Cyrus Benson is a U.S. and English qualified partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and serves as co-chair of the firm’s International Arbitration Practice Group.
Cyrus represents clients from a wide variety of sectors before commercial and investment treaty tribunals with particular experience in telecoms, oil & gas, mining and infrastructure disputes. He continues to represent a Dutch and a Luxembourg investor in two separate multi-billion dollar arbitration proceedings against the Russian Federation under the Energy Charter Treaty.
He is lead advocate for a major international contractor in billion dollar ICC proceedings against a Middle Eastern state arising from an airport project, and spear-headed a team in the successful prosecution of a US$ 2 billion LCIA arbitration for a global mining corporate against a Middle East steel manufacturer. He also continues to represent a Middle Eastern conglomerate in a US$ 500 million ICSID arbitration under the Kuwait/Iraq bilateral investment treaty arising out of an investment in Kurdistan; and a Swedish holding company in a US$ 1.5 billion ICSID arbitration against a North African State for expropriation of a refinery and related businesses.
This past year he successfully defended a European telecommunications company in an ICC arbitration brought by a middle-eastern telecommunications provider arising from a multi-billion euro M&A transaction.
He was a member of the IBA Arbitration Committee Task Force on Ethics for Counsel and served as one of the UK members to the ICC Rules Revision Task Force. He sits regularly as an arbitrator, and writes and lectures on a wide variety of arbitration issues.
He has championed the USAID-backed joint legal reform initiative (with the Mongolian Ministry of Justice) to design and teach a course on international arbitration law and practice (covering both commercial and investment treaty arbitration) to Mongolian lawyers and judges.
Cyrus is ranked as a leading lawyer for International Arbitration in the 2007-2024 Chambers UK guides, who describe him as “he's superb and has an excellent grasp of strategy. He's an excellent advocate and first-rate cross-examiner." In previous editions, he is noted as “an exceptional advocate. He understands the legal issues and the tactics. He is a really effective advocate and cross-examiner” and “a formidable advocate.” He is also ranked in the 2010, 2014-2022 Chambers Global guides, 2021-2022 Chambers Europe guide and in the 2009-2025 editions of Best Lawyers International in the UK. In addition, The Legal 500 UK 2024 ranks Cyrus in the Hall of Fame listing for International Arbitration and recognises him for Public International Law as well as recommending Gibson Dunn’s International Arbitration Practice generally (the publications recently cited him as being ‘a class act’ and “an exceptional lawyer and a first-rate advocate among the best-regarded practitioners in the market. He is tactically astute and a strong strategist. He is the lawyer that I would want in my corner).” He is “highly recommended” for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration in Practical Law Company’s Which Lawyer? (2007-2012), is identified by UK Legal Experts 2012 as an expert in the field of Arbitration and recommended in Arbitration in Who’s Who Legal 2023. He has also been recommended for Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration in Chambers Europe and is ranked as a ‘Litigation Star’ for International Arbitration by Benchmark Litigation Europe 2022. He is also ranked for International Arbitration and Litigation in the Lawdragon 500 Global Litigation Lawyers guide 2021.
Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Cyrus was co-head of the London International Arbitration Group at a U.S. law firm.
Representative Matters (Collective Experience)
- Former subsidiaries of Yukos Oil company in two multi-billion-dollar UNCITRAL proceedings against the Russian Federation under the Energy Charter Treaty arising from the expropriation of Yukos.
- A Kuwaiti conglomerate in ICSID proceedings against the Republic of Iraq arising from a forced divestment of an interest in a Kurdish telecommunications company.
- A Swedish holding company in a US$1.5 billion ICSID arbitration against a North African State for expropriation of a refinery and related businesses.
- A major international engineering company in multi-billion-dollar ICC proceedings against a Middle Eastern state arising from an airport project.
- A Kuwaiti conglomerate in multiple ICC proceedings arising from a telecommunications joint venture in Kurdistan.
- A French telecommunications company in ICC proceedings arising from a multi-billion-euro M&A transaction with a Middle Eastern telecommunications provider.
- A US hotel and entertainment company in SIAC proceedings arising from a project to develop Asian hotel properties.
- A French power generation company in a €200 million ICC arbitration in Geneva arising from a long-term contract for supply of natural gas.
- A European energy company in a $150 million ICC arbitration in London for a price review under a long-term contract for supply of LNG.
- An African State in a $100 million LCIA arbitration in London alleging breaches of a concession agreement for a port and terminal project.
- Middle East oil companies in the global enforcement of a US$2 billion LCIA award against the Kurdistan Regional Government.
- A major mining company in a US$2 billion LCIA arbitration arising from pricing and related disputes under a long term contract for the purchase and sale of iron ore.
- A major oil company in a US$1.5 billion ICC arbitration arising from the divestment of an Eastern European refinery.
- A US energy company in a high value ICSID arbitration arising from the termination of a geothermal concession by an African State.
- A Brazilian mining conglomerate in an ICC arbitration in Paris arising from the termination of long-term contracts to purchase and ship iron ore.
- An Asian subsidiary of a major global mining company in connection with claims against an Asian state under a bilateral investment treaty.
- A US oil & gas company in parallel US$200 million UNCITRAL arbitrations involving the termination and hand-over of off-shore concessions in the Middle East.
- An Asian oil & gas company in an LCIA arbitration against an Asian state in respect of termination of a joint operating agreement.
- A Middle Eastern airport ground handling services company in an ICC arbitration and related litigation arising from expropriation by a Central Asian state.
- A Middle Eastern provider of power generation services in an ICC arbitration for breach of contract in respect of projects in East Africa.
- A Middle-East investment bank in related DIAC proceedings in Dubai arising from a property development project.
- A major cable company in an AAA/ICDR arbitration concerning the disputed sale of a holding company with interests in various Russian wireless ventures.
- An investor group in a US$500 million LCIA arbitration involving disputed ownership of an Eastern European hotel project.
- A joint venture contractor in a US$1 billion ICC construction arbitration in Mexico City arising from the expansion and upgrading of an oil refinery and crude oil pipelines owned by a Latin American government.
- A South American conglomerate in connection with ICC and LMAA arbitration proceedings arising from the collapse of the world steel market.
- A vessel owner in related LMAA arbitration proceedings in London arising from a luxury yacht construction agreement.
- A Middle Eastern contractor in an ICC arbitration in Paris arising from a gas plant project in Saudi Arabia.
- A Middle Eastern consulting firm in a DIFC-LCIA arbitration in Dubai arising from telecommunications projects in Central Asia.
- A telecommunications joint venture in a US$1 billion ICC arbitration in Stockholm arising out of an Eastern European privatization of telecommunications services.
- A Middle Eastern cable manufacturer in a US$150 million ICC arbitration arising out of a contract for the expansion and modernization of the telecommunications system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- A European contractor in an ICC arbitration with a state agency concerning the termination of an agreement to implement a digital terrestrial television network in an Eastern European country.
- A material witness in an LCIA arbitration in London concerning a dispute over ownership of a major Russian telecommunications company.
- A major European financial institution in an ICC arbitration arising out of the termination of services and technology agreements for the establishment of a structured derivatives business.
- An investment company in an AAA arbitration involving disputes among the members of a limited liability company formed to renovate and develop a historic pier in downtown Manhattan.
- A Middle Eastern national oil company in a US$100 million arbitration and related litigation arising from a refinery upgrade project.
- A European conglomerate in an ICC arbitration concerning a power company in Thailand.
- An offshore oil and gas contractor in a US$100 million AAA arbitration arising out of the construction of an offshore natural gas pipeline around Boston, Massachusetts.
- Advising a contractor in a US$75 million dispute involving on- and off-shore pipeline construction on the Sakhalin Island project.
Capabilities
Credentials
Education:
- New York University - 1991 Juris Doctor
- Syracuse University - 1986 Master of Arts
- Syracuse University - 1984 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- England & Wales - Solicitor
- New York Bar