According to Dinc Sanver, General Counsel & Local Compliance Officer Turkey & MEA at Teva, the pandemic has accelerated a digital evolution of the legal function, giving rise to a whole new set of challenges.

Former Deputy Head of the Supervision and Enforcement Department-I of the Turkish Competition Authority, Ebru Ince, has returned to private practice to join ELIG Gurkaynak Attorneys-at-Law as Counsel.

Merve Oney Barlas has joined Istanbul-based financial services provider DgPays as Chief Legal Officer.

Aybars Yagiz, Legal Counsel at GAMA Enerji, Turkey, and Board Member at the GAMA group of companies, shares his thoughts about the soft skills senior in-house legal counsel should possess.

On November 11, 2020, CEE Legal Matters reported that Balcioglu Selcuk Ardiyok Keki Attorney Partnership advised Fujitsu Technology Solutions Bilisim on its sale of 100% of shares from shareholders Fujitsu Technology Solutions GmbH and Fujitsu Technology Solutions Holding B.V. CEE In-House Matters spoke with Scott Mortimer, Vice President, Legal Commercial and Compliance at Fujitsu Australia Limited, to learn more about the sale.

Senem Berkem Paflak has joined Modanisa as Head of Legal Compliance. 

Turkish lawyer Mustafa Yazgan has been promoted to Senior Director and Regional Counsel at Stryker in Cork, Ireland.

Turkish lawyer Berna Gungenci Kilincoglu has been appointed Associate Director, Project Integrity at the EBRD in London.

Bengi Su Karakoylu has joined Temsa as the company’s Head of Legal.

Credit Europe Bank has made Turkish lawyer Omer Sirin its Head of Legal.

Turkish lawyer Ozge Ayoz has moved to Sao Paolo to take on the role of VP P&G Brazil Legal.

Following Natura &Co’s 2020 acquisition of Avon, Hande Karakulah, the former Executive Director, Legal for TMEA at Avon, became the General Counsel, Turkey Middle East Africa at Natura &Co, marking a considerable expansion of her role.

Gunel Rzayeva has joined VavaCars as Senior Legal Counsel in Istanbul.

Former Chief Legal Counsel and Head of Contracts at Havelsan Yavuz Selim Gunay has returned to private practice to launch Gunay & Erdogan Attorneys-at-Law (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on January 14, 2021).

Ayca Aydin Suzer has joined TEB Cetelem as Head of Legal in Turkey.

Former Esin Attorney Partnership Partner Birturk Aydin has left that firm — the Turkish member firm of Baker McKenzie International — to become the Head of Legal at Koc University in Istanbul.

Ebru Gurdemir has joined Unilever in Istanbul as the General Counsel TUI.

On November 11, 2020, CEE Legal Matters reported that the Apak Uras Law Firm had advised Teknoser on its acquisition of 100% of the shares of Fujitsu Technology Solutions Bilisim from shareholders Fujitsu Technology Solutions GmbH and Fujitsu Technology Solutions Holding B.V. CEEIHM spoke with Doruk Ozdemir, Legal Counsel at Hitay Holdings, to learn more about the deal.