Talking Foreign Affairs – New Space, New International Law Discussion Panel

SIAA has partnered with SIAA Member Clifford Chance and Perth based initiative Talking Foreign Affairs to host "Talking Foreign Affairs: New Space, New International Law?" — a thought-provoking discussion on the evolving legal landscape of space activities. 🚀🌍

📅 Date: Monday, 25th November, 2024

🕒 Time: 6 - 8:30PM (AWST)

📍 Location: Clifford Chance Offices, Ground Floor, 235 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA 6000

This event will bring together legal experts and industry leaders to delve into the regulatory challenges and international collaborations shaping the future of space. The panel discussion will be followed by a networking session.

SPEAKERS

Lisa Vitaris, Interim CEO and Director, IAC Sydney 2025, Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA) 

Lisa is an experienced business leader with a strong commitment to further enable the growing Australian space sector to thrive.  

Lisa and SIAA’s Leadership Team are harnessing the increasing amount of attention, interest, and desire to partner with our Australian space industry, due to our innovative industry and universities, geographical advantage, and the world’s largest space event IAC 2025 Sydney, bringing 10,000+ of our global space community from over 100 countries to Australia.  

Lisa was previously part of the Executive Leadership team and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and at two high growth companies, and her experience spans technology, telecommunications, financial services, automotive, and travel including brands such as amaysim (Optus), Tyro, CMC Markets, Hyundai, Tourism Tasmania, Volvo, and LG.  

Lisa serves on the Board of Engineers Australia, Australia’s national engineering body, who champion their 120,000+ members, providing resources, connections, and growth for high-value work in our communities. In addition, she is the Founder and Director of 10 Pieces, an environmentally sustainable travel initiative, and part of University of Technology Sydney’s advisory to Advanced MBA students.  

An avid learner, Lisa converted her Master of Business in International Marketing into an MBA, is a Graduate of the AICD’s Company Director Course, and was selected to be a part of The Marketing Academy and served on their Alumni Council for over three years. In 2024, Lisa was awarded the Engineering Executive (EngExec), a credential that recognises pre-eminent individuals in executive positives who have shown exceptional leadership and talent and presents an opportunity to play a significant role in shaping the future of the Australian engineering profession. 

Simonetta Di Pippo, Professor of Practice of Space Economy - Director SEElab 

Simonetta Di Pippo was appointed Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in March 2014. 

After having graduated with a Master’s degree in Astrophysics and Space Physics from the University "La Sapienza" in Rome, Italy in 1984, Ms. Di Pippo joined the Italian Space Agency (ASI) in 1986. Her responsibilities ranged from Earth Observation to Automation & Robotics, Science and Human Spaceflight and in 2002 she took up duty as Director of the ASI's Observation of the Universe. From 2008 to 2011, Ms. Di Pippo served as Director of Human Spaceflight at the European Space Agency (ESA), before leading the European Space Policy Observatory at ASI-Brussels until March 2014. Ms. Di Pippo co-founded, in June 2009, Women in Aerospace Europe (WIA-E) and has acted as President since then. Since April 2013 she has been a member of the Global Board Ready Women (GBRW), She received an Honoris Causa Degree in Environmental Studies from the St. John University in Vinovo (TO). Still in 2013, she was appointed Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), where she chaired the study "Public/Private Human Access to Space", which considered future commercial human spaceflight.  

In 2015 Ms. Di Pippo became a member of the IAA Board of Trustees, and she is currently a member of the jury of the Hubert Curien award of Eurisy. 

Author of 1 book and co-author of 3 books, more than 60 publications, more than 700 articles and interviews on magazines and newspapers, members and President of scientific committees of international congresses, member and President of scientific awards’ jury, she has been invited to teach at various Universities, including the George Washington University in Washington D.C. and the LUISS-Business School in Rome. Ms. Di Pippo was knighted by the President of the Italian Republic in 2006 and, in 2008, the International Astronomical Union assigned the name "dipippo" to asteroid 21887, in recognition of her effort in space exploration. 

Prof. Dr. Frans G. von der Dunk, Othmer Professor of Space Law Space, Cyber and National Security Law Program University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Law 

Prof. Von der Dunk was awarded the Distinguished Service Award of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in Vancouver, in October 2004, the Social Science Award of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) in Valencia, in October 2006, and the 2015 Social Science Book Award, International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), for the Handbook of Space Law, Jerusalem, October 2015. In the summer of 2008, he was nominated, as the first lawyer ever, Member of the European Space Sciences Committee (ESSC) of the European Space Foundation (ESF). Also, he was the sole lawyer on the Panel on Asteroid Threat Mitigation established by the Association of Space Explorers (ASE) in 2007. 

He is Director Public Relations of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), and Member for the Netherlands in the International Law Association's (ILA) Committee on Space Law. He is also Member of the International Editorial Board of 'Space Policy'. Further memberships include: International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA), International Bar Association's (IBA) Section on Business Law (SBL), Committee Z on Outer Space Law, International Policy Advisory Committee (IPAC) of the International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA; Senior Member), and Centro de Investigacion y Difusion Aeronautico-Espacial (CIDA-E; Corresponding Member). He is also the owner of  Black Holes B.V., a consultancy company for space law and policy. 

Rodolphe Ruffié-Farrugia, Council Clifford Chance 

Rodolphe Ruffié specialises in international commercial arbitration, investor-state dispute settlement, and public international law. His practice encompasses Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and North America. 

Rodolphe advises parties to high-stake cross-border disputes in a wide range of industries and jurisdictions. In addition to energy, mining, infrastructure, and telecommunications, he has a specific focus on space activities, esports, and the cannabis industry. 

Rodolphe has acted both on the counsel side and as tribunal secretary under most of the main arbitration rules, including the ICC, UNCITRAL, ICSID, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, CIETAC, AAA/ICDR, SCC, NAI, WIPO's UDRP, and SCAI's Swiss Rules. He is registered as an arbitrator with the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC, formerly KLRCA), the International Arbitration Centre of the Chinese Arbitration Association, Taipei (CAAI), and the Pacific International Arbitration Centre (PIAC). 

Rodolphe also has experience handling international trade disputes (WTO) and award enforcement proceedings, including against sovereign states. 

Adil Cader,  Founder & Host of Talking Foreign Affairs 

Perth-based Adil Cader is the Founder and Host of Talking Foreign Affairs, where he has interviewed over 30 world leaders. 

Adil holds master’s degrees in international relations and international law from the University of Western Australia. He has completed Executive Education with the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and serves as its Alumni Ambassador for Western Australia. 

He has worked on assignments with the Australian Mission to the United Nations in New York, Curtin University, The Perth USAsia Centre, Future Directions International, and the Department of Communities. 

Adil has served on the Australia-Pacific Youth Dialogue, the Australia-US Alliance Advisory Committee and The West Australian Women in Football Advisory Committee. 

His foreign policy analysis has been published by The Diplomat, The Oxford University Politics Blog, The Pacific Forum, The West Australian Newspaper, and The Australian Institute for International Affairs. 

Adil has lived, worked, and traveled extensively in the Asia-Pacific, The Middle East, Europe, and North America. 

Prof. Steven Freeland, Emeritus Professor, Western Sydney University / Professorial Fellow, Bond University 

Steven Freeland is Emeritus Professor of International Law at Western Sydney University, where he was previously the Dean of the School of Law, and Professorial Fellow at Bond University. He also holds Visiting or Adjunct positions at various other Universities/Institutes in Copenhagen, Vienna, Toulouse, Hong Kong, Montreal, Kuala Lumpur, Vancouver, Mumbai and London. Prior to becoming an academic, he had a 20-year career as an international commercial lawyer and an investment banker. He is a government-appointed Member of the Australian Space Agency Advisory Board and has been an advisor to the Australian, New Zealand, Norwegian and several other Governments on issues relating to national space legislative frameworks and policy. He has represented the Australian Government at Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) meetings and, in June 2021, was appointed by UNCOPUOS as Vice-Chair of a 5-year Working Group addressing issues related to the exploration, exploitation and utilisation of space resources. He has also been a Visiting Professional within the Appeals Chamber at the International Criminal Court, and a Special Advisor to the Danish Foreign Ministry in matters related to the International Criminal Court. He is a co-Principal of specialised space law firm Azimuth Advisory and is also a Director of the International Institute of Space Law, a Member of the Space Law Committee of the International Law Association and a Member of the Space Law and War Crimes Committees of the International Bar Association. In addition to co-Editing the Annotated Leading Casesof International Criminal Tribunals book series, he also sits on the Editorial Board / Advisory Board of several internationally recognised academic journals.