2026 Annual Meeting Keynote Speaker Announced: Ann Chaplin, General Counsel of Qualcomm
Keynote Speaker
Ann Chaplin
Ann Chaplin, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Qualcomm Incorporated, has been chosen as the Keynote Speaker for the CPR Institute’s 2026 Annual Meeting, "Navigating Changing Currents: Business ADR in a Global Economy," scheduled from February 11 to 13, 2026, in San Diego.
In 2024, Chaplin received the prestigious award for leadership in dispute prevention and resolution from the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR Institute) at its Corporate Leadership Award Dinner in New York City.
“Ann Chaplin exemplifies the very best of dispute management in corporate practice,” said Serena K. Lee, President and CEO of the CPR Institute. “She has woven effective dispute resolution into Qualcomm’s DNA, shaping a culture that values foresight, fairness, and innovation. Her insights will undoubtedly inspire and challenge our community to think differently about how disputes are managed and prevented.”
Reporting directly to the CEO, Chaplin is a part of the leadership team at Qualcomm. She oversees all legal operations and functions worldwide. She leads her team in promoting good-faith mediation, facilitation, and arbitration in licensing agreements and other contracts. She previously served as Corporate Secretary and Deputy General Counsel for General Motors (GM).
“Ann Chaplin has had an illustrious career, having served in numerous roles at General Motors and now as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Qualcomm,” said Mary Beth Cantrell, Senior Associate General Counsel at Amgen, and Co-Chair of the CPR Institute’s 2026 Annual Meeting Steering Committee. “We look forward to hearing about her broad experience and leadership in incorporating dispute resolution in her various positions.”
At GM, Chaplin oversaw corporate governance, advised on product and technology transformation initiatives, managed the interface with the Board of Directors, led the securities team, and advised on ESG initiatives. She managed the litigation of thousands of cases ranging from class actions to complex product litigation, antitrust, IP, securities, and multidistrict matters. She resolved complex regulatory issues and investigations, managed the IP portfolio, and served as chief compliance officer for North America, while providing oversight for compliance functions worldwide. Additionally, Chaplin led the legal team responsible for M&A and strategic transactions, and supported global supply chain and purchasing operations, as well as employment and labor matters.
Before her time at GM, Chaplin was a partner at Fish & Richardson, serving as the Litigation Practice Group Leader, an elected member of the Management Committee, and Managing Partner of the Twin Cities Office. She specialized in patent, trade secret, trademark, and copyright litigation. Chaplin holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
The 2026 Annual Meeting Steering Committee received a record number of program submissions for this year’s event, which brings together industry thought leaders in ADR to discuss important issues, new developments, and practical tools and strategies in commercial arbitration, mediation, dispute management, and dispute prevention through panels and discussions.
“It has been such a privilege to co-chair this year’s Annual Meeting with Mary Beth,” said Page Robinson, Senior Director, Litigation and Intellectual Property at Activision Blizzard and Co-Chair of the Steering Committee, “The depth of knowledge and diversity of experience on the Steering Committee and among program contributors represented by in-house counsel, law firm members, academics, arbitrators, and mediators guarantees a stimulating and invaluable program.”
Registration will open early November for the CPR Institute Annual Meeting, scheduled from Wednesday, February 11, to Friday, February 13, 2026, at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego, CA.
For more information, visit https://www.cpradr.org/events/cpr-annual-meeting-2026
About the CPR Institute
The International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR Institute) is a nonprofit think tank founded in 1977 with a mission to unite corporations, law firms, academics, and neutrals to transform the way business disputes are prevented and resolved. Our members have pioneered practical rules, resources, and training that cut costs, reduce risks, and strengthen relationships—driving innovation in dispute resolution worldwide.
To learn more about the CPR Institute, visit www.cpradr.org
About Qualcomm
Qualcomm relentlessly innovates to deliver intelligent computing everywhere, helping the world tackle some of its most important challenges. Building on our 40 years of technology leadership in creating era-defining breakthroughs, we deliver a broad portfolio of solutions built with our leading-edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity. Our Snapdragon® platforms power extraordinary consumer experiences, and our Qualcomm Dragonwing™ products empower businesses and industries to scale to new heights. Together with our ecosystem partners, we enable next-generation digital transformation to enrich lives, improve businesses, and advance societies. At Qualcomm, we are engineering human progress.
Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering and research and development functions and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including our QCT semiconductor business. Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm patents are licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated.
For more information, visit www.qualcomm.com
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