[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ make_equal=”on” specialty=”on” admin_label=”carta presidente” _builder_version=”4.16″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ specialty_columns=”3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_row_inner column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ z_index_tablet=”500″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.clubarbitraje.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/presidenta-ceia-maria-jose-menendez.webp” alt=” Presidenta: Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 Men\u00e9ndez” title_text=”presidenta-ceia-maria-jose-menendez” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ z_index_tablet=”500″ global_colors_info=”{}”]
\n[\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column_inner][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ module_class=”cont-linea-vertical” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ header_text_align=”left” z_index_tablet=”500″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 Men\u00e9ndez
President of the Spanish and Ibero-American Arbitration Club<\/p>\n
March 26, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” module_class=”linea-roja” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ z_index_tablet=”500″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n TO ALL CEIA MEMBERS<\/strong><\/p>\n Dear members:<\/p>\n Taking on the presidency of the Club for the period 2026\u20132029 is a source of satisfaction and a great honour. It is also a challenge and a great responsibility, eased only by the generosity and support of the members, both current and those of you who will join our ranks in the future.<\/p>\n When the Club (then known as the \u201cSpanish Arbitration Club\u201d) was founded in 2005, it would have been daring to suggest that, two decades on, the fledgling association would be able to bring together an Ibero-American arbitration community\u2014or one interested in arbitration in Spanish and Portuguese\u2014 as vibrant and cohesive as the one the Club gathers today. We now have over 1,700 members, and more than a thousand of you are not Spanish: the name the Club adopted in 2023, Spanish and Ibero-American Arbitration Club, was not a mere gesture, but a reflection of a firm commitment that, today, is a reality.<\/p>\n Many people have made the Club\u2019s impressive development possible: not only the founders and former presidents, along with their boards of directors, the president of the international chapters and the boards of each chapter, the committees, the women\u2019s and under-40s groups, and the various working groups; but also many members without formal roles in the Club\u2019s management who have contributed their ideas, dedication and enthusiasm, or who have acted as ambassadors for our community, inspiring more and more colleagues across all countries to join us. To all of you, my sincerest thanks and congratulations on all that has been achieved.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Texto sobre gris” module_class=”caja-gris” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ background_color=”#F6F6F6″ z_index_tablet=”500″ global_colors_info=”{}”]The Club\u2019s track record is so positive, and its potential to continue growing and strengthening our arbitral community is such, that my presidency will be guided by the continuity of my predecessor\u2019s efforts: Alfonso Iglesia set out to deepen the Club\u2019s Ibero-American character, and the outstanding way in which he has achieved this is plain for all to see. There is no reason to change a strategy that yields such good results; we will continue along the same path to keep moving forward.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ z_index_tablet=”500″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The Club has reached a level of visibility and maturity that allows it to aspire to new goals, and in particular I would like to:<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” z_index_tablet=”500″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n If we make progress along these lines, our Ibero-American arbitration community will acquire significant prominence in the global arbitration arena: a prominence that is commensurate with the geographical, economic, cultural and social importance of our countries.<\/p>\n The Club\u2019s board of directors for the 2026\u20132029 term has been formed with these objectives in mind: we are 17 women and 15 men, with diverse profiles, representing multiple law firms and institutions, various countries, and including two members whose native language is Portuguese (the full list of the board of directors can be found on the Club\u2019s website). For the first time, two of the five vice-presidents are not Spanish (one of whom is a Portuguese speaker), and they come from two of the Ibero-American countries with the highest volume of arbitration: Brazil (Selma Lemes) and Peru (Carlos Soto). The Club\u2019s leadership rests with the board of directors and, in particular, with \u00c1lvaro L\u00f3pez de Argumedo, I aim to match the achievements of my predecessors, as it will be difficult to surpass them. I would particularly like to highlight Alfonso Iglesia, who has worked with tenacity and vision to bring about an extraordinary development of CEIA. My sincere thanks go to Juan Fern\u00e1ndez-Armesto, who first drew me to the Club by appointing me as a vice-president on his board of directors; to Carlos de los Santos, in memoriam, who decided to keep me on as vice-president; and to Alfonso Iglesia who, by entrusting me with the first vice-presidency during his term of office, allowed me to draw inspiration from his example, learn and pave the way to becoming the first woman to preside over the Club.<\/p>\n I am filled with satisfaction and gratitude to have the support of the members, and I am at your disposal to work enthusiastically towards our common goals.<\/p>\n Warmest regards,<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.clubarbitraje.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/firma-presidenta.jpg” alt=”Firma de la presidenta” title_text=”firma-presidenta” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||true|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 Men\u00e9ndez<\/strong> [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_code disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Barra lateral” module_class=”barra-lateral” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ z_index_tablet=”500″ global_colors_info=”{}”]\n
first vice-president; the other two vice-presidents are Carmen N\u00fa\u00f1ez-Lagos and Julio Gonz\u00e1lez Soria. Juan Hern\u00e1ndez-Canut remains in the role of Treasurer, which he performs perfectly, and the Club\u2019s Secretary General, Luis Fernando Rodr\u00edguez, replaces Krystle Baptista, whose work has been extraordinary. Furthermore, following a long and distinguished career as president of international chapters, Jos\u00e9 Antonio Ca\u00ednzos will hand over the reins to Alfredo Bullard. The fact that we have so many magnificent and generous professionals on the board of directors gives me the confidence that we will make every effort in pursuing the Club\u2019s objectives.<\/p>\n
President<\/p>\nRelated Posts<\/h3>\n