Man at centre of RICS probe lands job at rival

One of the two senior staff who left the RICS after being accused of “inappropriate behaviour” relating to a dispute resolution website has been employed in a key role at the respected Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).

The CIArb confirmed this week that it has employed Wajid Khan - former head of operations at the RICS dispute resolution service (DRS) - as administrator of its “presidential panels”.

The CIArb, a charity with 12,000 members, is the main professional dispute resolution institution.

Khan will manage the appointment of adjudicators, arbitrators and mediators through the CIArb president, a similar role to the one he carried out at the RICS.

In November the RICS said it had uncovered a conflict of interest within the DRS, which led to the departures of Khan and his colleague Carol Goodall, head of quality.
The matter related to the creation of the now defunct dispute resolution website First4ADR.com and was taken so seriously by the RICS that it informed the Department of Justice and the Department for Communities and Local Government of its enquiries.

A RICS probe into the issue has been running for almost three months, overseen by law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse.

Simon Tolson, a senior partner at Fenwick Elliott and a chartered arbitrator and adjudicator, called the latest development “mightily odd” given that the RICS investigation had yet to conclude.

A CIArb spokesperson said:

“Mr Khan has been employed to set up the administration of its Presidential Panels following the sale of IDRS Ltd, the CIArb subsidiary which previously administered the panels.

“CIArb took up normal references, considered all the circumstances and was satisfied that it was in the interests of CIArb to appoint Mr Khan.”

The RICS and Khan declined to comment.