Aslıhan Evcimen Joins Saint-Gobain as Country Legal Director in Istanbul, Turkey

We are pleased to announce that Aslıhan Evcimen has been appointed as the Country Legal Director for Saint-Gobain in Istanbul, Turkey. To gain deeper insights into her vision and approach, you can read our exclusive interview with Aslihan Evcimen here.

Aslihan is a dedicated legal professional with extensive experience in both private practice and in-house roles. Her educational background includes a law degree from Marmara University Law Faculty, supplemented by a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of California, Berkeley, USA.

Prior to her move to Saint-Gobain, Aslihan Evcimen was with Vaillant Group, serving as their Country Head of Legal & Compliance in Istanbul, Türkiye. Throughout her career, she has worked across various sectors, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technology, bus manufacturing, milk and dairy production, agriculture, and smart city technologies. In these roles, she has consistently acted as a trusted advisor, providing strategic counsel tailored to the specific challenges of each industry.

Her approach is characterized by proactive engagement, emphasizing ethical standards and regulatory compliance to ensure organizational awareness and adherence to legal processes. She strives to maintain a holistic understanding of the intersection between law and business, guiding her work with integrity and diligence.

Interview Excerpt:

What personal and professional skills do you believe are most important for your new role as an experienced senior legal & compliance professional? Can you discuss the role's challenges and benefits?

From my perspective, several key personal and professional skills are essential for this role. Leadership and management skills are fundamental, as they involve guiding and mentoring a team, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that the team’s efforts align with the organization’s objectives. Additionally, strategic thinking is crucial. This skill enables a senior professional to align legal and compliance strategies with business goals, anticipate potential issues, and provide solutions that support growth while mitigating risks.

Strong communication skills are also important. The ability to clearly and persuasively articulate complex legal and compliance issues to non-legal stakeholders is essential, whether advising executives, negotiating contracts, or interacting with regulatory bodies. Deep legal and compliance expertise is fundamental, including a thorough understanding of relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards, and staying current with evolving legal and regulatory landscapes. Ethical judgment is another key attribute, ensuring that the organization not only meets legal requirements but also adheres to high ethical standards, thereby safeguarding its reputation.

The role comes with its own set of challenges. A significant challenge is balancing compliance with business objectives. Ensuring the organization adheres to regulatory requirements while supporting strategic goals can be complex. Additionally, staying current with rapidly changing regulations and managing their implications demands vigilance and adaptability. The role often involves high-stakes decision-making, where the consequences of legal and compliance issues can be substantial, requiring a calm and informed approach under pressure.

Despite these challenges, the role offers substantial benefits. One key advantage is the opportunity to shape and influence the organization’s strategic direction. Legal directors plays a crucial role in guiding the company through complex legal and regulatory environments, which directly impacts its success and stability. The work is intellectually stimulating, involving a diverse range of issues from compliance management to risk assessment. Moreover, the role provides a significant opportunity to promote a culture of integrity and ethical behavior, contributing meaningfully to the organization’s long-term success and reputation.