Diana Akikol is the Co-Head of the Walder Wyss International Arbitration practice.

With nearly 20 years of experience as a dedicated arbitration specialist, Diana Akikol represents clients in complex international arbitration proceedings and frequently sits as an arbitrator. She has handled arbitrations seated in Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia under the rules of major institutions and in ad hoc cases. She also advises and represents clients in Swiss award enforcement or annulment proceedings.

Diana Akikol centers her practice on commercial arbitration, with a particular focus on mergers & acquisitions, shareholders' agreements and joint ventures, as well as large infrastructure and construction projects. She has equally broad experience in dealing with disputes concerning sales of goods, commodities and energy trading, telecommunications, agency and consultancy services, as well as licensing and distribution (particularly in the pharmaceutical sector).

Diana Akikol served on the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre for six years (2020-2025) and is the current ICC Court Member for Switzerland (appointed in July 2021). She is also a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, the ICC Task Force on Corruption, the Arbitration Commission of ICC Switzerland, the Board of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), and the Board of the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC). She is the Co-Chair of the ASA Commodities and Mining sector group, and a member of the ASA Task Force on Investor-States Dispute Settlement.

Ranked as a thought leader in her field, Diana Akikol is recommended as "simply one of the best", "having acquired unparalleled experience as both an advocate and arbitrator" (Lexology 2024, formerly Who's Who Legal). She "impresses peers with her mastery of complex technical facts and very profound legal knowledge" (Who's Who Legal Arbitration 2019) and is described as "very quick in understanding and very dedicated" (Chambers Global 2020), as well as "a very strong practitioner" (Who's Who Legal 2020 Switzerland Arbitration).

Diana Akikol is a frequent speaker at conferences and regularly publishes in her field. She co-authored a commentary on the Swiss International Arbitration Act and wrote several articles on award annulment proceedings before the Swiss Federal Supreme Court. She also contributed to a commentary on the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) and published a doctoral thesis on liability for defects under Swiss law and the CISG.

Diana Akikol earned her law degree from the University of Fribourg in 2000 and her doctorate from the University of Lucerne in 2008, both with summa cum laude distinction. She was admitted to the bar in 2002, ranking first in her class.

Diana Akikol is fluent in English, French and German (native).

Significant Accomplishments

Walder Wyss recognised in GAR 100 2026 among the world's leading arbitration firms

Chambers Global 2026 Rankings

WWL ranking - Arbitration Switzerland 2023

The Best Lawyers Awards 2024

Chambers and Partners has moved Walder Wyss's Arbitration Team up to Band 2 in its 2023 Global Ranking

Who's Who Legal has again recognized a record number of Walder Wyss arbitration practitioners as leaders in their field

Diana Akikol and Andrea Meier have been recognised amongst Switzerland's twelve "most highly regarded" arbitration specialists

Diana Akikol in den Internationalen Schiedsgerichtshof der ICC gewählt

Record number of arbitration practitioners of Walder Wyss featured in Who's Who Legal 2020

Kompetenz hoch zwei: doppelte Verstärkung für unser Prozessführungsteam

How to become an arbitrator
Commentary on Articles 45-48 CISG
Commentary on Articles 180a-180b of the Swiss Federal Private International Law Act
Commentary on Articles 179-180 of the Swiss Federal Private International Law Act
Review of the Recent Case Law of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in the field of arbitration
Review of the Recent Case Law of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court
Review of the Recent Case Law of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in the field of arbitration
Lecture on the Fundamentals of Arbitration and the Arbitral Procedure
Award Set Aside Proceedings before the Swiss Federal Supreme Court
Lecture on Interim Relief, Emergency Arbitrator Procedure, and Annulment of Arbitral Awards
The ICC Expedited Procedure?
Recent Award Annulment Decisions of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court
All Eyes on the Arbitrator: New Approaches to Arbitrator Selection and Case Management
Annulment of Arbitral Awards in International Commercial Arbitration
Fast and Furious: Urgent and Expedited Relief, Lessons Learnt - Challenges Lying Ahead
Annulment of Arbitral Awards in International Commercial Arbitration
Clear Path or Jungle in Commercial Arbitrators' Conflicts of Interest? The view from the Swiss state courts
The new powers of arbitral tribunals under the 2021 ICC Rules
The Interplay between Arbitration and Insolvency
The power of arbitral tribunals to order interim measures
The power of agreed rules: how arbitration promotes peace and prosperity
The role of the arbitral tribunal in the examination of witnesses and experts
How to become an arbitrator
Cultural aspects and key expectations of clients and stakeholders in Türkiye and Switzerland
Award Annulment Proceedings Before the Swiss Federal Supreme Court
Kommentierung zu Art. 180a und 180b IPRG
Liquidated Damages and Penalties in International Construction Agreements
Risiken bei der Übernahme der Maklerprovision durch die Käuferin / Konkurs des Mieters von Geschäftsräumen / Pauschalierter Schadenersatz und Konventionalstrafen in internationalen Bauverträgen
International Arbitration 2021: Switzerland - Trends and Developments
Anhörung, Schiedsspruch; Verfahren zur Nichtigerklärung
Offenlegung, Einspruch, Anfechtungen - die Sichtweise der Schweizer Gerichte
Aufhebung von Schiedssprüchen - aus Schweizer Sicht
Anhörung, Schiedsspruch; Verfahren zur Nichtigerklärung
Notrechtsschlichtungsverfahren
Kommentar zu Art. 45 bis 48 CISG (UN-Kaufrecht)
Revision des Schiedsrechts in der Schweiz
Lügen, Betrug und Täuschung - welche anwaltlichen Pflichten bestehen bei der Verteidigung in einem Schiedsverfahren?
Öffentliche Ordnung und gerichtliche Überprüfung - Schweiz
Vorsorgliche Massnahmen; Nichtigerklärung und Vollstreckung von Schiedssprüchen
Das GAR Live-Symposium
Schlichtung künftiger Ansprüche
Aktuelle Schweizer Entscheide über Anträge auf Nichtigerklärung eines Schiedsspruchs
Die neuen Regeln für beschleunigte Schiedsverfahren der Internationalen Handelskammer (ICC)
Vorläufiger Rechtsschutz und Notrechtsbegehren; Vollstreckung internationaler Schiedssprüche
Die geplante Revision von Kapitel 12 des IPRG
Anfechtung von Schiedssprüchen vor Bundesgericht
Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit in der Schweiz
Aktuelle Schweizer Rechtsprechung zur Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit
Das New Yorker Übereinkommen auf einen Blick
Die Grundlagen der Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit und des Schiedsverfahrens
Die Verfahren vor dem Schiedsgericht
Vorläufiger Rechtsschutz in internationalen Schiedsverfahren
Wichtige Bundesgerichtsentscheide zur Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit der letzten Jahre
Durchführung kleiner und mittelgrosser Schiedsverfahren
Kommentar zu Art. 45 bis 48 CISG
Nachzügler und Drückeberger: Mittel, um nicht anwesende Antragsgegner zu überzeugen, sich am Schiedsverfahren zu beteiligen, und Umgang mit Antragsgegnern, die einen Rückzieher machen
Aktuelle Schweizer Rechtsprechung zur Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit
Prüfung der aktuellen Rechtsprechung des Schweizer Bundesgerichts
Die bundesgerichtliche Rechtsprechung zur Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit im Jahr 2010
Die bundesgerichtliche Rechtsprechung zur Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit im Jahr 2009
The Swiss Case Law in the period from 1 September to 31 December 2008
Aktuelle Schweizer Rechtsprechung zur Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit
Die Voraussetzungen der Sachmängelhaftung beim Warenkauf - Obligationenrecht und UNKaufrecht (CISG)