Mélanie Riofrio PichéIndependent arbitratorMadrid
International commercial and investment arbitration
Riofrio IDR is a boutique specialising in international commercial and investment arbitration, conducted in Spanish, English and French.
Founding partner
ProfileRiofrio IDR
Mélanie Riofrio Piché
Mélanie Riofrio Piché is the founding partner and an independent arbitrator based in Madrid. She has taken part in more than 40 arbitral proceedings under the rules of the leading institutions, including the ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL and the Madrid Court of Arbitration.
A dual Canadian and Ecuadorian national, she has been appointed as president of the tribunal, sole arbitrator, emergency arbitrator and member of ICSID ad hoc annulment committees. The members of her team act as tribunal secretaries.
ExperiencePractice areas
Complex disputes across sectors and under a range of national laws
Institutional and ad hoc proceedings, as arbitrator and as tribunal secretary. Some examples:
01
Commercial arbitration
Extensive experience conducting complex corporate and contractual disputes across sectors and under a range of national laws.
- President of the tribunal in an ICC arbitration between a Colombian and a Uruguayan company in the energy and waste management sector.ICC · Colombian law · Spanish
- President of the tribunal before the Mexico Arbitration Centre between a Mexican and a Swiss company, concerning the sale of environmental credits.CAM Mexico · Mexican law · Spanish
- Emergency arbitrator in an ICC proceeding between Mexican companies in the construction sector.ICC · Mexican law · Spanish
- Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between Colombian companies in the transport, logistics and storage sector.ICC · Colombian law · English
- Sole arbitrator in a CIAM-CIAR arbitration between a Spanish and a Saudi company concerning a distribution agreement.CIAM-CIAR · Spanish law · English
- Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Spanish and a Pakistani company concerning a distribution agreement.ICC · Spanish law · English
- President of the tribunal and sole arbitrator in two arbitrations before the Madrid Court of Arbitration between a Spanish company and a Spanish financial institution, concerning financial derivatives.CAM Madrid · Spanish law · Spanish
- Privilege master in an ICC arbitration between Eastern European companies.ICC · English
02
Construction and infrastructure
We understand the technical complexity of large development, energy and infrastructure projects.
- President of the tribunal before the Lima Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Centre between Peruvian companies, arising from a construction contract in the mining sector.CCL · Peruvian law · Spanish
- Sole arbitrator before the Madrid Court of Arbitration between a Central American company and a Spanish construction company, concerning the construction of a photovoltaic plant.CAM Madrid · Spanish law · Spanish
- President of the tribunal before the Lima Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Centre between Peruvian companies, concerning a real estate contract.CCL · Peruvian law · Spanish
- Co-arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Saudi and a Spanish company in the construction sector.ICC · Saudi law · English
03
Investment arbitration
In-depth experience in investor-State arbitration, in proceedings at the highest institutional level.
- President of the tribunal in an ICSID arbitration in the transport infrastructure sector, under the Portugal–Paraguay BIT.ICSID · BIT · Spanish
- President of the tribunal in an ICSID arbitration in the telecommunications sector, under the Costa Rica–Venezuela BIT.ICSID · BIT · Spanish
- President of the tribunal in an ICSID arbitration concerning urban development projects, under the Spain–Morocco BIT.ICSID · BIT · French and Spanish
- Member of ICSID ad hoc annulment committees in arbitrations against the Republic of Peru (two, one concerning the construction of a motorway), the Kingdom of Spain (two, one under the Energy Charter Treaty), the Republic of Colombia and the Lebanese Republic (power generation).ICSID · Annulment
ICSID · ICC · UNCITRAL · CAM Madrid · CIAM-CIAR · CCL · CAM Mexico
TeamRiofrio IDR
Our team
Founding partner
Mélanie Riofrio Piché
Spanish · English · French
Mélanie Riofrio Piché is an international arbitrator and the founding partner of Riofrio IDR, based in Madrid. A dual Canadian and Ecuadorian national, she has taken part in more than 40 arbitral proceedings under the rules of the leading international institutions, including the ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL and the Madrid Court of Arbitration, among others. She has been appointed as president of the tribunal, sole arbitrator, emergency arbitrator and member of ICSID ad hoc annulment committees. Her practice covers commercial, construction and investment disputes, and she conducts proceedings fluently in Spanish, French and English.
Before founding Riofrio IDR, she served as Secretary General of the Madrid International Arbitration Centre (CIIAM) and was an associate at Armesto & Asociados for eight years. She is a member of the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators, designated by the Republic of Ecuador, and sits on the CIIAM award scrutiny commission and the ICC Canadian National Committee.
In academia, she is an adjunct professor at IE Law School and at the Université de Sherbrooke. She holds a law degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, an LL.M. from the Université de Montréal and a Certificate in Business Law from the Université Panthéon-Assas (Paris 2). She is admitted to the Bar of the Republic of Ecuador.
Associate
Taara Esfandiari
English · French · Spanish · Farsi
Taara Esfandiari is an associate at Riofrio IDR, where she acts as tribunal secretary in commercial and investment arbitrations, both institutional (ICC, ICSID, LCIA) and ad hoc. Her practice focuses on international arbitration and dispute resolution. She has two years of experience gained at firms in Montreal and Madrid.
A Canadian national, Taara combines her professional practice with active involvement in international arbitration academia, working with professors and researchers on research projects, specialised publications and teaching activities.
She earned her law degree from the Université Laval and an LL.M. in International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution from IE University, where she graduated among the top of her class. She was an oralist at the 32nd Willem C. Vis Moot in Vienna and has a strong background in international public speaking and debate, including coaching the McGill University Model United Nations team. She has received several distinctions for public speaking and academic achievement, including the Governor General’s Academic Medal.
Of Counsel
María Paula Jijón
Spanish · English
María Paula Jijón is a lawyer specialising in international arbitration and Of Counsel at Riofrio IDR. A member of the Madrid Bar, she has a solid track record in the institutional administration of arbitral proceedings and in academia.
She served as Deputy Secretary General of the International and Ibero-American Arbitration Centre of Madrid (CIIAM), where she led its institutional management and oversaw the administration of international arbitral proceedings. She previously worked as Counsel at the Madrid Court of Arbitration and at the CIIAM, and as an associate at ARIAS, S.L.P., assisting in commercial and investment arbitrations across multiple jurisdictions.
In academia, she teaches at ISDE and IE University and has co-authored several publications on arbitration. She holds degrees in Law and International Relations from IE University, a Master’s in Legal Practice from Universidad Pontificia Comillas and an LL.M. from the University of Melbourne. She is fluent in Spanish and English and has a working knowledge of French. She is a co-founder of the Ecuadorian Lawyers Club in Madrid.
ReferralsWho’s Who Legal
“A fantastic and well-rounded lawyer”
“exceptional”“outstanding legal skills and fluency in French, Spanish and English”
MembershipsRecognition
Memberships and recognition
Current positions
- 2025Scientific Committee of the Spanish and Ibero-American Arbitration Club (CEIA)
- 2024DELOS Dispute Resolution Global ACC
- 2024CIAM-CIAR award scrutiny commission
- 2023Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) Panel of Arbitrators
- 2022List of arbitrators of the Lima Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Centre (CCL)
- 2021ICSID Panel of Arbitrators, designated by the Republic of Ecuador
- 2013Spanish and Ibero-American Arbitration Club (CEIA)
Awards and recognition
- 2025Lexology Thought Leader Global Elite – Arbitration – Under 45 Partners
- 2023–24Who’s Who Legal Thought Leader Global Elite – Arbitration – Under 45 Non-Partners
- 2019–22Who’s Who Legal Future Leaders – Arbitration – Non-Partners
- 2021First woman designated by the Republic of Ecuador to the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators
- 2014FTI Award for the best-reasoned quantum award, Young Arbitrators Match (PVYAP, Paris)
- 2012Honourable mention, Werner Melis Award for best memorandum for respondent (Willem C. Vis Moot)
- 2011Best essay prize on Canadian and international perspectives on arbitration (BLSA and Université de Montréal)
- 2009Scholarship from the International Law Research Centre (CIDI), Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador
- 2020–22Observer to UNCITRAL Working Group II (Dispute Settlement)
- 2020–22Group advisor, Young ICCA Mentoring Programme
- 2019Drafting committee of the Spanish Arbitration Club Code of Best Practices in Arbitration (arbitral institutions section)
- 2017–19Europe representative, ICC YAF
- 2017Committee reviewing the ICC Rules on appointing authority in UNCITRAL and other ad hoc proceedings
ConferencesPublications
Teaching, conferences and publications
Adjunct professor at IE Law School and at the Université de Sherbrooke. Details of her conferences and publications are set out in her CV.
ContactMadrid
Let’s talk about your proceedings
- melanieriofrio@riofrio-idr.com
- Office
- Madrid, Spain
