Legal500 GC Powerlist Turkey 2023 Recognizes Leading In-House Counsel and Rising Stars

The Legal500 GC Powerlist Turkey 2023 celebrates the achievements and expertise of in-house counsel in the Turkish legal industry.

The prestigious Legal500 GC Powerlist Turkey 2023 has been announced, recognizing the outstanding contributions of in-house counsel in Turkey. This annual accolade highlights the innovations, achievements, and challenges faced by these legal professionals, while also showcasing rising stars within their organizations.

The ceremony, held at the Çırağan Palace Kempinski, brought together 160 in-house counsel and rising stars who were honored for their exceptional contributions to their respective legal departments. The event, which took place on Thursday, May 25, 2023, was a testament to the exceptional legal talent within Turkey.

The Legal500 GC Powerlist Turkey serves as a significant platform for recognizing and acknowledging the leading in-house counsel who play a vital role in shaping the legal landscape of the country. These accomplished professionals have demonstrated exemplary leadership, expertise, and dedication to their organizations.

In a timely twist, this year's edition of the GC Powerlist Turkey also highlighted rising stars within the in-house counsel community. This category celebrates individuals who have already made a significant impact on their legal departments, as well as those deputy general counsels who are poised to assume greater responsibilities in the near future.

The Legal500, renowned for its comprehensive evaluations of law firms and legal professionals worldwide, employs a rigorous assessment process. Criteria such as areas of expertise, client references, reputation, and achievements are considered when selecting the honorees. Being included in the Legal500 GC Powerlist Turkey is a testament to the high level of professionalism and expertise demonstrated by the recognized in-house counsel.

The Legal500 GC Powerlist Turkey 2023 features various in-house counsel from various industries, each contributing expertise and leadership to their respective organizations.

Barış Agun, Business Development Director of The Legal 500 Türkiye, commented: “We congratulate all legal counsel who entered this year's GC Powerlist Turkiye list. Thank you for your pioneering work in your business life. We also welcomed and congratulated Rising Stars, which was evaluated within the scope of GC Powerlist Turkiye for the first time.

As Mustafa Kemal Atatürk said, “Success is for those who can start saying they will succeed and finally say they have succeeded.”

And all those talented legal counsel in this year's Powerlist can certainly say that.

To all legal counsel, thank you for your continued friendship and support. At the Legal 500 you have welcomed me with incredible motivation and energy – this in itself has inspired me to do my best for you all. I am a very lucky person. These last two years have been an incredible two years for me both to manage Turkiye for The Legal 500 and to spend time with each of you. These are two years I will never forget. American author Dr. Seuss once said, "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”

Thank you for such a wonderful and memorable occasion. En büyük Türkiye.”

Among the honored professionals are:

• Ahmet İlker Doğan, Vice President, General Counsel, Board Member | Anagold Madencilik
• Ahu Hacıömeroğlu Ergin, Director, Legal and Compliance | Multi Türkiye (Multi Corporation)
• Ahu Akın Sezgin, Global M&A Group Counsel | Schindler Group
• Ali Uzun, General Counsel and Group Head of Sustainability | Pegasus Airlines
• Aslı Sındıran, Corporate Lawyer and Mediator | Çimtaş Group
• Aslı Kehale Altunyuva, Legal Director | Polat Enerji Yatırımları
• Aybars Yağız, Assistant Managing Director – Legal and Corporate Communications | GAMA Energy
• Ayşe Akcan Tartan, Vice President, Legal | Turkish Airlines
• Ayşegül Durmuş, Head of Legal | Watsons Türkiye
• Başak Dervişbey, Legal and Compliance Director | Marsh Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerliği
• Başak Gürbüz, Lead Regional Counsel – Southern Europe | Visa
• Begüm Ergin, Head of Legal and Compliance, Tunisia, Morocco and Levant | Novo Nordisk
• Belda Öztürk, Chief Legal Counsel | Kazancı Holding
• Berç Germeyan Işık, Managing Counsel CEE and Head of Legal Türkiye Office | Shell
• Beren Argun, Director, Business and Legal Affairs - Middle East, Türkiye and Africa | Netflix
• Berkant Kolcu, Senior Vice President, Legal and Compliance | Turkish Airlines
• Bikem Vural İl, Legal Counsel | Halkbank
• Bora Kaya, General Counsel | GAMA Holding
• Burak Ballı, Legal Coordinator, Corporate Legal Counsel of EMEA Region | BrandMonitor
• Burcu Demirkaya, Senior Legal Counsel | Citibank
• Burcu Özsevinç, Director of Legal and Compliance | HotelRunner
• Burcu Sönmezyalçın Döker, Director of Legal Affairs, Compliance Officer and Data Protection Official, Member of the Company Management Board and Board Secretary | Media Markt Türkiye
• Bürke Şerbetçi Arabacı, Head of Legal Affairs | The Walt Disney Company
• Çağdaş Hemşinlioğlu, Ice Cream Category General Counsel Middle East and Türkiye | Unilever
• Çağla Kalyoncu Altın, Legal and Compliance Director, Türkiye, Ukraine, CIS | Merck Sharp Dohme (MSD)
• Çağla Zıngıl, Legal Director, Chief Legal Officer | Akkök Sanayi Yatırım ve Geliştirme
• Can Akçaoğlu, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer | Türkiye Petrol Rafinerileri (Tupras)
• Canan Ahtihan Baştımar, Legal Director, Central South Europe and Türkiye | Air Liquide
• Celal Savaş, Chief Legal Officer and Member of Management Board | SOCAR Türkiye Enerji
• Cem Aktolgalı, Legal Manager | Anagold Madencilik
• Cemile Güneş Dinlenmiş, Legal Director | Celebi Aviation Holding
• Ceren Arslan, Vice President, Legal Affairs | Bi̇lgi̇li̇ Holdi̇ng
• Ceren Mursaloğlu, Lead Legal Counsel | Pegasus Airlines
• Ceyda Akbal Öztarhan, General counsel | TAV Havalimanları Holding
• Cezminur Aslıhan Evcimen, Head of Legal and Compliance | Valliant Group
• Çilem Baykaler, Director of Legal Affairs | Cleopatra Ink
• Damla Aygün Yararcan, Head of Legal, Business Area Middle East, Africa, CIS (BAMEAC) | Novo Nordisk
• Damlanur İpek, Legal Counsel | SOCAR Türkiye Enerji
• Demet Ceylan Demircan, Legal and Compliance Advisor | Peakup Teknoloji̇
• Deniz Özkızılırmak, Head of Legal Affairs Department | Metro Properties Gayrimenkul Yatırım
• Deniz Sisa, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer | Koç Information Group
• Dinç Şanver, Legal Director | Pearson
• Doğan Özyardımcı, Formerly Legal and Compliance Part Leader | LG Electronics
• Dr. iur. Buğrahan Eldelekli, Legal Director | OYAK Mining Metallurgy Group
• Ebru Ersoy, Chief Legal Counsel | Odeabank
• Ebru Gürdemir, General Counsel MET Personal Care and General Counsel Türkiye, UNICA, Iran at Unilever, TEID Board Member | Unilever
• Ece Tırak Solmaz, Head of Legal | EssilorLuxottica
• Eda Yüksel, Chief Legal Officer | TURCAS/Aksoy Holding
• Elif Dalga, Legal Counsel | Novartis Sağlık, Gıda ve Tarım Ürünleri Sanayi ve Ticaret
• Elif Nur Aydın, Legal Counsel | Euromarine Development Gayrimenkul İnşaat ve Ticaret
• Emre Aksu, Attorney at Law | Bank of China Turkey
• Ertuğrul Onur, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Ethic and Compliance Officer and Company Secretary | Coca-Cola İçecek
• Esra Niğde Şahiner, Legal Coordinator | Petkim Petrokimya Holding
• Esra Tabak, Legal Affairs Manager | Danone Turkey
• Ezgi Korkmaz, Chief Legal Counsel | Sancak Group
• Ezgi Sarıkaya, Head of Legal and Compliance | Akçansa
• Ezgi Aksu, Legal Counsel | Sodexo BRS Türkiye
• Fatih Özdemir, Legal Counsel | TotalEnergies
• Fatih Temur, Legal Manager | Yılport Holding
• Fatma Aslan Hantal, Chief Legal Counsel (Director) | MAYA Holding, IKEA Turkey
• Fatma Dilaşup Şengül, Legal Director | Akkim Group
• Fatma İmren Tunç, Senior Legal Counsel | Getir
• Fatoş Laleoğlu Aydın, Legal Director | TAV Construction
• Gamze Bedirkurum, Customer Unit Turkey Legal Head | Ericsson
• Gamze Çağlayan, Head of Legal and Compliance | Santa Farma Pharmaceuticals
• Gamze Gökçen Pilevne, General Counsel, Head of Compliance and ESG and Corporate Secretary | Mercedes-Benz Türk
• Gizem Maden Bayrak, Legal Counsel | SunExpress
• Gizem Zeynep Bölükbaşı Kömüryakan, Vice President | Türkiye Wealth Fund
• Gökçe Yeşildağ, Legal Counsel | Johnson & Johnson
• Gökhan Sümer, Chief Llegal Counsel | Kalyon Yatırım Holding Anonim Şirketi
• Gözde Karahan Turan, Company Lawyer (Legal and Compliance) | McDonalds Turkey
• Gözde Küçükçolak, Head of Legal and Integrity Türkiye, Romania, Georgia and Azerbaijan | Hitachi Energy
• Gülbin Olgun Erbak, Legal Director GCC, Türkiye & Israel | Johnson & Johnson
• Hakan Bekiroğlu, Legal Director | Yıldız Holding
• Hale Büyükbozkurt, Head of Legal and Compliance Officer | Reckitt Health
• Halil İbrahim Kardıçalı, MEA Region Enterprise Operations Senior Counsel, SEE Region Senior Counsel, Government Affairs TR | 3M Sanayi ve Ticaret
• Hande Coşkunses, Senior Legal Manager | Novartis Sağlık, Gıda ve Tarım Ürünleri Sanayi ve Ticaret
• Hande Eröz, General Counsel | Türkiye Şişe ve Cam Fabrikaları
• Hande Karakülah, Legal and Scientific Director | L'Oreal Türkiye
• Hayriye Gülşah Tarlacı, Legal Director | UNO
• Hüseyin Topuzoğlu, Legal Director | Alliance Healthcare Türkiye
• Hüseyin Emre Şensoy, General Counsel | Aselsan
• İrem Aydın, Former General Counsel and Chief of Staff | Formerly Martı İleri Teknoloji
• İsmail Tohma, Senior Legal Counsel and Compliance Officer | Enerjisa Enerji Üretim
• Kağan Öztarakçı, Legal Director | PepsiCo
• Kayhan Ergin, Legal Affairs Manager | Danone Turkey
• Kayhan Karabayır, Legal Affairs and Investor Relations Director | Yapıtek Yapı Teknolojisi
• Kemal Haluk Eruygur, Head of Legal | OYAK
• Kerem Kuşçu, Head of Legal | The Kraft Heinz Company
• Kübra Bingöl, Head of Legal | Boyner Buyuk Magazacilik
• Kübra Dağ, Legal Manager and Privacy Officer | LeasePlan Otomotiv Servis ve Tic.
• Kurtuluş Çaltekin, General Counsel | AvivaSA Emeklilik ve Hayat
• Martı Gürtuna Onat, Legal Counsel | DFDS Denizcilik ve Tasimacilik
• Mehmet Can Açıkalın, Manager Legal Counsel, South East Europe, Spain and Turkey | FedEx Express
• Mehmet Tekergül, Legal and Compliance Manager | Türkiye Finans Katılım Bankası
• Melis Yaşar, Legal Counsel | Bilgili Holding
• Melisa Köksel, Group Legal Coordinator | SOCAR Türkiye Petrol Ticaret
• Meltem Azbazdar, General Counsel | Mey Diageo
• Merve Öney Barlas, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer | TurkNet
• Merve Savcı, Senior Legal Counsel | Getir
• Meryem Sövüt, Chief Legal Officer | NEF-Timur Gayrimenkul Geliştirme Yapı ve Yatırım
• Miraç Ucankale Yuce, Head of Legal | ALJ Holding
• Miray Ilıksoy Baran, Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs | BRF Türkiye
• Müge Bulat Çetinkaya, Head of Legal | Dominos Pizza Türkiye
• Mustafa Yelligedik, Legal Affairs President | AG Anadolu Grubu Holding
• Mustafa Nihat Zincirlioğlu, Head of Legal and Compliance | Samsung Electronics Türkiye – Production
• Neval Berdibek, General Counsel | Nusr-Et
• Nilsu Hazardağlı Demir, Legal and Compliance Officer and Board Member | Boehringer Ingelheim Türkiye
• Nilüfer Türkçü Hıra, Legal Director | Çalık Holding
• Nur Yalçıner Kılıç, Head of Legal, Risk and Compliance | Dx Technology Services and Investment B.V. (“SabancıDx”)
• Oğuz Sami Sarıkaya, Head of Legal | Lukoil Eurasia Petrol
• Okşan Montalto, Regional Hegal Head | Formerly Ferrero Türkiye
• Osman Şafak, Vice President, Legal and Compliance Department | Turkish Airlines
• Oya Şehirlioğlu, Legal and Compliance Director | Umur Basım Sanayi̇ ve Ti̇c.
• Özge Bozyurt, Legal Counsel | Groupama Sigorta & Groupama Hayat
• Özge Gülşen Kösem, Head of Legal and Compliance | Danone Turkey
• Özgün Poyraz, Legal Director Türkiye and Middle East and Vice Chairman | Linde Gaz
• Özgür Ozan Döker, General Counsel and General Secretary | Sofra/Compass Türkiye
• Özlem Tavaslıoğlu, Head of Legal | Migros Ticaret
• Özlem Akyüz Atamer, Head of Legal | Kale Holding
• Pelin Pamir Bayramoğulları, Senior Legal Counsel | PepsiCo
• Pelin Tekin, Legal Counsel | PepsiCo
• Pınar Parlak Koyuncu, Chief Legal Counsel | GE Healthcare Türkiye
• Pınar Ece Kaleli, General Counsel | App Samurai & Storyly (App Samurai)
• Ramazan Zorlu, Chief Legal Counsel | SunExpress
• Reşide Berfin Çeçen Şenol, Counsel & Board Member | CCN Group
• Ruhsar Küçükgöz, Deputy Managing Counsel | Akbank
• Ruken Taşkıran, Legal Manager | Yapı ve Kredi Bankası
• S. Buğra Bekdemir, Legal Counsel | SOCAR Türkiye Enerji
• Sarp Karataş, Legal Adviser | PepsiCo
• Şebnem Önder, Head of Legal and Compliance | Sabancı Holding
• Şebnem Karaduman, Chief Legal Counsel, Assistant General Manager, Executive Board Member | Allianz Türkiye
• Seda Deniz Kasar, Legal Coordinator | STAR Rafineri
• Sedat Tatar, General Counsel and Head of Legal | Mercedes-Benz Otomotiv
• Selen Atlı Çeti̇n, Chief Legal Counsel and Compliance Officer | DLL Türkiye
• Selin Küçükkayıkçı, General Counsel | Limak Yatırım Enerji Üretim
• Senem Özyavuz Uysal, Legal Vice President | Getir
• Serçin Kireçtepe, Head of Legal, Compliance and Insuarance | Metro Cash and Carry Türkiye
• Serdar Aslan, Legal and Regulatory Affairs Manager | Ak Yatırım Menkul Değerler
• Serhat Demir, Chief Legal and Regulation Officer | Turkcell
• Seteney Nur Arslan, Senior Legal Counsel | TANAP Doğalgaz İletim
• Sevda Aydın Alemdar, Head of Legal and Compliance | Danone Turkey
• Sevde Gökçe Kılıç, Senior Legal Counsel | TANAP Doğalgaz İletim
• Soley Güzel, Legal, Compliance and Internal Audit Director | Roche Türkiye
• Susen Aklan, Senior Counsel, Privacy and Data Protection | Mastercard
• Theis Sonne, Senior Director, Legal, Compliance and Quality | Novo Nordisk
• Tuğçe Mert, Chief Legal and Compliance Counsel | CarrefourSA
• Tülay Aktan, Corporate Affairs and Law Director | Efe İçecek Sanayi ve Ticaret
• Uğur Ateş, Chief Legal Counsel | Kürüm Group International
• Uğur Sebzeci, Chief Legal Officer | Ronesans Holding
• Ümit Başer, General Counsel | EYG Group
• Ümit Çakır, Legal Director | Sandoz Türkiye
• Umut Nazif Çelik, General Counsel, Legal and Compliance | Arçelik Global
• Verda Toy, Senior Legal Counsel | Arçelik Global
• Yiğitcan Bozoğlu, Chief Legal Officer | Aras Kargo
• Zeynep Kalaycı, Head of Legal and Compliance | Enerjisa Üretim Santralleri
• Zeynep Çetiner, Head of Legal Affairs | Celebi Holding
• Zeynep Derman Küçükönder, General Counsel Eurasia and Middle East | The Coca-Cola Company
• Zeynep Gazzali Duran, Director of Legal Affairs | TANAP Doğalgaz İletim
• Zeynep Kabiloğlu Poyraz, Head of Legal, Türkiye | SAP