis and Partners (starting from November 2013). He was previously Managing Partner at Alexander Vassardanis & Partners Law firm (2007-2013).

Arbitrator and Counsel in numerous international arbitrations, mainly institutional ones (under the aegis of the ICC, ICSID, LCIA, and the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce) as well as ad hoc ones (including UNCITRAL) and many domestic arbitrations both institutional and ad hoc. Counsel in numerous arbitration-related proceedings before the Greek courts and foreign courts (the latter in cooperation with the arbitration practice groups mostly of global firms). Counsel in several complex litigation cases before Greek Courts of all instances including claims arising from insurance policies (both as counsel for the Insurer and Counsel of the Insured).

Ioannis was appointed as an Arbitrator by the Respondent State in the ICSID case of Société d’Energie et d’Eau du Gabon and Veolia Africa v. Gabonese Republic, which was settled in 2019. He is the first Greek arbitration practioner who is based in Greece to ever assume both the role of an ICSID arbitrator and that of a counsel before ICSID arbitrator and that of a counsel before ICSID. In his case, Ioannis exercised both capacities at the same time. Following this double role he had assumed, in early 2020, Ioannis was designated by the Greek State to the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators for the period 2020-2026, after the expiry of his term in the ICSID Panel of Conciliators for the period 2014-2020.

Ioannis Vassardanis regularly provides advice to private domestic and international companies on a wide range of corporate and business issues, including employment law issues. He advises clients at all stages of an M&A process, while also advising clients on the structuring and planning of joint ventures. Ioannis regularly advises major international insurance companies on a variety of matters arising from insurance policies (including Lloyds syndicates).

Ioannis has extensive experience among others in the construction and engineering industries and is acting as counsel/consultant in almost all aspects of construction projects, including energy ones, both in Greece and abroad. Ioannis has been invloved in construction and energy related projects that have spanned over numerous countries in Middle East, Europe, Africa (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bangladesh, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Albania, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, North Macedonia, Turkey, Egypt, Lybia, Algeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast).

Most of these projects pertained to infrastructure projects (highways, airports, railroad projects, ports and athletic facilities), energy projects (electric power, oil and gas, renewables, waste management, LNG projects) as well as complex industrial facilities projects, and involved a wide range of complex technical, construction and engineering related legal issues such as concurrent delays, defective works, force majeure/hardship, disruption, liquidated damages, termination of contracts, substitution, insurance etc. He possesses an in depth understanding of the global energy business environment and is highly experienced in energy transactions, disputes and regulatory/legislative matters.

Renewable energy projects, including wind, solar, photovoltaic, hydroelectric and waste-to-energy are also a core part of Ioannis' energy practice, having handled a number of greenfield renewable energy projects and energy portofolios. More specifically, he is experienced in big onshore wind and photovoltaic projects (of up to 500MW and 1GW, respectively), both on the development phase and the sale of existing portofolios. He has also been involved in renewable energy projects (and affiliated ones) carried out by the Greek Public Power Corporation (PPC), the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO), and the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO) as well as in the first hybrid (wind-hydro) system in Greece, on the island of Ikaria.

Last it is worth noting that Ioannis has participated, along with two more law firms, in the amendment of the law regulating the concession agreements of North Macedonia. This Project "Investment Options in the Energy sector" was implemented in the context of EU program "Phare".

Areas of expertise
Ioannis' practice focuses on Investment Commercial and Investment Arbitration, Litigation and Alternative methods of Dispute Resolution (ADR) with particular experience in Construction Law, Energy Law, Corporate Law, as well as Joint Ventures, M&As, State Contracts, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), Insurance and Project Financing.

Professional Associations
Board Member, Greek Arbitration Association; Co-Chair of the Dispute Resolution Sub-Committee of the International Construction Projects Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA) for 2020-2021; Member in several Committees of IBA, namely Arbitration Committee, Corporate and M&A Law Committee, Oil and Gas Law Committee, Power Law Committee, International Construction Projects Committee; Member of the IBA Working Group on the "Energy Transition"; Member, Comité Français de l’Arbitrage (CFA); Member, London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA); Member, International Council of Commercial Arbitration (ICCA); Member, International Arbitration Institute (IAI); Treasurer of the Hellenic Society for Technology and Construction Law; Head of SIAC Users' Council Greek Committee; Member of BAC/BIAC's Panel of Arbitrators for International Investment Disputes; Member of the Permanent Arbitral Tribunals of the special Chamber for disputes in the field of Construction Disputes of the European Court of Arbitration (ECA).

Panels – Chambers
Member of the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators; Member of the ICSID Panel of Conciliators designated by Greece; Board Member, Hellenic - African Chamber of Commerce and Development; Board Member and Secretary General, Franco-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce (CCIFG), Member of BAC/ BIAC's Panel of Arbitrators for International Investment Disputes.

Education
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Law Degree, 1995
University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, D.E.A. in Private International Law and International Trade Law, 1996

Publications
Chapter on “Greece” in the ICCA International Handbook on Commercial Arbitration, 2012 (accessible on www.kluwerarbitration.com); Contribution to the ICCA Yearbook Commercial Arbitration 2015, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008 (accessible on www.kluwerarbitration.com);
Chapter on “Greece” for the “Enforcement of Foreign Judgments” in the Getting the Deal Through publication for 2014 and 2013; Chapter on “Greece” for the “Gas Regulation” in the Getting the Deal Through publication for 2013 and 2012 (accessible on www.gettingthedealthrough.com); Chapter on “Greece” in the “Construction and Infrastructure Disputes: A Global Handbook” published by Globe Law and Business, 2013; Chapter on “Greece” ADR in Construction: Greece, IBA International Construction Projects Committee, August 2015 (accessible on www.ibanet.org); Les directives de l’International Bar Association sul’impartialité, l’indépendance et la révélation en matière de l’arbitrage international”, 2004 (2), Cahiers de l’Arbitrage, Part I, p. 42; Several reports since 2010 on the developments in the arbitration field in Greece as reporter for Greece, Institute of Transnational Arbitration – ITA, based in Dallas, Texas (reports accessible on www.kluwerarbitration.com); Chapter on "Greece" (and regular updates) in the Word Arbitration Reporter published by Juris Publishing, Inc.; Chapter on "Greece" in the "National Arbitration Laws" (2nd edition) published by Juris Publishing, Inc; The Greek Chapter of the “Chambers Global Practice Guide on International Arbitration 2017”, published by Chambers & Partners, having Gary Born as contributing editor; Editor-in-chief of the biannual legal journal "Arbitration & Mediation and ADR" (in Greek "Diaitisia & Diamesolavisi kai loipes enallaktikes morfes epilisis diaforon") which deals with developments in Arbitration and Mediation, both in Greece, and abroad; Chapter on “Greece” in the “FIDIC Contracts in Europe: A Practical Guide to Application”, to be published by Informa Law from Routledge; The article “The ACHMEA Judgement: the next day for investors in the EU Market”, commenting upon the Judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) in the “ACHMEA”, published in the second issue (July- December 2018) of “Arbitration & Mediation and ADR (“Diaitisia kai Diamesolavisi”). Contribution to the book:"The new Code of Civil Procedure Commentary under L. 4842 & 4855/2021 Volume 2 (art. 495-1054 & Introductory Law of CCP)" published by Nomiki Vivliothiki in 2022, by analyzing the legal issues arising out of articles 867- 882A. Report for Greece to the ICCA Global Survey Project:"No right to physical hearing in 22 countries", published in February 2021. The survey was shortlisted for the prestigious GAR Awards 2021 in the category "Best Development".

Individual recent awards
Ranked as a leading individual in the area of Dispute Resolution in the Chambers & Partners Global Guide 2023-2014. Ranked in the area of Dispute Resolution in the Chambers & Partners Europe Guide 2023-2013 and also ranked in the area of Energy in Chambers Europe Guide 2018- 2015, as well as Corporate and Commercial in 2016. Ioannis has been listed in elite “Leading Lawyers” list in the area of Dispute Resolution in the Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2018’s guide. Recommended in the Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2023- 2013 editorial in the areas of Dispute Resolution and Real Estate & Construction, as well as Energy in 2023- 2016.
Chambers and Partners Europe highlights Mr. Vassardanis’ noteworthy international arbitration practice, as well as “his in-depth analysis of issues and strategic approach”, while Chambers and Partners Global notes that he is “a very skillful lawyer with an international profile and a very broad network of contacts worldwide” and “well regarded for his expertise both sitting and acting on his feet…”, while Legal 500 mentions that he “always impresses” and has “built up a first class team of excellent associates”.
Selected for inclusion in the following publications: the “Guide to the World’s Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration (2013, 2011)”; “Guide to the World’s Leading Construction Lawyers (2013, 2011)” and “Expert Guides: Commercial Arbitration (2023- 2013); “Expert Guide: Construction & Real Estate (2019, 2017), published by the Legal Media Group; the Guides “The International Who’s Who of Commercial Arbitration (2013, 2012)”; "Who's Who Legal: Arbitration (2023- 2015)" and “Who’s Who Legal: Construction (2023- 2016) published by the Global Arbitration Review; “Roster of International Arbitrators (2023- 2011)”, published by the Juris Publishing Inc.
He had acted as co-counsel with a major foreign law firm on a case which was one of the five cases shortlisted by the Global Arbitration Review for the Award of the Most Important Published Decision worldwide for 2012 at the 2nd Annual GAR Awards. Currently appointed as lead counsel in an investment arbitration ICSID case against the Lebanese Republic.

Awards received by Ioannis Vassardanis and Partners Law Firm
The firm has been recommended in the practice areas of Dispute Resolution, Real Estate and Construction in the Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2023-2014 editorial and also in the area of Energy in the Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2023- 2016. It has also been recommended in the practice area of Dispute Resolution and Energy in the Chambers & Partners Global Guide 2023-2015 and Chambers & Partners Europe Guide 2023-2014 and also recommended in the area of Energy in the Chambers & Partners Europe Guide 2018, 2017 and 2016.

Languages
Greek (native), English and French (fluent), German and Italian (working knowledge).