Biography
Ioannis specialises in commercial litigation and international arbitration, including banking disputes, particularly those involving financial products, investment banking and derivatives, and also in commercial and business disputes with an emphasis on joint venture and shareholder disputes, shareholder protection, business break-ups and fraud.
His key industry sectors are financial services, energy/oil & gas, shipping/international trade, telecoms, IT and infrastructure projects. He often advises in circumstances where these sectors overlap. The key geographies for Ioannis’s practice are Greece, the Balkans, Russia, the Middle East, Brazil and sub-Saharan Africa. He also has considerable experience of regulatory and internal investigations.
His cases often involve an international element, usually with competing multiple jurisdictions and laws. His clients include banks, insurers, intermediaries, venture capitalists and equity investors and large corporates in England and internationally.
Ioannis is ranked in the Chambers UK Guide for international arbitration, which notes he is “adept at handling BIT claims” and “is very experienced and brings a wealth of knowledge to the field.“He is also recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2021 as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for international arbitration, and is praised as a “brilliant advocate“. The Guide also notes that he is “is experienced in cases involving Greece, the Balkans, Russia and Central Asia, the Middle East, Brazil and sub-Saharan Africa“. Past guides also commend Ioannis as a “highly rated litigator” and noted “is well known for joint venture and shareholder disputes, business break-ups and fraud and banking disputes“. He has been further is commended for being “a great litigator who offers his advice on the basis of the commercial goals that clients set“. Ioannis has also been ranked in Chambers Global as a ‘Foreign Expert Based in UK’ and a ‘Foreign Expert for Greece’ for his dispute resolution expertise and is commended for his ability to “see right to the heart of sprawling banking disputes.” Ioannis is also recognised in Who’s Who Legal 2021 Arbitration Guide. He has been described as “well recognised for his top-notch arbitration practice among peers who say he is “very experienced and engaging with the tribunal”.”
Experience
- Advising a natural gas exploration company on a dispute with its ENRON J. V. partner, in the High Court, Court of Appeal and ICC Arbitration.
- Acting for banks and customers in relation to trade finance and documentary credit disputes in connection with commodity trades, including oil, metals and soft commodities.
- Advising a US listed R.E.I.T. in connection with disputes about the financing of a J.V. concerning a major Spanish real estate development.
- Advising depositors on 2013’s Cyprus bank collapses and actions against the government in attempts to recover damages.
- Acted for the Greek partner in a JV with Magyar Telecom in relation to a dispute with Macedonian Telecom arising out of the privatisation of the Macedonian telecoms sector, where Ioannis had advised on the initial successful bid on privatisation as well.
- Acting for various companies belonging to a major advertising and media group in relation to joint venture disputes and other business litigation, as well as employee fraud.
- Advising several clients in connection with the break-up of partnerships or joint ventures or the aftermath of failed common business ventures.
Press Coverage
What the new ICC and LCIA rules tell us about the concerns of users – Global Arbitration Review – 17 November 2020
UK boutique launches Paris practice – Global Arbitration Review – 16 July 2020
Agreeing to arbitrate to mitigate delays caused by COVID-19 – Blog – 5 May 2020
It is not just and convenient for an injunction restraining arbitration proceedings to be granted – Law360 – 9 August 2019
Koshigi Ltd v Donna Union: can an arbitrator be warm and friendly with Counsel? – The Law Society Gazette – 16 April 2019
Lawyers can always put their friendships to one side – The Times Law Brief – 13 February 2019
Keeping control: Resolving energy, natural resources and infrastructure disputes – Corporate Disputes – 8 January 2019
Say what you mean – Lawyer Monthly – 3 September 2018
Arbitrating multi-party and multi-contract disputes – LexisNexis Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law – November 2018
International arbitration: a time of change – IBA Global Insight – November 2018
Areas of Expertise
Ioannis Alexopoulos's Latest Published Articles

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Associate Thibaud Roujou de Boubée highlights the 13th key #arbitration development from 2020, examining the @iccwbo revised rules in relation to disclosure of third-party funding, here: bit.ly/3sBoC4G pic.twitter.com/Vesgkd3DK5