Sheila Bates

Sheila Bates, MCIArb, CEDR accredited Mediator

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Overview

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Sheila Bates, MCIArb, CEDR accredited mediator (2007) is an international dispute resolution professional, facilitator and trainer. She has wide-ranging international experience gained in consulting, multi-nationals, financial institutions and public sector organisations over more than 25 years. She is a member of the CEDR mediation panel.

 

As a mediator, Sheila is particularly in interested in cross cultural and workplace and employment disputes. She has an in-depth knowledge of emerging markets. Sheila led the implementation of mediation in an international financial institution as part of its internal justice system.

 

She has led and facilitated several major change management initiatives and trains regularly on conflict management, collaboration and mediation awareness in the UK and internationally. Sheila is also engaged in collaborative dialogue in the food industry to eliminate modern slavery in the supply chain.

 

A fluent French speaker, she trains and mediates in the language. In her spare time Sheila enjoys upholstery, mountain walking and spending time in south west France.

 

 

Mediation Experience

 

Sheila has mediated a variety of disputes including:

 

• Banking and Finance

• Employment and Workplace

• Business and Partnership

• Technology

• Property and Construction

• Consumer Disputes

• Community Matters

 

 

Client Feedback and Testimonials

 

“Brings energy to the proceedings and shows integrity and courage in assisting parties to reach agreement”. 

 

“Thank you for your kind words, encouragement and support throughout and I am sure that the other party are equally aware of that support as I believe that you have been even handed and unbiased to both sides. You have just sought to find a solution.”

 

“.. as a mediator, she builds trust remains impartial and concentrates on the issues to hand and facilitates finding a solution.” 

 

“Good in tough negotiations and having difficult conversations.”

 

“…was articulate and brought clarity to conversations.” 

 

 “I've worked with Sheila for over 5 years, dealing with sensitive staff matters successfully. She uses her significant relationship-building skills and easily gains the respect of her clients. She facilitates problem solving and helps focus parties on potential solutions and positive outcomes.” 

 

“She has the rare quality of being able to manage a multi-faceted project - sometimes involving heated debate - without upsetting people.”

 

 

Mediation Style

 

Sheila brings energy and enthusiasm with a natural authority to her mediation work. She builds rapport easily and conveys to the parties the power they have to reach a settlement, whilst managing expectations and reality testing.Empathetic and comfortable dealing with highly emotional issues, she allows space for these to surface in order to make progress. Sheila encourages parties to develop creative options to move forward, with her warm personality and a good sense of humour, she helps parties keep going when negotiations are tough.

 

Her mediation practice encompasses commercial, workplace and employment, consumer as well as community cases.Sheila uses her experience and knowledge across the range of cases borrowing best practice in each to facilitate her clients reaching settlement.

 

 

Training and Speaking

 

Sheila trains in both French and English for CEDR on conflict management in international organisations, banking and finance, the health and charity sector. Sheila also develops and delivers training within the food sector around collaboration, negotiation and conflict management for Safe Space Collaboration LLP. In her corporate career, she has delivered training on conflict management to hundreds of staff.

 

Sheila has spoken at the KLRCA Mediation Forum and on panels for CEDR.

 

Memberships

 

Member of the Board of CEDR

Trustee of Access All Areas (theatre for the learning disabled)

Founding Member of the Produce Ethical Network which seeks to eliminate modern slavery in the supply chain of the fresh produce sector

 

Career Details

 

2015 – to date Independent Mediator and Dispute Resolution Consultant,

- Partner at Fusion HR Solutions LLP – HR consultancy,

- Partner at Safe Space Collaboration LLP – collaboration and consultancy on modern slavery

 

2007 – 2015 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), London

- Head of HR, Banking Division London HQ, 37 field offices

 

2003 – 2004 Rockwell Automation, European Headquarters, Belgium               

- Head, HR Europe, Project Services Division,

 

1999 – 2003

- Senior HR Project Manager, Head of Staffing

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1995 – 1999 MasterCard International, European Headquarters, Belgium

- HR Manager, EHQ and regional offices

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1984 – 1995 Various roles in sales, marketing and public relations

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Please contact Clerk to Chambers, Martin Poulter, on 020 3514 9020 or martin.poulter@arbdb.com to enquire about Sheila's availability for appointment.

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