The ICC International Court of Arbitration has learned with great sadness that our colleague and friend, Francisco Orrego Vicuña passed on 2 October 2018 at his home in Santiago.

Francisco was a towering figure in the world of arbitration and international law. Known by his friends as Cato, he was born in Chile and lived in Argentina, Spain, England and Egypt. He studied at the Universidad de Chile and received a PhD in International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He taught at the Universidad de Chile and was a visiting professor at the Universities of Stanford, Paris II and Miami, as well as The Hague Academy of International Law, among others.

For over 20 years, he acted as arbitrator and expert in disputes of great international relevance, both in commercial and investment arbitration, under the rules of all major institutions. He also acted as ad hoc judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the International Court of Justice, in particular in the famous case on the delimitation of Peru’s maritime boundary. He was also appointed as Vice-President of the Administrative Tribunal of the International Monetary Fund.

Francisco was a true global ambassador for Chile and Latin America. He was appointed as the Chilean Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1983 to 1985. In 2001, he was awarded the National Humanities and Social Sciences Prize for his outstanding involvement in the defense of Chile’s interests in different domains, as well as for his academic contributions in the areas of international law, politics and international relations. Francisco was an active member of the Latin American Group of the ICC Court and contributed in an essential way to the development of arbitration and international law in the region.

His legacy will remain through his works. But above all, we will keep with us the memory of his generosity, humility, courtesy, attention to others, and professional and human elegance. He will be greatly missed.

The Court joins his family, in particular his wife Soledad, his sons and grandsons, in this moment of sadness and sends them its deepest condolences.