Professional background and experience:

Gustav is a Fellow of both the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa) and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and was accredited as a commercial mediator by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR, UK) in 2012. In addition to being a registered professional engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa and a member of the South African Institute of Civil Engineers, he is an admitted advocate of the High Court of South Africa and a member of the National Bar Council of South Africa where he serves as the Gauteng Regional Coordinator.

Gustav comes from a consulting engineering background with 33 years of experience in a large multinational which has led him to having a deep understanding and expertise in general and project management.  This is exemplified by his successful management of both the technical design and advisory units as well as major and smaller offices during his time as a regional director. As a technical director and as a unit manager, Gustav has led large multi-disciplinary teams of engineers and other specialists towards the successful completion of a wide spectrum of multi-disciplinary projects for both 

private sector and government clients. He has a broad interest in legal issues in general and a particular interest in business rescue and insolvency, company law, construction law, construction dispute resolution, general contractual issues, professional services contracts and liability, planning, property, and land law, environmental law, and constitutional and administrative law. 

Gustav has a BEng (Civil) and an LLM (Environmental Law, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law & Municipal Law) from the University of Pretoria, a MEng (Structures) from the University of Stellenbosch and a BProc and LLB from the University of South Africa. He has also completed the Post Graduate Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration from Queen Mary, University of London. He also completed the Certified Rescue Analyst Programme offered jointly by the Turn-Around Management Association and the University of Pretoria and the Advanced Programme in Insolvency Litigation and Administration Practice offered by the University of Pretoria and the Certificate in Corporate Law offered by UNISA/LEAD.

Mediation experience and style:

With a very measured approach based on many years of diverse experience and knowledge, Gustav has a strategic take on any mediation and an ability to assist parties generate viable alternatives.  With his extensive background in the engineering and the business field, Gustav offers a specialised service in mediation regarding construction, property, land, environmental and engineering-related matters.   

Comments from mediation clients:

"A commercially astute professional who thinks strategically and objectively. I regard his wisdom, insight, and ability to reach a well-reasoned outcome as some of his most outstanding characteristics" - JL Pretorius, Corporate Counsel, Aurecon

"In my capacity as Aurecon Legal Director Africa, I had the absolute privilege of working with Gustav on a regular basis, more than often under tight deadlines and in pressure situations. Gustav always brought a calmness to the team with his project insight and unparalleled strategic ability to see the wood from the trees. Gustav has an amazingly positive attitude and demeanour and he always takes the time to share his insight and knowledge" - Hein Grobler